P0155 OBD error code on 2005 Ford Escape

[MillCreek]

So my shiny new Actron CP9180 code scanner arrived and I hooked it up to my 2005 Ford Escape.  I received only one fault: P0155: O2 sensor heater circuit malfunction 2/1.  Some Googling revealed that this seems to be a common fault and occurs more frequently when the vehicle has over 50,000 miles.  Mine has 56,000.  As far as I can tell, this doesn't seem to be a fault that will make the vehicle spontaneously combust or anything. 

The recommended repair seems to be replacement of the oxygen sensor.  I will be taking the car in for the 60,000 mile service (the major service) in a few months.  I cleared the fault using the code scanner.  The question I have is can this problem wait for the 60,000 mile service, or is this something that I should fix myself post haste?  Thanks for any suggestions. 

[mfree]

Vehicle uses a HEGO and what you probably have there is a report that the heater didn't work fast enough for that cycle. That leaves the car in open loop mode a little longer than intended.

All it means for you is that when the HEGO doesn't H, you get a little rougher idle and poorer fuel economy.

Leave it alone long enough and you end up with a clogged catalytic converter, but that would take years of awful running.

EDIT: This is a "no panic" malf, btw. All you'd see right now even if the heater failed completely is a loss of 2-3mpg in the city and when the engine is cold. The EGO will heat up enough to operate fine by itself on the highway. You *might* see a minute or two's difference in how long the engine takes to heat up from a start too.

This is exactly why computers are a good thing on cars; you know about a problem that would take another 30,000 miles to actually be felt enough to notice.

EDIT EDIT: Oh, and you may already fail a cold emissions test.

[crawdaddyjim]

Spot on advice. Great job!

Jim

[Ben]

Definitely common. One piece of advice -- it looks like you may have 4 sensors ( I think that code is "bank2/sensor 1" (or the reverse)). When you replace (or have replaced) the faulty sensor, check to see if it's in a hard to get to place. If it is, you should just replace all of them, because after one goes out, the others are sure to follow. In the long run it'll be cheaper / less time intensive to just do them in one shot.

[RocketMan]

P0155 OBD error code on 2005 Ford Escape
That is a simple error code to translate.  It means "Buy a Dodge". 

[mfree]

It means "Buy a Dodge". 

Only if you're a code chaser.... see, total transmission failure usually doesn't show up on OBD-II until you aren't going anywhere for a while :)