TEST 2: Verifying The Heater Element Is Getting Ground
The black (BLK) wire, of the upstream O2 sensor engine wiring harness connector, is the one that supplies the heater element with chassis Ground.
This Ground is present all of the time since it connects directly to the chassis of your vehicle. To test this Ground circuit, we'll do a simple multimeter voltage test.
These are the test steps:
- 1
Locate the BLK wire of the O2 sensor's engine wiring harness connector.
NOTE: Remember, you'll test the wire that's on the engine wiring harness connector side and NOT on the O2 sensor itself. - 2
Place your multimeter in Volts DC mode and connect the red multimeter test lead to battery (+).
Probe the BLK wire of the O2 sensor's harness connector, with the black multimeter test lead. - 3
With the Key On, engine Off, this wire should have 10 to 12 Volts DC.
Let's take a look at your test results:
CASE 1: The multimeter registered 10 to 12 Volts DC. This test result lets you know that the upstream oxygen sensor's heater element is getting Ground on your 2.5L V6 Stratus (Cirrus).
So far you've confirmed that the upstream O2 sensor's heater element is getting both power and Ground. The next step is to check the heater element's resistance with your multimeter. For this test, go to: TEST 3: Testing The Heater Element's Resistance.
CASE 2: The multimeter DID NOT register 10 to 12 Volts DC. Re-check all of your connections and make sure you're testing the correct terminal.
If your multimeter still doesn't register the 10 to 12 Volts DC, then the most likely cause of this missing Ground is an 'open' in the BLK wire between the chassis connector and the O2 sensor's harness connector.
TEST 3: Testing The Heater Element's Resistance
If you've reached this point, you have checked and confirmed that the upstream oxygen sensor (O2 sensor 1/1) is getting both power and Ground.
In this last test, we're gonna' check the O2 sensor's heater element's resistance. If the resistance is not within specification, then we now know the O2 sensor is bad and the cause of the P0135: O2 Sensor 1/1 Heater Failure trouble code.
NOTE: Just a reminder that the upstream oxygen sensor has to be completely cold before proceeding with this test since the manual calls for the O2 sensor to be at room temperature for the resistance test.
OK, this is what you need to do:
- 1
Locate the O2 sensor terminals number 3 and number 4 of the O2 sensor connector itself (not the engine wiring harness O2 connector).
- 2
With your multimeter in Ohms mode, probe terminals number 3 and number 4 of the O2 sensor itself.
- 3
If all is OK, you should see about 4 to 7 Ωs on your multimeter.
If the heater element is fried, your multimeter will show an open (usually indicated by the letters OL) or a number over 10 K Ωs.
Let's take a look at your test results:
CASE 1: Your multimeter confirmed the indicated resistance. This test result tells you that the pre-catalytic converter oxygen (O2) sensor's heater is OK.
CASE 2: Your multimeter showed an open circuit (OL). This confirms that the upstream (Bank 1 Sensor 1) O2 sensor's heater element is fried. Replacing the upstream O2 sensor with a new one will solve the P0135 trouble code lighting up the check engine light (CEL).
Here are some more specifics: Since you have:
- Confirmed that the upstream O2 sensor's heater element is getting power (TEST 1).
- -AND-
- Confirmed that the upstream O2 sensor's heater element is getting Ground (TEST 2).
- -AND-
- In this test, you have confirmed that the heater element's resistance is out of specification.
You can correctly conclude that the upstream O2 sensor needs to be replaced with a new one.
Circuit Diagram Of The Front O2 Sensor
More 2.5L V6 Chrysler Diagnostic Tutorials
You can find a complete list of Chrysler 2.5L V6 tutorials in these two indexes:
Here's a small sample of the tutorials you'll find in the index:
- How To Test The MAP Sensor (2.5L V6 Chrysler).
- How To Test The Throttle Position Sensor (2.5L V6 Chrysler).
- How To Test The Fuel Injectors (2.5L V6 Chrysler).
- How To Test Engine Compression (2.5L V6 Chrysler).
If this info saved the day, buy me a beer!
