SES, strange O2 sensor faults

[consolidated]

I have a full Akra Evo system on my car, one of the first so it's seen some miles. I recently had the Akrapovic specific ESS software installed and removed the Akra Delete-R module. No other engine modifications.

I'm getting the following faults, 272C, 272D, 273E and 273F, they all concern the heating of all 4 (both banks, both sensors) O2 sensors being out of range, too low. The faults return as soon as the car is started. It appears that the sensors are not heating as they should be.

The O2 sensors are all reading and sending per the Bavarian Technic tool, just not heating...what could have caused this? My shop pulled and reconnected the sensors but it didn't help. Does this sound like all 4 sensors could possibly be bad? I'm hoping for informed opinions before I committ to 4 sensors at $900.

[consolidated]

Any thoughts at all welcome. FWIW the engine also has a surging/slowing idle at the first start everyday, very abrupt until it settles which takes about 30 seconds.

[J08M3]

exactly why I won't buy any companies tune for a couple of HP. The headaches just don't outweigh the benefits.

[Jaypod]

Originally Posted by consolidated

Any thoughts at all welcome. FWIW the engine also has a surging/slowing idle at the first start everyday, very abrupt until it settles which takes about 30 seconds.

How does the car feel or drive? Any different than it did before the tune? Also the surging/slowing - is it similar to the rough idle to get the cats warmed up. Did you have a different tune before the ESS Akra Tune?

I doubt I can help, but these were some questions that popped in my mind. I find it weird all four would fail at the same time.

[consolidated]

It's not certain is has anything to do with the tune, I have one sensor being installed to see if it's truly bad sensors before committing to all 4.

Jaypod, there was no software previously. It runs a little differently but it just maybe me.

[BMRLVR]

See if you can find a bad fuse on the O2 sensor heating circuit. If the fuse checks out good than maybe call Roman @ ESS and see if he can do something for you. He can probably send out one of their new flash loader tools (unless you already have it) to you so that you can email him the file from your ECM and they can verify that the O2 sensor heating is enabled on your current software.

[Jaypod]

Originally Posted by consolidated

Jaypod, there was no software previously. It runs a little differently but it just maybe me.

Thats a good plan - the only reason I mentioned that was it does that rough start stock. I have the AA tune so it is smoother at start up than OEM.

Edit: just to be clear I wasnt suggesting it was a bad tune - just that there tune may have the same rougher start like OEM.

[DublinM3]

You should check your fuse and also the wiring of your 02's.

[Jaypod]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

See if you can find a bad fuse on the O2 sensor heating circuit. If the fuse checks out good than maybe call Roman @ ESS and see if he can do something for you. He can probably send out one of their new flash loader tools (unless you already have it) to you so that you can email him the file from your ECM and they can verify that the O2 sensor heating is enabled on your current software.

Originally Posted by DublinM3

You should check your fuse and also the wiring of your 02's.

Those both sound like good advice and would seem to make sense.

Hope its only a fuse. Let us know

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by consolidated

It's not certain is has anything to do with the tune, I have one sensor being installed to see if it's truly bad sensors before committing to all 4.

Do not change any O2 sensors...... It is almost impossible for all four sensors to go bad at once.

Jaypod, there was no software previously. It runs a little differently but it just maybe me.

To be honest with you I doubt it is a fuse but it makes sense to check and see if their is a fuse in the panel for the O2 sensor heating circuit because that is the simplest check one can do. Also there should be no reason for the wiring to have gotten damaged so I doubt that is the issue either.

My money is on the O2 sensor heating being mistakenly disabled when they were removing the catalyst monitoring (rear O2 sensors) for your Akrapovic Software. If this is the case it will be as simple as reading and saving your file (with the ESS Direct Flash Tool) and emailing it to ESS so they can double check your file/modify it. A few clicks of a mouse, and then they will email you back your new/fixed file then you reflash your ECM and all should be OK.

I am PM'ing you my phone number, please call me...... I would like to get a little more background on the way this issue unfolded.

