Trouble Code P0036 - Oxygen Sensor Heater Control Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

Technical description and interpretation of error P0036

This diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is a generic transmission code. Trouble code P0036 is considered a common code because it applies to all makes and models of vehicles. Although the specific repair steps may vary slightly depending on the model.

In cars, heated oxygen sensors are used to determine the oxygen content in the exhaust system before and after the catalytic converters. They use feedback to adjust the fuel system. To maintain an optimal air-fuel mixture ratio of 14.7:1.

Oxygen sensors use a sensor heating circuit to provide faster feedback to the control module. The oxygen sensor may use three or four wires depending on the vehicle.

Two are typically used for feedback to the powertrain control module (PCM). And the other wires are intended for the heater and powering the heated circuit. Three-wire sensors are usually grounded through the exhaust system. And four-wire ones have a separate ground wire.

Code P0036 refers to the sensor after the Bank 1 catalytic converter, which is located on the #1 cylinder side of the engine. The error means that the problem with the HO₂S sensor heating element has not been resolved. This code is triggered when the sensor takes too long to heat up.

Is it safe to operate a car with an error?

When the control unit receives a malfunction with code P0036, a check light lights up on the VAZ 2114 dashboard. You can use the car with this problem, but you should not delay in diagnosing the condition of the vehicle - this will help make sure that in addition to increased fuel consumption, no other problems have arisen.

If you regularly use a vehicle with this problem, the catalyst may soon fail. The engine will operate on an over-enriched fuel mixture, the unburned residues of which, entering the catalyst, will cause it to fail.

Catalyst VAZ 2114

Symptoms of malfunction

The main driver symptom of P0036 is the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) illumination. It is also called Check engine or simply “check light”.

They can also appear as:

1. The “Check engine” warning light on the control panel will light up (the code will be stored in the ECM memory as a malfunction).
2. In some cases, the engine control module (ECM) may put the vehicle into limp mode.
3. Sometimes there may be no symptoms despite a stored DTC.

When this code appears, the car can continue to move, but the problem must be corrected as soon as possible. To prevent potential problems such as sensor circuit failure and increased fuel consumption. If the problem is ignored for a long time, unstable operation of the engine is possible, as well as damage to other components.

What is error P0036 on Lada Granta. Oxygen sensors

Scheme of operation of a Euro 3 catalyst
The Euro 3 exhaust purity standard involves the installation of two oxygen sensors on the catalyst. The first controls the composition of the exhaust at the inlet, the second analyzes the composition of the exhaust gases at the outlet of the converter. Any malfunction of one of the lambda probes leads to incorrect operation of the engine control system (ECM).

Error P0036 on the Lada Granta indicates a malfunction of the heating element in the second oxygen sensor, or an open circuit for polling and controlling the sensor.

Malfunctions that cause error code P0036 to appear necessarily indicate problems with the sensor and manifest themselves in different ways. The error may appear on a cold engine, but disappear on a warm engine. If you ignore it and simply erase it using the on-board computer, it will appear again. On runs up to 40-50 thousand km, the reaction to an error may already be a Check Engine signal, which is almost impossible to reset. Therefore, you have to look for the cause of error code P0036 and methods for troubleshooting.

How to Troubleshoot or Reset Trouble Code P0036

Some suggested steps to troubleshoot and fix error code P0036:

1. Clear error codes from the car's computer memory.
2. Test drive the vehicle to see if the P0036 code appears again.
3. Perform a visual inspection and, if necessary, repair or replace damaged electrical wires.
4. Check the grounding and correct the problem if necessary.
5. If there is a problem with the PCM, reprogram or replace the engine control module.

How to remove error P0036 on Lada Granta

One of the effective methods of dealing with errors in the second oxygen sensor on Grants is considered to be flashing the electronic control unit to the Euro 2 . It implies the presence of only one, the first oxygen sensor, so DK2 is no longer polled by the electronic engine management system and error 0036 will be eliminated automatically.

Failed oxygen sensor

The second option is to replace the failed lambda probe. From the point of view of economy, this option does not seem very justified compared to reflashing. The price of a new oxygen sensor for a Lada Granta is around $25 . Flashing can be done at a service for $30-35 and will get rid of the problem forever. However, you need to understand that interference with software never goes away without leaving a trace. In addition, if the operation is carried out incorrectly, other failures in the control system are possible.

This is where the wire often breaks off.

Alternatively, you can consider a break in one of the wires in the secondary oxygen sensor circuit. This kind of trouble occurs quite often and, as a rule, at the base of the lambda probe itself. The thing is that the insulation of the wires in the bundle does not always correspond to high temperatures, over time it loses elasticity and one of the wires simply breaks off from the contact at the soldering site. It won’t take much time to check this option - just go under the car and check the contacts on the sensor itself. As a last resort, you will have to remove the oxygen sensor and solder the broken wire.

Broken wire on oxygen sensor

It is enough to clean well, tin the wire and contact on the sensor with acid or flux, then solder the wire in place and insulate it with heat-resistant electrical tape.

Repaired oxygen sensor

In the case when, after repair, error P0036 continues to bother us, we can either replace the lambda or install a false one, which is much cheaper and more effective.

