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How to remove a O2 Sensor plugin side (not the sensor side that screws in) that is stuck?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Nicole Resecker, Feb 17, 2023.

  1. Nicole Resecker

    Nicole Resecker Junior Member

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    Hello! I need help trying to figure out the safest way to unplug my 2011 Prius Gen. 3’s Upstream O2 Sensor plug-in side (not the screw in side. Please see photo for reference). I’m trying to replace my Up and downstream O2 Sensors, I got the downstream unplugged but the upstream O2 sensor plug-in is saturated in oil and subsequently dirt from sticking to the oil. It seems the oil and dirt build up isn’t allowing me to press the clip down far enough to release it. I’m not sure what to do or what I can use to remove the oil and dirt buildup without damaging the connectors. So far I’ve tried using 91% rubbing alcohol to clean it, now the outside is clean but it’s not able to reach deep into the crevices. In advance, thank you so much for all your information and ideas!
     

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  2. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    Squirt some WD40 where it joins and under the cip. Then press on clip, wiggle it up and down. May be easier to use a pair of small slip-joint pliers or water pump pliers to press on clip and wiggle if you have enough room.
     

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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That’s not good; clean the area and try to figure out the origin?
     
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  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You can use pretty much any spray degreaser to get the oil off It should not damage the gray plastic of the plug maybe some electrical contact cleaner will also do the trick and blast it off pretty quickly because it comes out of the tube pretty fast You need to find out why that oil is getting on that plug once you can see the gray and the oil is gone a pair of bent needle nose pliers will generally hold the top of the plug and allow you to squeeze the tang and then you should be able to pull the insert out of the gray receptacle The contact cleaner may loosen the grit in between the two pieces of plastic allowing them to slide out after that's done let them hang down upside down to let all the contact cleaner and stuff run out of the receptacle and the plug then again find why that oil and blow by is getting on that plug and receptacle You need to know somebody needs to know.
     
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  5. Nicole Resecker

    Nicole Resecker Junior Member

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    Toyota said I have a blown head gasket…so I’m assuming that’s where all the oil is coming from.

    Toyota said I have a blown head gasket so I assume that’s where all the oil is coming from because it is located right behind the oil. Also, thank you so much for your help! I’m going to go try that right now!

    Thank you so much!! I’m going to go try that as we speak!
     
    #5 Nicole Resecker, Feb 17, 2023
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 17, 2023
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What’s the miles?

    is it consuming oil? How fast?
     
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    So then they gave you a printout of codes on your receipt and the codes that you have should correspond to an ignition misfire between 2:00 and 3:00 3:00 and 4 something along those lines are the codes will tell us what they found they should have given you a printout of the codes. You want to make sure that the codes really correspond to the misfire and that the misfire hasn't been misdiagnosed by being a bad coil or even spark plug because it's a little bit of work to get to the spark plugs even for the Toyota dealer so a lot of times things can just be said and not be fully verified
     
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    What part of the country are you in? Just curious you need to make sure that car stays away from the Toyota dealer there are people in your area that are probably more suitable for your wallet your car and your mind maybe look into it You don't really want to fix this engine You want to change it for one that's never been installed in the United States from a Japan domestic market car You can get this done relatively inexpensively depending upon where you live seemingly is a big factor in this I'm in the southeast United States.