P0051 & VSC Trac & VSC OFF came on today. Can anyone help?

[3D FJ]

This morning, the check engine light, the VSC Trac (a-trac) and VSC OFF lights lit up on the dash. I disconnected the battery for a few minutes and that temporarily cleared the lights but sure enough, they came back on after about 10 miles or so of driving. This evening, I borrowed a friends reader to find that the code from the check engine light was "P0051 - Heater control circuit low (bank2, sensor 1)"

Here's what i noticed. When i start the truck, the check engine light is on immediately. After the truck has been on for about 10-15 seconds, the other two warning lights come on. Hopefully some of you can answer my questions.

1. Can this code cause the VSC lights to illuminate?

2. If this is an O2 sensor that needs replacing (from something i read previously) is this a warranty item that can get covered if i am still under warranty?

3. When/if i bring the truck to the dealership, would you recommend removing my BIOR skids? (i would think so right?)

4. If the code and the VSC lights are independent of each other, any ideas what to look for?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NOTE: I checked the CDL switch. When i press it, the light goes on, on the dash and when i press it again, the light goes out. That was the first thing i checked.

 

[OregonLC]

This morning, the check engine light, the VSC Trac (a-trac) and VSC OFF lights lit up on the dash. I disconnected the battery for a few minutes and that temporarily cleared the lights but sure enough, they came back on after about 10 miles or so of driving. This evening, I borrowed a friends reader to find that the code from the check engine light was "P0051 - Heater control circuit low (bank2, sensor 1)"

Here's what i noticed. When i start the truck, the check engine light is on immediately. After the truck has been on for about 10-15 seconds, the other two warning lights come on. Hopefully some of you can answer my questions.

1. Can this code cause the VSC lights to illuminate?

2. If this is an O2 sensor that needs replacing (from something i read previously) is this a warranty item that can get covered if i am still under warranty?

3. When/if i bring the truck to the dealership, would you recommend removing my BIOR skids? (i would think so right?)

4. If the code and the VSC lights are independent of each other, any ideas what to look for?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NOTE: I checked the CDL switch. When i press it, the light goes on, on the dash and when i press it again, the light goes out. That was the first thing i checked.

The P0051 is just the O2. Any chance water may have gotten into a common harness that includes both a wheel sensor and O2?

 

[3D FJ]

The P0051 is just the O2. Any chance water may have gotten into a common harness that includes both a wheel sensor and O2?

Very possible as there was a lot of rain and a big puddle that i went through the other day.

 

[CohibaDream]

Did you have any luck with this? Same thing happened to me this morning. I just had everything checked and it was serviced last week. Boots replaced

 

[mcmain0121]

Any update on your situation was, 3D FJ?
I had something similar happen tonight with my '02 470.

 

[68bronco]

Any update on your situation was, 3D FJ?
I had something similar happen tonight with my '02 470.

Ditto on my LX470 as well, this just happened last night ~ just wondering if you made any headway on this issue?

 

[mcmain0121]

I did, yes. Swapped out the APPS and its been great ever since. I bought mine through Amayama Trading Co. for under $200 shipped. Did some research on Amayama and found nothing negative about them at all. Ordered the part, took maybe a week or so to get to me from UAE. Part was about $154 and shipping was $25. The installation was easy as pie.

 

[68bronco]

I did, yes. Swapped out the APPS and its been great ever since. I bought mine through Amayama Trading Co. for under $200 shipped. Did some research on Amayama and found nothing negative about them at all. Ordered the part, took maybe a week or so to get to me from UAE. Part was about $154 and shipping was $25. The installation was easy as pie.

Thank you!