[consolidated]

Thanks guys. Great posts.

[STALKER]

Originally Posted by consolidated

I have a full Akra Evo system on my car, one of the first so it's seen some miles. I recently had the Akrapovic specific ESS software installed and removed the Akra Delete-R module. No other engine modifications.

I'm getting the following faults, 272C, 272D, 273E and 273F, they all concern the heating of all 4 (both banks, both sensors) O2 sensors being out of range, too low. The faults return as soon as the car is started. It appears that the sensors are not heating as they should be.

The O2 sensors are all reading and sending per the Bavarian Technic tool, just not heating...what could have caused this? My shop pulled and reconnected the sensors but it didn't help. Does this sound like all 4 sensors could possibly be bad? I'm hoping for informed opinions before I committ to 4 sensors at $900.

I had the same codes recently come up with the same tune. Working with Roman to get it sorted.

[consolidated]

Originally Posted by STALKER

I had the same codes recently come up with the same tune. Working with Roman to get it sorted.

Glad I'm not alone on this, let's stay in contact. I bought a new O2 sensor to test if indeed I had dead sensors, it faulted just like the others.

[sales@ESSTuning]

Have you checked to see if a fuse went down ? One of the power leads to a O2 could have shorted causing O2 power circuit to go down which would trigger these codes. Nothing in our tune changes O2 heating or sensor signals in any way. Check this out and send me an email or PM with the result.

[AJ@ESS]

The tune does not alter O2 heater programming at all. If you have 4 heater related errors, you most likely have a blown O2 heater circuit fuse. This can happen if one sensor shorts out and takes the circuit down as all 4 sensors share the same power supply. Most likely a sensor got beaten around a bit during installation of the Akra, and it shorted. This can happen as the O2 sensors are relatively fragile. It can also be that all 4 sensors are damaged and circuit is OK, but this is highly unlikely.

We maintain the OEM cold start cat heat cycle in order to satisfy US emissions requirements. This initial vanos phazing can easily be switched off for a smoother than OEM initial start, but only for off road use as the car will no longer be able to pass cat heat up testing.

[consolidated]

Resolution: user error

My shop found the blown fuse, #11, and sure enough it was the fuse for the O2 sensor heaters. But it kept blowing even with all 4 sensors unplugged. The culprit was a grounded wire at the ECU.

When I pulled and re-installed the ECU for ESS's tune I rubbed/pinched a wire that shorted against the ECU's heatsink body. It took a very careful examination of harness at the ECU to find it, just a tiny nick is all it took.

By chance it was for the O2 sensors and having just installed software I thought for sure the two were related. Well, it was, but the fault was all mine by not being careful enough when I removed and replaced the ECU, if you've seen your ECU compartment you know it's a tighly woven cluster F of wires.

I must say is that Roman and ESS were very helpful, and graciously communicated with my shop and offered diagrams when they knew the problem lay with a hardware issue and not their software. Thanks for that guys. I hope we didn't drag you thru the coals for too long.

The car is running beautifully now.

[Sean@PYSpeed.com]

Glad to see it solved. How you like the Akra setup? Hope everything else is well.

[consolidated]

Originally Posted by Sean@PYSpeed.com

Glad to see it solved. How you like the Akra setup? Hope everything else is well.

It's perfect. Just noisy enough to feel like I'm driving something with a real motor but not so much as to look like a douche, with all due respect of course to those that choose otherwise.

The ESS software is a geniune improvement, I just wanted to pass inspection, but honestly the car just runs smoother, the dip is much reduced and it just tugs more readily on top.

[jacobe92]

I'm glad it worked out. I can't wait to get mine done. I drove my buddy's car last week with an Akra-evo and a Ess tune and his car is a BEAST!!!

[sales@ESSTuning]

Glad it has been worked out

[DublinM3]

It sounded like a blown fuse. Glad to hear you got it resolved.

[BMRLVR]

Glad this got resolved....... I guess I was right with my first instinct of a blown fuse. Great to see that ESS was helpful with finding a solution. ESS