99 avalon 02 sensor question

[micali]

The check engine light was on so I took it to Autozone and had them check the code and I was told it was the egr. They didn't mention any other codes. I took the car to Toyota to have it fixed and they fixed it but after I got this sheet of paper that mentioned the o2 sensor needed replaced. I haven't had the check engine light come back on since then, so my question is, should I go ahead and change the sensor or wait? I thought the car would tell me if it was bad, correct?

I also need to change the timing belt. I am pretty handy and can fix just about anything, with the right direction, so any suggestions?

[Brian R.]

Don't change the O2 sensor unless you get a Check Engine light with a code stored for that sensor.

[micali]

Thanks,
How hard is it to change the timing belt in my car? Toyota wants $400 to do it. How much would it cost me to do it? Does anyone have any step by step instructions on this procedure?

[jdmccright]

There's an unwritten rule among repair shops that O2 sensors should be changed every 10 years or 100k miles. For older vehicles, they aren't that expensive so it is typically not a bad deal. But the newer ones can run up to $150 each...with 3 or four sensors per vehicle...you do the math. Unless you are experiencing poor fuel mileage that is not explained by any other malfunction, then you might consider having them checked.

Time & tools are all you need to replace the timing belt. You should also consider replacing the water pump, tensioner and idler pulleys, and all the oil seals. Refer to the stickied threads at the top of the forum for your car (a Gen IV Camry V6 is similar in this instance).

If you bought all the recommended parts plus the tools you'd need, you would still save about $150, AND you'll have the tools and knowledge to do it again.

Good luck!

[Brian R.]

The fact that Toyota will do it for only $400 indicates that they are not including a charge for some of the parts listed in jdmccright's post. They are obviously not including all these parts. The water pump, and the 2 idler pulleys are around $400 just by themselves. Make sure you determine what parts are included in the quote. I bet they are only including the belt since it will take them at least 2 hours for the job.

[csaxon]

Check my response here .