 

[CohibaDream]

This morning, the check engine light, the VSC Trac (a-trac) and VSC OFF lights lit up on the dash. I disconnected the battery for a few minutes and that temporarily cleared the lights but sure enough, they came back on after about 10 miles or so of driving. This evening, I borrowed a friends reader to find that the code from the check engine light was "P0051 - Heater control circuit low (bank2, sensor 1)" Here's what i noticed. When i start the truck, the check engine light is on immediately. After the truck has been on for about 10-15 seconds, the other two warning lights come on. Hopefully some of you can answer my questions. 1. Can this code cause the VSC lights to illuminate? 2. If this is an O2 sensor that needs replacing (from something i read previously) is this a warranty item that can get covered if i am still under warranty? 3. When/if i bring the truck to the dealership, would you recommend removing my BIOR skids? (i would think so right?) 4. If the code and the VSC lights are independent of each other, any ideas what to look for? Any help would be greatly appreciated. NOTE: I checked the CDL switch. When i press it, the light goes on, on the dash and when i press it again, the light goes out. That was the first thing i checked.

Just an FYI, in case others have this issue. This turned out to be my air box filter. It was really dirty and needed replacement. I had autozone check the code and they thought it was a leaky gas cap. Never replaced that, and turned out to not be the issue. Also, it seemed like my issue would cycle on and off...would have lights on dash for a couple weeks and then nothing for a couple weeks. ZERO difference in driving.

Issue I had: When i start the truck, the check engine light is on immediately. After the truck has been on for about 10-15 seconds, the other two warning lights come on (VSC OFF and VSC TRAC)

Just wanted to share my experience...your results may vary.

 

[3D FJ]

Any update on your situation was, 3D FJ?
I had something similar happen tonight with my '02 470.

So sorry. Totally forgot about this post. It happened to be a bad O2 sensor. According to the dealer, the a-trac and vsc lights are also sometimes triggered when the check engine light comes on. Service guy claimed it's a "chain of lights". So just because the a-trac and vsc lights come on, doesn't necessarily mean that there is a problem with those systems. Seemed kinda silly to me that they would all go on, but afterall, these were sold to the "well off" crowd who most likely didn't service their own vehicles and making these really scary lights come on will make those owners quickly drop everything and bring these trucks back to the dealership. And what happens when you go to the dealership???? You spend money. That's my thought.

 

[mcmain0121]

3D FJ,
Totally agree with you there on the target customer statements and spending money deal. Little did they know a bunch of salty DIY guys would one day be in ownership of these rigs!

I also find it crazy that this chain of lights come on when various issues occur. Good there there are the codes to be read. Seems it can be the APPS, O2 sensor, air box and a couple other things I recall seeing...

Anyway, thankfully we have the Mud site and all the members for the most valuable resource known to man!

Thanks guys, keep up the great trend!

 

[agaisin]

Had the P0051 as well, replaced both heated sensors (with denso 234-4138 sensors at $42/ea from amazon) while i was at it, along with the intake air filter just for good measure. So far so good.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[The Great Him]

P0051 -oxygen (A/F) sensor heater control circuit low (bank 2 sensor 1)

i just got this code by itself last night after rinsing my truck off from a short wheeling/day trip. i checked and cleared the code last night and this morning as i was driving it i got the code again (same code p0051) this time i looked at the the freeze frame and it was about 53mph, 17** RPMs in open loop. i once again cleared the code and it came back on my way home. did some digging and found that there is a A/F fuse, and a A/F relay for the heater. now my question is this, if the relay was bad wouldnt this be an instantaneous code the moment the truck is running? and wouldnt i get both bank 1 and 2 and all 4 sensors? according to the wiring diagram for the vehicle there is a fuse then the relay, and then the ECU. so its either a bad sensor(most likely) or blown fuse, blown relay or a bad ECU. now i just had the ECU replaced less than a year ago (jan 2015) and i have 150k miles on the truck (GX470).

if the heater current is less than .8 A then it will trigger the code, and if it is greater than 19.7 A it will also trigger the code(but the over A is a different code). so basically im looking at a low current situation... maybe a short or broken wire. i have some testing a head of me i guess

i ordered a new o2 sensor it will be here in a couple of hours.

