OBD-II trouble code
P0061: HO2S Heater Resistance (Bank 2, Sensor 3)
SAE J2012: HO2S heater resistance, bank 2 sensor 3. The position exists only when this exhaust has a third sensor on the bank that does not contain cylinder 1. Count the sensors on the pipe. Do not order from the catalogue name alone.
Quick facts
- System
- Powertrain
- Category
- Oxygen Sensor
- Severity
- Low severity
- Drivable
- Usually safe to drive short-term
- Repair cost range
- $300 – $580 (oxygen sensor replacement, parts and labor)
- DIY difficulty
- Intermediate DIY
Browse every code in P0001–P0099, or start from the full code library.
What does P0061 mean?
SAE J2012 APR2002 names P0061 HO2S Heater Resistance, Bank 2 Sensor 3. Bank 2 does not contain cylinder 1. Sensor 3 is the third sensor in airflow order on that bank. An inline engine uses bank 1 codes. A V engine with only two sensors on bank 2 does not have this position. Confirm both facts on the vehicle before you order a part.
The calculated resistance is the whole loop: supply, terminals, element, and return. The module does not say which link is high. A parts listing titled Bank 2 Sensor 3 can still be the wrong part or the wrong hole. Put the vehicle on a lift or stands, start at the manifold on the bank without cylinder 1, and count sensors rearward. Match what you count to the service information for this engine and this exhaust, not to a drop-down menu.
The 2014 GM summary file 14OBDG12 lists a 3.8 to 10.4 ohm cold-start window for P0060, bank 2 sensor 2, and the same window for P0059. It is not a P0061 specification. Use the window this chart prints. If the chart has none in front of you, do not borrow the other sensor's numbers.
Sensor 3's harness is long on the vehicles that have one, and it can run past the tank and the rear axle. Ask what was unclipped under the back of the vehicle. A resistance reading needs the freeze-frame temperature, because the element changes resistance as it warms.
Fuel control is not assumed here. Read the description. On a monitoring sensor, the engine can run while the monitor that needs this heater stays incomplete.
Common causes
- A part or a hole that does not match sensor 3 on this exhaust
- Heater resistance outside the window this calibration prints for bank 2 sensor 3
- The 3.8 to 10.4 ohm P0060 window from the 2014 GM summary used on P0061
- Added resistance in the long run to sensor 3, including a connector or a splice the diagram shows on that run
- A harness left against a shield or a hanger after tank, axle, or exhaust work
- A replacement sensor whose heater is not the resistance this calibration calculates
Symptoms
- Check engine light with P0061
- The code still present after a sensor was replaced in a different hole
- A parts listing that does not match the sensors counted on the pipe
- The code on an inline engine, which does not use bank 2
- A monitor that needs this heater and does not complete
- The fault showing up after work under the rear of the vehicle
Diagnostic steps
- 1.Support the vehicle on stands or a lift. Find the bank without cylinder 1 and count oxygen sensors from the manifold rearward. Sensor 3 is the third. If you cannot find three, confirm the code and the calibration before you order anything.
- 2.If a sensor was already replaced, check the part number and which hole it went into against the service information for this exhaust.
- 3.Do not apply the 2014 GM 3.8 to 10.4 ohm P0060 window. Measure against the window and the enable this P0061 chart prints, at the freeze-frame temperature.
- 4.With the heater commanded, measure voltage drop on the supply and on the return and compare both with the limits this chart prints. A continuity beep is not that test.
- 5.Ignition off, module disconnected: control wire end to end, and control to ground. Ignition on, both ends open: voltage on the control wire that would mean a short to power.
- 6.Inspect the run the diagram shows for this sensor, including clips left off after tank or axle work. Do not assume the wire passes the tank unless the diagram says so.
- 7.Replace the sensor when the harness is inside the printed limits and the element is not. Repair the wire when the drop is in the wire.
- 8.Clear the code and let the engine meet the published enable. A hot retest does not run a cold-start monitor.
Repair cost
$300 – $580 (oxygen sensor replacement, parts and labor)
P0061 uses the same RepairPal oxygen-sensor job as any other sensor position. Updated 3 September 2026, the average is $440–$523, labor $93–$136, parts $347–$387. Near-me examples: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 $306–$407, Honda CR-V $501–$578. The printed $300–$580 pair rounds those jobs. RepairPal does not publish a separate sensor-3 price. A long-harness repair is outside the pair. The page says the vehicle is typically lifted and that a torch is often used. Use stands or a lift, with the exhaust cool and fuel vapor kept away.
Estimate your repair
Run the numbers for your vehicle
Open the Repair Cost Estimator with oxygen sensor replacement preselected. Adjust labor rate and vehicle category to fit your situation.
DIY vs shop
This is an intermediate DIY job. It usually involves diagnostic steps, specialty parts, and some careful work in tight spaces. If you have the tools and a service manual or trustworthy video for your specific vehicle, it is achievable in a weekend. Otherwise, a competent independent shop will be faster.