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Please can you advise? My 1999T Volvo S80, bought new, now with 54,000 miles, developed a faulty lambda sensor. While removing it the Volvo dealer broke the collar in which it was attached to the exhaust pipe and insisted I pay for the damage thus caused. They said the collar just came away. I was obliged to pay, although under protest. This means any damage to ones car while being serviced can be passed on to the owner who can prove nothing. My car has been regularly serviced at this garage. Volvo HQ said there was unlikely to have been any manufacturing fault.
Asked on 31 July 2010 by MS, Worthing
Answered by
Honest John
After 11 years it would be almost impossible to remove a lambda sensor from an exhaust manifold. It would have fused into place. Not the fault of the garage. I was talking to someone the other day who developed a special tool for removing these sensors from awkward locations. They are usually brass which is relatively soft, so the socket needs to grip much more tightly than to a steel bolt. But even so, if it had welded itself into place then it would be impossible to remove other than by drilling it out.
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