I've spent two hours trying in vain to unplug any of my oxygen sensors. Why were they mounted so diabolically? Looking at the new plugs themselves, it looks like it should be a snap to squeeze the little latch and just pull them apart, but ooooh noooo... they just stay in place like they're glued.

Does anyone have any sneaky tricks for unplugging these little beasties.?. or pulling them off their little mounting tabs so I can get them out where I could get better purchase on them?

Scott

 

It is not easy.
You first need to look at the new O2 you bought.
Look at the plug and study where the clips are or where the clips clip to.
There are two clips that hold the plug onto the socket I think.
The other problem is that the socket is mounted on a spit of metal - a rectangle.
You need to get that off first to get the socket and plug down to a level where you can work with it.

Took me maybe 1/2 hour in the parking lot under the truck.
I did the driver's side (USA driver's side).

The effort paid off as the code cleared.


Maybe someone will post a picture of these two parts.
I don't have one. Sorry.

 

I figured it out and had the whole job finished in about 20 minutes. I had to overcome a life-long taboo about not pulling the wires to unplug something. I was going to throw the old O2 sensors away anyway, right, so with one hand I pushed the release latch and with the other I pulled the wire, and they popped loose as easily as I could imagine. Why didn't I think of that yesterday!?!

Moral of the day: don't worry about pulling on wires for something that will be thrown out anyway.

Scott