oxygen sensor location 96 jetta b1s1...

Hi, I had my 4 cyl 96 jetta gls 4 door in the shop for a check engine light, bad speedo, bad fuel guage. Swapped instrument cluster, said that check engine lite was on because different reading from speed sensor and speedometer. Good. Now the speedometer works, the gas guage is acting almost normally, think it's a bad sending unit, but doesn't bother me that much. Took it back for the check engine light, they got a P0133- slow response 02 sensor bank1 sensor1. They found a bad crankcase breather hose and replaced it. They reset the lite, and said that they would have to dig into it a little more if the light came back on. The lite came back on. I have not (yet) read the 'new' code, but suspect it will probably be the same. I was considering buying an inexpensive ODB2 reader, but I don't know whether to buy the crummy $40 simple reader at Harbor Freight, or to spring for the $53 item that I can plug into my laptop via USB. In any event, I can't really afford to pay the mechanic to swap out everything under the hood piece by piece, and was hoping to replace the 02 sensor myself, yet haven't the foggiest where to locate it. I'm used to working on older datsuns and nissans, and this engine is very foreign to me. it has AC, emissions xyz, and power whatever. My old truck just had a wind-up frog on a string.

Please direct me on which OBD2 scanner you would purchase, and where I might find the 02 sensor.
Directions like 'against the firewall on the drivers side there is a rubber hose' will be of more use to me than 'the left side of the egr emissions control module...' -Thanks! Nice website, by the way.

Hi, I had my 4 cyl 96 jetta gls 4 door in the shop for a check engine light, bad speedo, bad fuel guage. Swapped instrument cluster, said that check engine lite was on because different reading from speed sensor and speedometer. Good. Now the speedometer works, the gas guage is acting almost normally, think it's a bad sending unit, but doesn't bother me that much. Took it back for the check engine light, they got a P0133- slow response 02 sensor bank1 sensor1. They found a bad crankcase breather hose and replaced it. They reset the lite, and said that they would have to dig into it a little more if the light came back on. The lite came back on. I have not (yet) read the 'new' code, but suspect it will probably be the same. I was considering buying an inexpensive ODB2 reader, but I don't know whether to buy the crummy $40 simple reader at Harbor Freight, or to spring for the $53 item that I can plug into my laptop via USB. In any event, I can't really afford to pay the mechanic to swap out everything under the hood piece by piece, and was hoping to replace the 02 sensor myself, yet haven't the foggiest where to locate it. I'm used to working on older datsuns and nissans, and this engine is very foreign to me. it has AC, emissions xyz, and power whatever. My old truck just had a wind-up frog on a string.

Please direct me on which OBD2 scanner you would purchase, and where I might find the 02 sensor.
Directions like 'against the firewall on the drivers side there is a rubber hose' will be of more use to me than 'the left side of the egr emissions control module...' -Thanks! Nice website, by the way.
if you really like the car and are planning on keeping itfor a good long time, i would suggest getting the Vag-com stuff from www.Ross-tech.com .the ones off the internet are a generic obd2 cable that isn't teh best quality BUT the programing is from ross tech. i have it and it works great. but to open everything up so you can reset the codes you need to licence it. the programing is free but the licencing will run you, with going with the cheap craigslist\ebay cable setup, about $150.

as for the o2 sensor there are 2 places it could be. either on the exhaust manifold, back side of motor with 1-4 wires comming out of it, OR on the catalitic converter its self. if its on the cat you would need to be underneith the car. always use a good set of ramps or jack stands to keep the car at a comfortable and SAFE working hight.

Autozone and Discount autoparts will read and clear OBD2 codes for you at no charge. If you need a new O2 sensor, get a generic and cut your wiring harness off the old one and splice it to the generic. Solder the wires and shrink tube them.
here are the things you should check:
exhaust leaks, in particular between exhaust manifold and catalytic converter.
damaged wiring going to the O2 sensor or a worn out O2 sensor
Look for vacuum leaks or leaks in the hoses going to the throttle body.
Clean your MAF sensor. Make sure your EGR valve isn't clogged or stuck (you will generally get an egr error code as well if this is the problem).

The code is telling you that the engine control module isn't making corrections quickly enough for the readings that the O2 sensor is giving. Usually it's caused by a bad signal from the O2 sensor.