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Heated Oxygen Sensor Monitor

The H02S monitor is an on-board strategy designed to monitor the H02S sensors for a malfunction or deterioration which can affect emissions. The fuel control H02S is checked for proper output voltage and response rate (the time it takes to switch from lean to rich and vice versa). The H02S heater circuit is monitored by detecting proper voltage change as the heater is turned on and off. Downstream H02S used for catalyst monitor are also monitored for proper output voltage. The inputs from the Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT), Intake Air Temperature (IAT), Measuring Core-Variable Air Flow (MC-VAF) or Mass Air Flow (MAF), Throttle Position (TP) and Crank Position (CKP) sensors are required to activate the H02S monitor. The fuel system monitor and misfire monitor must also have completed successfully before the H02S monitor is enabled. Some of the H02S monitor checks are also performed during on demand self-test. To aid in monitor definition, refer to illustration. See Fig 1.

  1. The H02S sensor senses the oxygen content in the exhaust flow and outputs a voltage between zero and 1.0 volt. Lean of stoichiometric (air/fuel ratio of approximately 14.7:1), the H02S will generate a voltage between zero and 0.4 volts. Rich of stoichiometric, the H02S will generate a voltage between 0.5 and 1.0 volt. The H02S monitor evaluates both the upstream (fuel control) and downstream (catalyst monitor) H02S for proper function.
  2. Once the H02S monitor is enabled, the upstream H02S signal voltage amplitude and response frequency are checked. Excessive voltage is determined by comparing the H02S signal voltage to a maximum calibration threshold voltage. A fixed frequency closed loop fuel control routine and the upstream HO2S voltage amplitude and output response frequency are observed. A sample of the upstream HO2S signal is evaluated to determine if the sensor is capable of switching or has a slow response rate. A HO2S heater circuit fault is determined by turning the heater on and off and looking for a corresponding change in the Output State Monitor (OSM) and by measuring the current going through the heater circuit. To aid in monitor definition, refer to illustration. See Fig 1.

HO2S monitor DTCs can be categorized as follows:

Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) system DTC is stored in memory, and Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is turned on after HO2S monitor detects a malfunction on 2 consecutive drive cycles.

Fig 1: Identifying Heated Oxygen Sensor Monitor Components
G00076228Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.