- 1). Consult your local Ford dealership or major auto parts store and have them read the computer's stored codes with an OBD-II scan tool. This service, free at many auto parts stores, will tell you exactly which O2 sensor needs to be replaced.
- 2). Slide a floor jack under your truck's front cross-member (lateral frame support) and lift the truck until the wheels just dangle off of the ground. Lower your truck onto jack stands with the jack.
- 3). Unplug the wiring harness from the malfunctioning O2 sensor. You may need to use a flat head screwdriver to remove the harness' locking tab.
- 4). Remove the O2 sensor with a specialized O2 sensor socket and any combination of extensions and U-joints you need to reach it. You shouldn't need the O2 sensor socket if you are replacing one of the after-converter sensors since there should be plenty of room to fit and swing an open-end wrench.
- 5). Apply a dab of anti-seize lubricant on the bottom two threads of the new O2 sensor and smear it around the sensor threads with your finger. The anti-seize compound helps to ease later removal if your new O2 sensor becomes defective.
- 6). Thread the new O2 sensor into the exhaust pipe. Tighten it as much as you can with a ratchet or wrench. It's all but impossible to snap the head off of a new O2 sensor with basic hand tools and no cheater bar, so don't be shy with the elbow grease.
- 7). Connect the chassis-side wiring harness to the new O2 sensor plug and push it into place until the tab locks in.
- 8). Disconnect the truck's negative battery terminal with a 1/2-inch wrench and leave it off for five minutes. This will reset your truck's computer, allowing it to recognize the new O2 sensor. Skip this step and your computer will assume the O2 sensor is still malfunctioning, so the check engine light may stay on, and the truck may continue to run poorly.
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