DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (2024)

Technical description of DTC P0053 Code

The generic powertrain code P0053 is one of the most devastating codes that can cause irreparable harm to the vehicle. The DTC P0053 mainly stands for the “Heated O2 Sensor (HO2S) heater resistance bank 1 and Sensor 1”. Obviously, most common people won’t understand the code as it is a kind of symbol that the experts can only realize. But no worries, you have a manufacturer-specific manual where all the meanings of the code are depicted.

If you do not get it there, you must check online to decode the trouble codes. Here bank 1 means the side of the engine with cylinder number 1, and sensor 1 denotes the front sensor of the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter helps reduce the harmful fumes, and the toxic gasses lose most of their harmful elements through the catalytic converter’s internal mechanism of the catalytic converter. The PCM detects something fishy in the main oxygen chamber, and according to that information, the PCM sends a signal to the MIL or the CELL, then it starts to illuminate and shows the trouble code on the screen of the scanner.

Quick Reasons:

  • Faulty oxygen sensor (Bank 1, Sensor 1).
  • Oxygen sensor heater circuit malfunction.
  • Damaged or corroded wiring or connectors.
  • Faulty oxygen sensor relay.
  • PCM failure.
  • Blown fuse related to the O2 sensor circuit.

When to use the P0053 heater resistance bank?

The heater resistance bank plays a pivotal role in guiding the main oxygen chamber of the engine. If the oxygen sensor’s voltage and resistance are not compatible with the standard value, then the heater resistance bank activates and starts its operation. You can introduce an intelligent multimeter to check the overall resistance. You can also solely incorporate the DVOM test to identify the ground voltage and the battery solely.That’s how you can use the heater resistance to check the voltage and the resistance.DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (1)

Possible Symptoms and malfunctions

The symptoms help us to detect the error code earlier than the regular time. If these symptoms are required to happen, then you may be aware of the code for an advance; let us see those possible symptoms of the DTC P0053,

  • The check engine light will turn on due to some internal issues in the main engine. The dashboard of the car may start to blink as the code occurs.
  • The engine may face stalling while starting, and the ghostly sounds may produce from the main engine, which is quite annoying.
  • Unnecessary carbons may be gathered in the spark plugs that impede the natural operation of the main engine. Irregular idling may also happen. The idling wastes the oil’s efficiency and reduces the overall pressure of the oil.
  • An unearthly consumption of oil can increase the overall fuel bill. The floating revolutions of the car may start to rise at an exponential rate, and the car’s ignition may start to misbehave when you insert the key.
  • The car may produce unhealthy fumes, and those black and white fumes are really dangerous for the health of the car.

What are the leading causes of error code P0053?

To eliminate the occurrence of the error code, you have to acquire knowledge about the causes of the error code. For your convenience, I will feature some of the prime causes of the error code P0053,

  • The oxygen sensor may have been facing internal damage, and the vacuum seal may have been leaking.
  • Short circuits, rust, or bent may have destroyed the internal wirings and the circuits. The exhaust of the car may be suffering from severe injury or leakage.
  • A blown a fuse may incur the DTC P0053. The catalytic converter may have been out of order or can not purify the fumes. The toxic components of the fume can not be converted into less toxic fumes.
  • The ECM may be out of order. The software of the ECM may have been outdated and needs an update. The oil control valve filter may have collected acute sludges that have blocked the natural flow of the oil inside the oil-flowing chamber.

Complete diagnosis process

Some individual stages will describe the diagnosis process of the error code P0053,

  • Diagnosis Bad Upstream O2 Sensor

A bad oxygen sensor may have been proven the worst scenario for the vehicle. If the oxygen sensor misbehaves, then there is a real chance that the whole engine system may collapse. The oxygen sensor is the main supervisor of entering a particular amount of oxygen in the catalytic converter. It also regulates the proportion of the air-fuel mix. So if you find any fault in the oxygen sensor, then try to replace the whole sensor; it will be more effective than repairing the sensor. DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (2)

  • Diagnosis of the Wirings and the connectors

The electrical wirings and the connectors are everywhere in the vehicle. The wirings of the oxygen sensors are crucial for the car as they govern all the systems of the air-fuel mix. If the air-fuel mix is not maintained properly, then the shifting of the gear may be hampered. As a result, they may face stalling and a huge reduction in speed. Visual inspection is pretty much significant for the diagnosis of the wirings. You can use a tester also to check if the power has been supplied through the wirings. DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (3)

  • Check the OCV

Fuel is the main element of the vehicle. Without this, nobody can imagine a vehicle. So the visual inspection of the oil control valve is really important. Fuel leakage may happen from the oil tank, or extreme dirt can block the pathways of the oil flow. The filters of the OCV may be blocked due to debris. Using the wrong viscosity oil can also damage the whole oil control section. DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (4)

  • Examine the ECM

The ECM, or PCM, is the main governing entity that controls almost all the chores in the vehicle. In other words, it is the vehicle’s main computer that receives all the information and acts according to the message. So the diagnosis of the ECM is of prime importance for the diagnosis of the error code P0053. DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (5)

Troubleshooting process of the DTC P0053 code

The troubleshooting process of the trouble codes is tiresome, but there is no other choice but to eradicate them. Below I will give a clear picturesque of troubleshooting the error code P0053,

  • Investigate the condition of the particular cables and wirings. If there is any kind of tear or discontinuation in the cable, you must change or replace the wirings.
  • You need to perform a visual inspection of the wirings and sensors. After you have found something wrong in the management of the circuits, repair them within the shortest possible moment.
  • Repair the voltage, resistance, timing components, gears, camshaft rotational data, and electrical circuits. Repair and update the software of the PCM to get a better result.
  • Check the groundings, power terminals, and oil control valves and fix them if there are leaks or irregularities.
  • Finally, perform a short test drive and try to eliminate the codes manually. You must have been in a stance on what to do next if the test drive won’t eradicate the code. You do not need to worry again. Perform the above inspection of the particular parts and repair any fault you find.

