P0160 question
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
P0160 question
My wife over-filled the gas tank. The first problem was a fuel smell in the garage. But then it threw a P0160 code. Could over-filling the gas tank somehow cause a P0160 code?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 482
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From: Greenville Texas
Question: How do you overfill the gas tank? I know some cars later on (04) had adhesive problems which caused the tanks to not seal. Whatever does not fit in the tank comes out of the fill neck and drains throught the neck insert to under the car.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
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From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
P0160 Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 2 Sensor 2
You cannot overfill the tank without fuel spilling out the filler neck. If you smell gas, you have a leak. The usual cause of full tank gas odors are the crossover tube is twisted and cracked and yes, this needs to be fixed right away since the exhaust pipes are right there. The other cause of leaks is the fuel filter. Most people are not aware of this but there is a third item that can leak but too date, I've not heard of a single issue. That being a fuel tank vent valve which is located under the "right" rear fender and connected via a hard plastic line, all the way over to the "left side" tank. Its easily seen by removing the right tail light. If your car was ever hit on the right rear side, then this would be something to examine.
The P0160 code sounds like you lost an O2 sensor or its electrical connection is having issues.
You cannot overfill the tank without fuel spilling out the filler neck. If you smell gas, you have a leak. The usual cause of full tank gas odors are the crossover tube is twisted and cracked and yes, this needs to be fixed right away since the exhaust pipes are right there. The other cause of leaks is the fuel filter. Most people are not aware of this but there is a third item that can leak but too date, I've not heard of a single issue. That being a fuel tank vent valve which is located under the "right" rear fender and connected via a hard plastic line, all the way over to the "left side" tank. Its easily seen by removing the right tail light. If your car was ever hit on the right rear side, then this would be something to examine.
The P0160 code sounds like you lost an O2 sensor or its electrical connection is having issues.
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 228
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
clarification
By "overfilling", I'm referring to topping off the tank. Modern fuel sytems and evaporative emmissions systems do not take well to topping off the fuel tank. My question is: can topping off the tank foul the evaporative emissions sytem in such a way as to throw an o2 code?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,482
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From: Lake Tapps WA.
I would say no. I fill until shut off and then give it another shot (what you are calling overfill) and have had no problems. I would agree with a leak at the cross over which would be worse when full, I assume.
