Dealership or Mechanic shop w/good reviews?? Help! (1 Viewer)

[CruisingCruiser]

Hi everyone!
This is my very 1st post in this great forum.
I hope I’m in the right place to post about this:
I’m in love with my 2007 LC and want to baby it!
So I’m debating if I should continue taking it only to a Toyota dealership or if I should try a Japanese mechanic shop that has great reviews about the owners good work and honesty...
290000 miles, one previous owner who took it to a dealership for everything it seems!
Runs like new BUT, check engine light came on with P0158.
I replaced both 02 sensors but still same code.
I’d love to be able to fix it myself but I’m limited with certain knowledge, tools and funds which is the main problem.
The main question here is if I should try this mechanic...

I’m in Irving/Dallas Tx
Thank you in advance for any input and I can’t wait to meet and make new friends here!

Mauricio.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I replaced both 02 sensors but still same code.

Upstream or downstream sensors on which side of the engine? P0158 = passenger side downstream (at the cat converter) sensor. What brand sensors did you install?

 

[Lonegrasshopper]

Hi everyone!
This is my very 1st post in this great forum.
I hope I’m in the right place to post about this:
I’m in love with my 2007 LC and want to baby it!
So I’m debating if I should continue taking it only to a Toyota dealership or if I should try a Japanese mechanic shop that has great reviews about the owners good work and honesty...
290000 miles, one previous owner who took it to a dealership for everything it seems!
Runs like new BUT, check engine light came on with P0158.
I replaced both 02 sensors but still same code.
I’d love to be able to fix it myself but I’m limited with certain knowledge, tools and funds which is the main problem.
The main question here is if I should try this mechanic...

I’m in Irving/Dallas Tx
Thank you in advance for any input and I can’t wait to meet and make new friends here!

Mauricio.

I take mine when necessary to Lone Star Toyota. John the service and parts director has been amazing. That maybe too far for you, maybe 45 minutes from Irving.

 

[odessit]

Putting spacers on O2 sensors might help. Independent mechanic or yourself should be able to do this. I doubt that dealership will.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

Upstream or downstream sensors on which side of the engine? P0158 = passenger side downstream (at the cat converter) sensor. What brand sensors did you install?

Upstream or downstream sensors on which side of the engine? P0158 = passenger side downstream (at the cat converter) sensor. What brand sensors did you install?

Correct, passenger side after cat (downstream)
Denso, the ones that a lot of people suggested here.
Now, they were actually a bit different in size compared to the ones that were on truck Toyota brand but also said Denso on bottom.
I replaced both.
Another thing that I noticed later, is that the two old Toyota O2 sensors where different in length and part number but look identical on everything else.
I don’t think this matters it’s probably Toyota being thorough or perfectionist. I’ll post the part numbers in a little bit.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

I take mine when necessary to Lone Star Toyota. John the service and parts director has been amazing. That maybe too far for you, maybe 45 minutes from Irving.

Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll keep it in mind and really wouldn’t mind driving that far.
I’m trying to find someone reliable, honest and of course the lowest price possible without sacrificing parts or workmanship quality.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Now, they were actually a bit different in size compared to the ones that were on truck Toyota brand but also said Denso on bottom.

It was Denso 2344260 that you installed downstream, correct? I ask because the sensors are not identical across all model years of 100s, and yours being a different size than what you removed suggests that you might have installed the incorrect sensor. But assuming you installed the correct one, and you still have the DTC, I’d check the wiring for a short/burned through.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

It was Denso 2344260 that you installed downstream, correct? I ask because the sensors are not identical across all model years of 100s, and yours being a different size than what you removed suggests that you might have installed the incorrect sensor. But assuming you installed the correct one, and you still have the DTC, I’d check the wiring for a short/burned through.

Yes, that’s the part number.
So it probably had wrong ones already.
Who knows...
I also read somewhere that the upstream sometimes are bad and triggers the downstream ones to send the code... so I thought about swapping them to see if it sends the code from the other bank.
Debating if I should bother with that. Hard to reach and unplug those. I’m afraid to mess up the wires.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

Yes, that’s the part number.
So it probably had wrong ones already.
Who knows...
I also read somewhere that the upstream sometimes are bad and triggers the downstream ones to send the code... so I thought about swapping them to see if it sends the code from the other bank.
Debating if I should bother with that. Hard to reach and unplug those. I’m afraid to mess up the wires.

Correct, passenger side after cat (downstream)
Denso, the ones that a lot of people suggested here.
Now, they were actually a bit different in size compared to the ones that were on truck Toyota brand but also said Denso on bottom.
I replaced both.
Another thing that I noticed later, is that the two old Toyota O2 sensors where different in length and part number but look identical on everything else.
I don’t think this matters it’s probably Toyota being thorough or perfectionist. I’ll post the part numbers in a little bit.

So I looked for the O2 part numbers that were engraved on the Toyota sensors and even though they are different numbers, they are specifically for 05-07 LC or 05-07 LX470 and doesn’t specify for which side. Like I said earlier it’s probably just cause the length is slightly different.
Thought you might wanted to know. Also for everyone here.
I think this place has decent prices compared to dealerships and seems that they have two different websites for Toyotas and Lexus with difference in pricing even though it’s the exact same parts and that the sites seem to be from the same seller.
You’ll might already know this but just in case...
Sites look identical except for the name.