What is the difference between heated and unheated oxygen sensors?

The heated oxygen sensor is a special kind of sensor that is not like the unheated oxygen sensor. The main difference is that the heated oxygen sensor only works when it gets an optimum temperature, and the other one can operate at a normal temperature.

Comparatively, the heated sensor oxygen works faster and more efficiently than the other one. It needs a minimum of 600 to 650-degree Celsius temperature for the smooth operation of the heated oxygen sensor. One thing that is similar between these two is that both of them are connected with the three-wire ground sensor. The voltage of the heated oxygen sensor is usually higher than the other one. They are located at opposite positions in the main oxygen chamber. For the smooth operation of the car, both play a pivotal role. The heated one single-handedly increases the efficiency of the whole partition, and the normal oxygen chamber operates when the car is in a comfortable position.

Where is the heater oxygen sensor located?

The exact location of the heater oxygen sensor varies in the car from model to model. But in general, they are located behind the main cylinder head of the oxygen sensor heater. The heater is the supporting element for the oxygen chamber to work correctly at a standard temperature.

Types of oxygen heater

There are varieties of oxygen heater sensors found in the market. But not all the heater sensors are of good quality. Each type of sensor is different from the other, and the main difference is in their opening dimension, which means the amount of oxygen passing through the cable heater is controlled by the dimensions and opening of the heater. Mostly two types of oxygen heater sensors are available in the market; they are

Short specification of the Narrowband heater sensors

Materials used: Stainless steel glowing exterior body set

Wire information: A planar 5 wire constituents

Supporting elements: Direct-fit OE connectors and sturdy harnesses

Specification of the wideband heater sensors

Materials used: Specially coated Stainless steel

Weight: 0.8 ounces

Dimension: 5.83 by 2.2 by 1.97 inches

Supporting elements: Durable harnesses, Directly compatible connectors

Repairing Cost

One of the biggest demerits of the error codes is that they are extremely expensive to repair. The DTC P0053 is no exception; it is also a costly chore to eradicate. Most of the time, the professional charges you within 75$ to 150$ per hour to repair this code. But the repair charge fluctuates from time to time. It also depends on the expertise level of the mechanic.

How Serious is This P0053 code?

Each and every powertrain code is pretty much dangerous as it can slowly destroy all the systems in the vehicle. The error code P0053 is not an exception as it is deeply related to the heated oxygen sensor. This is one of the most crucial parts of the main engine, the shifting of the year is fully dependent on the proper operation of the oxygen sensor. Let’s see the grim consequences of the error code P0053,

  • An old DTC P0053 can permanently disable the oxygen sensor and cause irreparable harm to the oxygen sensor wiring and the circuits. And the main duty of the sensor is to administrate the air-fuel mix proportion rate. The sensor must know how much fresh oxygen should be entered into the main oxygen compartment to serve the purpose. Mismanagement in measuring the amount of oxygen can harm the entire process, and the gear shifting is hampered badly.
  • The vehicle’s combustion system must be damaged, and black foggy fumes may be a cause of the exhaust pipe that is not good for the health of the car and neither for the environment.
  • The internal wirings and the connectors must have been in agony as the error code appears. The bloodshed that the code causes in the main engine section can destroy the vehicle for good.
  • The battery in the car will face severe consequences, and it may lose some of its valuable voltage and power. In a nutshell, this code can be proven to be a life-destroying incident for your beloved car. For the eradication of the code as early as possible.

Related DTC fault codes

You may not have known that, but some similar codes are related to the error code P0053. The fixing procedure and diagnosis procedure are almost the same as these codes. So if you have a detailed understanding of one of the codes, it will be easy for you to encounter all other error codes. Let us have a close look into the harmonious codes related to the error code P0053,

P0054 refers to the “Heated oxygen sensor Heater Resistance(Bank 1 Sensor 2).”

P0055 denotes that Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater Resistance(Bank 1 Sensor 3).”

P0059 means the Heated oxygen sensor Heater Resistance(Bank 2 Sensor 1).”

P0060 is a special type of code that is related to the “Heated oxygen sensor Heater Resistance (Bank 2 Sensor 2),” and last but not least in this list is the DTC P0061 that determines Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater Resistance(Bank 2 Sensor 3).”

These are some of the most common codes related to the DTC P0053; if you notice deeply, you will figure out that each code is related to the Heated Oxygen Sensor; only the location and sensor position is the main difference here.

Final Overview

This article is progressively full of detailed explanations about the related parts with the error code P0053, and the main part is the oxygen sensor. We tried to clearly illustrate the respective part and share some simple guidelines for eradicating the DTC P0053. Going through this article will single-handedly help you to fix the error code in your home without the help of professional mechanics. Feel free to ask any question related to any type of trouble code, and do not forget to share the knowledge with others that will help them in removing the trouble codes.

DTC P0053 code- How to fix this OBD2 error code? (6)

Kevin Nicholas

Kevin Nicholas is an automotive technician who is a genius at software and hardware-related issues. He manually tested more than a hundred OBD scanners and gave his honest opinion on whether the device was worth the money or not. His in-depth OBD review articles help people choose the right product, whether it is a European, American, or Asian vehicle. He completed his Automotive Specialized Training Course at Universal Technical Institute and has more than 15 years of experience in the field.

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