my other question is this, could i have burnt up the header element in the sensor, i got the truck super hot last week pulling a couple cars up a hill in the snow, most of them went really easy, but some chuckleheads in a subaru legacy with bald tires slid off the road and almost down over then bank so i first drag them completely broadside ( l---> ) to get them back on the road so they wouldnt fall into the ditch, anyhow then just dragging that thing up the hill it seamed like i was pulling a semi. for the next like 3hrs the truck just smelt hot, almost like something was about to catch fire. it never did but today when i was looking at the plugs i noticed that the rear of the skid plate for the trans looked like it had gotten hot(its a composite plastic of some sort) and started to melt just in the areas that are in proximity to bottem end of the cats. then later that night i got it washed at the carwash and right now all of my inner fender liner/splash shields (that rubber mat that goes between the body and the frame in the wheel wells) are removed, and so when it goes through the car was, or when i wash it off watter can get directly splashed onto the o2 sensors. could that cold water getting splashed on the hot o2 cause a heater element to burn out?

 

[The Great Him]

Had the P0051 as well, replaced both heated sensors (with denso 234-4138 sensors at $42/ea from amazon) while i was at it, along with the intake air filter just for good measure. So far so good.


Sent from my iPhone

have those sensors been working ok for you? last time i bought a denso sensor off amazon at a steeply cheap(er) price than anyplace else it didnt work so well, ended up buring up a cat. -the dealer wants $219(?) and my cost is around $137 ea. getting them at $42 ea is a huge discount, i dont even think toyota can buy them at that price. and there are counterfeit parts out there that look identical to the real ones. point being i just want to make sure that these are working for you, and you have noticed a improvement in MPG as well as no CELs? thanks.

 

[agaisin]

Seem to be working for me, no cels since. Sure looked to me like legit denso parts nib but can't say with 100% certainty they're not fake etc. On the point of 100% certainty, how do you know the failed catalytic converter was on account of the denso sensor from amazon?

 

[The Great Him]

Seem to be working for me, no cels since. Sure looked to me like legit denso parts nib but can't say with 100% certainty they're not fake etc. On the point of 100% certainty, how do you know the failed catalytic converter was on account of the denso sensor from amazon?

Cause as soon as I replaced that sensor my mileage tanked, like less than 100 miles to a tank, and it didn't take too long to eat up a cat. Pulled the sensor and sent it to denso and they said it was a copy, and pointed out the difference, it was super subtle, but the body was different. They did sell me one at wholesale though for my troubles.

Anyhow yeah I just ordered two of them, as they are less than half the cost I can get then at the dealer. I bought one at the dealer today that I'm gonna return to the dealer with one of the sensors coming in on Monday. I figured I should replace both of them at the same time, being as though they appear to be originals (150*** miles).

Sent from my XT1585

 

[agaisin]

Cause as soon as I replaced that sensor my mileage tanked, like less than 100 miles to a tank, and it didn't take too long to eat up a cat. Pulled the sensor and sent it to denso and they said it was a copy, and pointed out the difference, it was super subtle, but the body was different. They did sell me one at wholesale though for my troubles.

Wow - yeah haven't seen my mileage tank like that, a tad better if anything. wonder if you can call or email denso with pics/serial and see if the ones you get this time around are fakes or not. Amazon can be confusing at times - like i get the sense they sometimes aggregrate product reviews regardless of seller (so you'll see reports of fakes mixed in with reports of genuine and really depends on who the seller is), and then fulfilled by amazon is not same as sold by and fulfiled by amazon. I just looked and the sensors i bought were sold and shipped by amazon and got 5 stars from 18 reviewers: Denso 234-4138 Oxygen Sensor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C5YCUW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_GlPvwbH1JHQ24

Any idea if the bad ones you bought were sold by anazon or just fulfilled by amazon?

 

[The Great Him]

It's been a couple years now I have no clue. I did buy the same ones as you though, and I have a dealer one that I can compare them to.

Sent from my XT1585