P0181 running lean code
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P0181 running lean code
My service engine light came on a short while ago. I took my truck to AutoZone and had them hook up the scanner and it came back with a P0181 code. I reseated all of the connections on the EGR valve and disconnected the battery. Hooked everything back up and the service engine light went away for about a week and then came back
. Does anyone have any suggestions for this error.
Thanks,
husky06
. Does anyone have any suggestions for this error. Thanks,
husky06
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Originally Posted by husky06
My service engine light came on a short while ago. I took my truck to AutoZone and had them hook up the scanner and it came back with a P0181 code. I reseated all of the connections on the EGR valve and disconnected the battery. Hooked everything back up and the service engine light went away for about a week and then came back. Does anyone have any suggestions for this error.
Thanks,
husky06
. Does anyone have any suggestions for this error. Thanks,
husky06
But trouble code P0181 means Fuel Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance. If that was indeed your trouble I would say take it to dealer or at least call the dealer part person and ask if there is a sensor in the fuel system, they will have more info than the after market stores. You might have a temperature somewhere in your fuel tank that's faulty.
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Originally Posted by LxMan1
P0171 means a lean condition, not a faulty O2 sensor. Usually either a vacuum leak or dirty MAF.
I don't know of a fuel temp. sensor on the trucks.
I don't know of a fuel temp. sensor on the trucks.
If you get trouble codes 171 and 174 together which means both sides of the engine are being detected as lean then you suspect a MAF or vacuum leak around the throttle body. But if you only get PO171 then it's a good chance the sensor is reading wrong or it is a possiblity there is a vacuum leak on that side of the engine only. But the MAF or anything before the throttle body would probably not be the cause because it usually effects both sensors , not just one.
Last edited by Jiles32; Dec 19, 2006 at 09:36 AM.
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Originally Posted by husky06
Yes, it's a P0181 code, bank 1 running lean.
If you look up code P0181 on the internet you will see that is does not mean bank 1 running lean. I also have a copy of the book that Autozone is suppose to use when they check codes and the book says that for codes PO180 thru P0188 the probable causes are. 1 Fuel temperature sensor defective and 2. Check connector and wiring to sensor.
You can call autozone and ask them according to the little black "WELLS" book what does code P0181 mean. I think someone gave you the wrong information. I would get it scanned again and look at the scanner yourself to see what the code says, they shouldn't have a problem with that
Just type Troube Code PO181 in the search menu.
Last edited by Jiles32; Dec 19, 2006 at 05:24 PM.
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You were right. My Chilton's repair manual says the fuel temperature sensor A circuit range performance. Now the problem is, I can't find where the sensor is in the manual. You wouldn't happen to know where it is located.
Thanks for clearing that up!
Thanks for clearing that up!
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From: Duluth, MN
Sorry, but they don't list that code under ford OBD codes.... You sure it wasn't a P0171? That could be an intake leak, bad injector, exhaust leak, bad O2 sensor, etc.....
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p0171 NOT P0181
Well, I took my Expedition into AutoZone again and they hooked the scanner up to it again. It is a P0171 code, not a P0181 code. I love when your told the wrong information. Anyway, does anyone have any good suggestions what the fix would be for system too lean bank 1(P0171). I was told the oxygen sensors, but before I start dumping money into this I would like some feedback on what you guys have experienced.
Thanks for all of your help!
Thanks for all of your help!
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Since you are only getting the error in Bank 1 you can determine if it’s a bad O2 sensor by doing a little experiment without spending money. Unscrew and swap the two front O2 sensors, they should be interchangeable, have the code erased or disconnect your battery for about 30 minutes. Drive your vehicle until the engine light comes back on then read the code again. If you get the same exact trouble code as before P0171, the sensor is probably good and you probably have a vacuum leak or injector problem, or something else on that side of the engine. But if the code changes to P0174, you can pretty much assume that the sensor is faulty.
Last edited by Jiles32; Dec 20, 2006 at 10:14 AM.
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From: Louisville, Kentucky
A P0171 DTC is not a O2 sensor fault code. P0171 is a Fuel System Monitor code.
Copied from the Ford Motor Company 2002 MY OBD System Operation Summary for Gasoline Engines.
"As fuel system components age or otherwise change over the life of the vehicle, the adaptive fuel strategy learns deviations from stoichiometry while running in closed loop fuel. These learned corrections are stored in Keep Alive Memory as long term fuel trim corrections. They may be stored into an 8x10 rpm/load table or they may be stored as a function of air mass. As components continue to change beyond normal limits or if a malfunction occurs, the long term fuel trim values will reach a calibratable rich or lean limit where the adaptive fuel strategy is no longer allowed to compensate for additional fuel system changes. Long term fuel trim corrections at their limits, in conjunction with a calibratable deviation in short term fuel trim, indicate a rich or lean fuel system malfunction."
Your O2 sensor is working and has indicated that the computer has richened the fuel mixture to it maximum limit and the bank 1 O2 sensor is still sensing a lean condition.
Since the bank 1 code is the only one being set, look for vacuum leaks in that bank only. It could be a leaking intake gasket on that side of the engine. Use something like carburetor cleaner or a smoke machine to help find the leak. Good luck!
Copied from the Ford Motor Company 2002 MY OBD System Operation Summary for Gasoline Engines.
"As fuel system components age or otherwise change over the life of the vehicle, the adaptive fuel strategy learns deviations from stoichiometry while running in closed loop fuel. These learned corrections are stored in Keep Alive Memory as long term fuel trim corrections. They may be stored into an 8x10 rpm/load table or they may be stored as a function of air mass. As components continue to change beyond normal limits or if a malfunction occurs, the long term fuel trim values will reach a calibratable rich or lean limit where the adaptive fuel strategy is no longer allowed to compensate for additional fuel system changes. Long term fuel trim corrections at their limits, in conjunction with a calibratable deviation in short term fuel trim, indicate a rich or lean fuel system malfunction."
Your O2 sensor is working and has indicated that the computer has richened the fuel mixture to it maximum limit and the bank 1 O2 sensor is still sensing a lean condition.
Since the bank 1 code is the only one being set, look for vacuum leaks in that bank only. It could be a leaking intake gasket on that side of the engine. Use something like carburetor cleaner or a smoke machine to help find the leak. Good luck!
Last edited by KingRanchMan02; Dec 20, 2006 at 02:12 PM.
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From: Duluth, MN
Correction to that "copied from the ford manual"......It can be an O2 sensor. Thats why when you bring it to a shop they may try to richen it out with propane to be sure it's responding. A bad O2 sensor could read lean constantly thus setting the code. Seen it happen!!
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