02 boxster engine check light on...

[Yuta]

the engine check light went on... and I notice the MPG drop from 25 to 21... I suspect it is because of oxygen sensor... what else can go wrong?? This is my daily car.. If i keep driving for a while before i am able to fix it.. will it cause other mechanical damage???

[JFP in PA]

If the light is steady, you can drive the car; if it is flashing, call a flat bed.

That said, without a scan listing of the codes, any comments would be pure speculation.....

[bell]

A universal scanner should be able to read the code which you could then lookup to sr what it is.....try your local auto parts store for a free scan, then you can go from there.

[Yuta]

Thanks guys

Here is what I read from the OBD device:

Oxygen sensor
Circuit slow
Response Bank1
Sensor 2

Which oxygen sensor is the indicated one?? Left or right? Before or after the cat??

[Zeke]

Sounds like the preheater has gone bad. Or, it can be just slow all around. I can't remember for sure, but Bank 1 should be the passenger side and position 2 is after the cat. You can Google this to verify.

[mikefocke]

Bank 1 is the passenger side of a US car. But Sensor 2 is not a common designation as the Porsche descriptions speak of before TWC or after TWC . Do you have the Pcode in the form Pnnnn from which we could get the exact location?

http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/what-side-is-bank-1

http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/oxygensensors

The one that gets "tired" first is usually the one nearest the engine ("ahead") on the passenger side. The second article gives a table of exact replacements and you can do it yourself or get any muffler shop to swap it, no need for any Porsche specialist if this is all that is the problem. Mine went about 56k miles.