Diagnosis and problem solving

Trouble P0036 can only be caused by the oxygen sensor heater circuit or the oxygen sensor itself. Diagnostics usually begins with checking the sensor wiring. Typically the heated oxygen sensor comes with four wires.

Two wires go directly to the heater circuit, and the other two are for powering and grounding the sensor. You may need a wiring diagram for your car. To be sure you are testing the correct set of wires.

Wiring check

Test the heater circuit using a digital multimeter or volt-ohmmeter. Consult your vehicle's wiring diagram to determine the exact pinout of the ground connector.

The reading should be close to the battery voltage. If this is not the case, then there is most likely a problem with the sensor's power supply.

It is also necessary to check the grounding. To do this, you need to connect the positive terminal of the battery to the red wire of the multimeter. And the black wire to ground to check the grounding of the circuit. The result should be 12V, if not then this indicates a grounding problem at the sensor.

Sensor check

If the power and ground are ok, then the next option is to check the sensor heating element. To determine if it has an open circuit or high resistance.

Set the volt-ohm meter to Ohm scale, check the resistance of the heater circuit using the electrical diagram as a reference.

Make sure you have disconnected the O₂ sensor. The heater circuit inside the sensor should have little resistance. Exceeding the limit value indicates a break in the heating part. Therefore, the oxygen sensor will have to be replaced.

Decoding codes

Well, if you succeed in checking your car for faults, then you need to decipher the combinations of errors, otherwise why do you need diagnostics at all?

Self-diagnosis

Let's look at the decoding of combinations of faults that you can read when checking the Lada Priora yourself.

The arrows on the dashboard move to maximum values ​​when performing self-diagnosis of the vehicle, and all icons on the panel are lit

Please note: if the button for switching functions of the on-board computer is not pressed for more than 10 seconds, the instrument panel will return to operating status.

Failures in the ignition system

If you were unable to check your VAZ Priora yourself, you can do this using a special tester. In this case, the error code will be a combination of a letter and four numbers:

Connector for self-diagnosis of a VAZ Priora car

Fuel and air system error codes

How to read errors?

In order to read errors, you need to connect a laptop or tablet PC to the car via a special K-line cable. Let's look at what tools will be needed to connect the car to the computer and determine error codes:

K-line cable for connecting a laptop to a car

In order to connect, you need to find a connector for the cable. It is located under the steering column. Now you need to connect the cable itself and then the USB connector. The following programs are considered optimal for use: VAG-COM USB KKL adapter; VAZ diagnostic program for models, Priora, Kalina, Grant; USB driver Autocom cdp pro cars USB; ScanMaster 2.1 in Russian for ELM327.

Troubleshooting and reset

Eliminating ECU errors is quite simple. In the reading program, you need to find the desired fault and decipher it. Then, it is recommended to fix the problem that caused the error. The last step is reset. It can be found in program tools or actions.

Location of the connector for connecting to the ECU

Possible location of the connector for connecting to the ECU

Many car enthusiasts make a mistake when working with software, because they “reset” not the errors themselves, but the entire software, thus leaving only the car software shell. After such actions, usually, the car may not start and software adjustment of the equipment or replacement of the entire software as a whole is required. Therefore, in this case, it is recommended to contact a car service, where they will do everything correctly.

On which cars is this problem most common?

The problem with code P0036 can occur on different machines, but there are always statistics on which brands this error occurs more often. Here is a list of some of them:

• Acura
• Audi (Audi a6)
• BMW (BMW X5, E90, 330i)
• Cadillac
• Chery (Chery Tiggo, Fora)
• Chevrolet (Chevrolet Avalanche, Aveo, Captiva, Cruz, Lacetti, Orlando, Silverado, Trailblazer, Epica)
• Citroen
• Daewoo (Daewoo Matiz)
• Datsun
• Dodge (Dodge Intrepid)
• Ford (Ford Mondeo, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion)
• Honda
• Hyundai (Hyundai Getz, Santa Fe, Solaris, Sonata, Tucson, Elantra, ix35)
• Kia (Kia Optima, Rio, Sid, Sportage, Cerato)
• Lifan
• Mercedes (Mercedes ml350)
• Mini (Mini Cooper)
• Opel (Opel Antara, Astra, Vectra, Zafira, Corsa)
• Peugeot
• Porsche
• Skoda (Skoda Yeti, Octavia, Fabia)
• Suzuki
• Toyota
• Volkswagen (Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Passat)
• Volvo (Volvo xc90)
• VAZ 2104, 2105, 2107, 2111, 2112, 2114, 2115
• Lada Vesta, Granta, Kalina, Largus, Niva, Priora, X-Ray
• UAZ Bukhanka, Patriot, 39099

With fault code P0036, you can sometimes encounter other errors. The most common are: P0016, P0017, P0030, P0037, P0054, P0056, P0068, P0102, P0135, P0136, P0140, P0141, P0300, P0335, P0341, P0343, P0368, P0444, P0449, P045 5, P0463, P0500, P0505 , P2F00, P2101, P2431.

VAZ cars: repair, maintenance, tuning

In the fight to comply with environmental standards, engine manufacturers are tightening requirements for systems, fuel and, ultimately, exhaust emissions. As a result, older cars suffer more than others. Error P0036 on the Lada Granta and other front-wheel drive VAZ vehicles just demonstrates the discrepancy between the capabilities of the equipment and the growing requirements.