Repeatedly Bad O2 Sensor in VW Jetta

[penny11]

I need help figuring out why my 2000 VW Jetta's front O2 sensor repeatedly fails. It's been replaced 3 or 4 times now in the last year or so (I'm starting to lose count!).
Here's some history on my car's issues...
Oct 2008: I had to replace the catalytic converter
Nov/Dec 2008: I had a blown head gasket repaired
Between these 2 repairs I spent nearly $3000. After the head gasket was "fixed" the CEL kept coming back on and remained on for about a year because my mechanic at the time couldn't figure out how to correct the problem. The code was showing an incorrect air flow so he kept replacing the secondary air pump which didn't help. He kept telling me that it was ok to continue to drive my car and that it wouldn't cause any damage (though how could he know that if he didn't know what the problem was?!?). I was finally fed up with this mechanic's inability to fix the problem and took it to a VW specialist in Jan 2010 who finally found the issue and fixed it. What had happened was the previous mechanic put the manifold gasket in backwards and upside down causing the CEL air flow error code.
But since then the CEL has come back on a few more times for the front O2 sensor, and each time I've had it replaced. It was last replaced in March 2011 and the CEL just came back on again today for the same problem.
Does anyone have any suggestions for what can be done to avoid this from happening over and over again? Could the past issues that my previous mechanic failed to fix have caused long term damage or is this just a fluke with this particular part? Any thoughts on this is appreciated...

 

[Vette73]

Yea, find a better tech.

Hard to say why it died. Could be related or seperate.

I would get rid of the car unless you are going to work on it. European cars ride nice and many look good but unelss you have the money or know how to keep them up its not worth it.

Also buy parts from rockauto.com or other sites on line to save money. Advance auto has coupons now for pickup to help as well.

 

[LTC8K6]

Are they using the correct sensor? Maybe they are using generic or universal ones instead of OEM?

 

[penny11]

Thanks for your input! It's in the shop now with the VW tech and I just found out the last several O2 sensors put in were not OEM parts. I assumed VW dealership service centers only used VW parts but I guess not! They never told me the others had been generic and apparently the OEM part is cheaper. Go figure. Wish I were a mechanic so I wouldn't have to trust anyone else to get it done right. Hopefully the OEM sensor being put in today will avoid any future issues. This is the 2nd and last VW I will ever own.

 

[Spicedaddy]

That's a crappy dealership if they're putting in generic O2 sensors. All VW dealers should have the OEM parts in stock, as that and MAF sensors are parts that fail often. (often meaning every 3-4 years, not a few times a year... )

If you're not comfortable doing the small stuff yourself, I wouldn't keep a german car that's more than 8 years old. A Vag-Com cable for your car is like 15$ on Ebay, and an O2 sensor is ~85$ and takes 10 minutes to change.

 

[slag]

Thanks for your input! It's in the shop now with the VW tech and I just found out the last several O2 sensors put in were not OEM parts. I assumed VW dealership service centers only used VW parts but I guess not! They never told me the others had been generic and apparently the OEM part is cheaper. Go figure. Wish I were a mechanic so I wouldn't have to trust anyone else to get it done right. Hopefully the OEM sensor being put in today will avoid any future issues. This is the 2nd and last VW I will ever own.

You don't have to be a mechanic to fix your car. Buy a RossTech Vag Com unit that will completely scan your car and tell you exactly what is wrong. Then go on VWVortex.com and search until you see how to fix your issue. It sounds like some of the issues you had were with the mechanic and inferior work as opposed to a VW specific issue.

I just picked up a 2000 Jetta VR6 and love the car. Smaller than my Infiniti was, but much much more enjoyable to drive. Some parts are cheaper (8 bucks for a tie rod end), and some are more expensive, but overall, it works out. I just spent $300.00 at ecstuning for a complete front suspension refresh plus timing chains and other associated parts.

What engine do you have?

 

[slag]

That's a crappy dealership if they're putting in generic O2 sensors. All VW dealers should have the OEM parts in stock, as that and MAF sensors are parts that fail often. (often meaning every 3-4 years, not a few times a year... )

If you're not comfortable doing the small stuff yourself, I wouldn't keep a german car that's more than 8 years old. A Vag-Com cable for your car is like 15$ on Ebay, and an O2 sensor is ~85$ and takes 10 minutes to change.

The cables off ebay are not vag com. They are cheap knockoffs that sometimes work.

 

[SuperSix]

A marginal vacuum leak may cause intermittent CEL/O2 sensor issues. I can't pin all of the failures on the manufacturer of the O2 sensor.