Kia Oxygen O2 Sensor Replacement DIY

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to change the oxygen sensor on Kia vehicles.

Replacing the O2 sensor ok Kia vehicles is easy; once fixed, it will allow you to reset the check engine light.

Symptoms

When the oxygen sensor fails on your Kia, you may notice one or all of the following issues:

• Check Engine Light is ON
• A decrease in fuel economy
• Engine hesitation or misfire
• Rough engine idle

Getting started

Before you start replacing the oxygen sensor, we need to identify which one to replace. There are two oxygen sensors on 2.0T and 2.4 L four-cylinder Kia engines. One is upstream of the catalytic converter, and one is downstream.

The following tutorial will show you how to replace the upstream sensor (Bank 1 Sensor 1). The procedure is the same for the downstream O2 sensor (Bank 1 Sensor 2). By getting under the car, you will find it easier to access the O2 sensor for the downstream sensor.

What you will need

• Oxygen Sensor Socket
• Kia Oxygen Sensor
• Ratchet Wrench

How to Replace Kia O2 Oxygen Sensor

1. Start by turning off the ignition. Next, open the hood. We recommend disconnecting the negative battery terminal.
2. Locate the upstream oxygen sensor Bank 1 Sensor 1.
3. Disconnect the oxygen sensor electrical wire. 
4. Remove the oxygen sensor using an oxygen sensor socket. To remove the sensor, you need to turn the ratchet counterclockwise. The old sensor may be stuck. If so, use penetrating fluid to loosen up the stuck sensor.
5. Install the new oxygen sensor on your Kia. 
6. Using a Kia OEM oxygen sensor, you can plug the new sensor directly into the electrical socket. Using a universal O2 sensor, you will need to splice and connect the wires.
7. Install the new oxygen sensor and torque it to the proper specification.

Are you looking to save money by replacing the oxygen sensor on your Kia or Hyundai? We have published many repair guides on Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Don’t forget to look at the popular article on how to read and diagnose modern vehicles yourself. 

The pictures below were taken on a 2016 Kia Optima equipped with the 2.4L Theta II engine, the same engine used in other Kia models and Hyundai Sonata. Owners of Kia Forte, Optima, Rio, Sorento, Soul, Sportage, Sedona, Soul, and Borrego will find this guide helpful.

Torque Specifications

• Oxygen Sensor: 45 ~ 49 N.m (30 ~ 35 lb-ft)

Fault Codes

This is a list of fault codes related to oxygen sensors. Note that the oxygen sensor may not always be the problem. For example, you may have other issues, such as a bad wiring harness. You can read these codes using an OBD-II code reader and clear them once you complete the repair.

Here is a partial list of Oxygen Sensor related fault codes.

Show Oxygen Sensor Related Fault Codes

P0130 O2 Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0131 O2 Sensor Circuit Low Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0132 O2 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0133 O2 Sensor Circuit Slow Response (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0134 O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0135 O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

P0136 O2 Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

P0137 O2 Sensor Circuit Low Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

P0138 O2 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

P0139 O2 Sensor Circuit Slow Response (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

P0140 O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

P0141 O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

* There may be other codes that point to a bad Oxygen Sensor.

The YOUCANIC Full System Scanner can read and clear fault codes on every control module of your Kia Vehicle.

 Specifications

HO2S [Bank 1/Sensor 1]

Item	Specification
Heater Resistance (?)	2.5 ~ 4.0 [20?C(68?F)]

HO2S [Bank 1/Sensor 2]

A/F Ratio (?)	Output Voltage(V)
RICH	Approx. 0.9
LEAN	Approx. 0.04

Item	Specification
Heater Resistance (?)	3.3 ~ 4.1 [21 C(69.8 F)]