P0160
O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity / Slow Response (Bank 2 Sensor 2)
The ECU detects no switching or too slow a response from the downstream O2 sensor on bank 2. Often aged or poisoned sensor; downstream sensors usually flat but must respond on diagnostic monitor runs.
- Check engine light: Yes
- Emissions related: Yes
- Repair difficulty: easy
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- Increased fuel consumption
- Possible rough idle or hesitation
- Failed emissions test
Common causes
Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.
- Sensor aged or poisonedCommon
- Heater circuit weakPossible
Parts involved
- Oxygen Sensor B2s2
- Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit
- Catalytic Converter Bank2
P0160 is a generic OBD-II code defined by SAE J2012. Exact wording and diagnostic procedure vary by manufacturer and model. Code definitions are drawn from the public-domain OBDex dataset; the workshop notes are our own.