P0141 Oxygen sensor heater circuit (bank 1 sensor 2)
What P0141 means
Oxygen sensors only work when hot, so they contain an electric heater. P0141 means the heater in the downstream sensor (bank 1, after the catalytic converter) is drawing incorrect current or its circuit is open. The car drives normally, but the catalyst monitor may not run and the car may fail a technical inspection.
P0141 is a generic SAE J2012 code: it means the same on every make. The exact cause still depends on the car, so read the freeze-frame data before replacing parts.
At a glance
- Severity
- Medium
- Typical repair cost
- 60–300 €
- Workshop time
- 0.3–1.5 h
- Repair difficulty
- Easy
- DIY possible
- Yes
- Check engine light
- Yes
- Affects emissions test
- Yes
Parts and labour at an independent workshop in Europe. Main dealers charge more; the cause decides the bill, not the code.
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- No noticeable change in driving
- Emissions readiness monitors not complete
- Technical inspection failure
Common causes
- Failed heater element in the downstream oxygen sensor
- Blown oxygen sensor heater fuse
- Damaged or melted wiring near the exhaust
- Corroded or loose sensor connector
- Engine computer heater driver fault (rare)
Can I keep driving with P0141?
You can keep driving. Have it repaired within one or two weeks, particularly before a technical inspection.
What to check first
- Check the oxygen sensor heater fuse
- Inspect the sensor wiring for melting or chafing against the exhaust
- Measure heater resistance at the sensor connector and compare with the specification
- Replace the downstream oxygen sensor if the heater is open
Related codes
- P0140 Oxygen sensor circuit no activity detected (bank 1, sensor 2)
- P0139 Oxygen sensor circuit slow response (bank 1, sensor 2)
- P0138 Oxygen sensor circuit high voltage (bank 1, sensor 2)
- P0137 Oxygen sensor circuit low voltage (bank 1, sensor 2)
- P0136 Oxygen sensor circuit (bank 1, sensor 2)
- P0135 Oxygen sensor heater circuit (bank 1, sensor 1)
- P0134 Oxygen sensor circuit no activity detected (bank 1, sensor 1)
- P0133 Oxygen sensor slow response (bank 1 sensor 1)
Data: TORKO fault-code catalogue, built on OBDex (CC0-1.0) and reviewed against workshop practice. Informational only — it does not replace a diagnosis by a mechanic.
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