Owners of 2007-09 Honda CR-V models may come into your store with the Check Engine light illuminated and one or more of the following trouble codes stored in PCM memory: P0134, P0135, P0171 and P1157.
One likely cause of the trouble, Honda said, is grease inside the underhood fuse box connector melting due to high engine compartment heat. The grease then travels down the engine wiring harness and into the air/fuel ratio sensor's 4-pin connector, contaminating the sensor in the process.
Replacing the sensor and installing a new subharness kit — part No. 06322-SWA-305, H/C 9050097 — to keep the grease away from the replacement sensor's connector is the recommended fix. Here's how to go about it:
Start by locating the right branch of the engine harness (attached to the right side frame rail, near the power-steering hose). Now cut the harness' clip to free it from the rail. Next, put the SUV on a lift to get at the air/fuel-ratio sensor. Disconnect the sensor's connector, remove the sensor and install the replacement sensor.
Continue the job by disconnecting the engine harness' 4-pin connector from its retaining clip. Using the illustration above, connect the engine-harness connector to the taped portion of the subharness, attach the subharness to the frame rail, then connect the new air/fuel-ratio sensor's connector to the other end of the subharness. To complete the fix, insert the subharness' retaining clip into the hole in the frame rail, and secure the two harnesses together with the wire tie included in the kit until a loop forms. The loop helps keep the grease from entering the replacement sensor's connector.
"Factory Fixes" is written by Jim DePalma, a 30-year veteran of the auto repair business who has served stints as a service manager, parts manager and ASE-certified technician. His column provides vehicle manufacturers' authentic factory technical service bulletins (TSBs) that have been condensed for easier reading. Mr. DePalma advises that techs always check with a dealer or repair information system for the latest revisions before starting to work on a vehicle. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].