P0059

HO2S Heater Resistance Bank 2 Sensor 1

Q: Is it safe to drive with P0059?

Yes. The heater only helps the sensor warm up, so the engine runs normally, but the car will fail emissions and cold-start fueling is slightly less efficient.

Q: Can I just clear P0059?

It returns because the heater resistance is genuinely out of range. That almost always means the O2 sensor's internal heater has failed and the sensor needs replacing.

Emissions / O2 sensor Generic OBD-II Medium

What it means

P0059 means the heater element inside the upstream (bank 2, sensor 1) oxygen sensor is reading a resistance outside the normal range — the ECM measures the heater and sees it as too high or too low. This almost always means the sensor's internal heater has failed, so the O2 sensor warms up too slowly and closed-loop fuel control is delayed.

Medium

Can I keep driving? Safe to drive, but it will fail emissions and slightly hurt cold-start economy; plan to replace the sensor.

Real-world scan data

Seen in

111

scans in the past year

Found in

<0.1%

of scans

<0.1%

of scans that found faults

Appears alongside · share of P0059 scans

P0054in 49.5% of scans

Figures reflect only diagnostic scans recorded through our own apps and tools. Cars are typically scanned because a symptom or warning light prompted it, so these counts describe our scan records — not the incidence of faults in any model, and not the quality, reliability, or safety of any vehicle. No comparison between manufacturers or models is implied. All trademarks belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

Common symptoms

What you'll notice

Check-engine light on
Delayed closed-loop fuel control after start-up
Slightly worse cold-start fuel economy
Failed emissions test

Common causes

Most likely first

Failed heater element inside the O2 sensor (most common by far)Likely
Corroded or poor connector at the sensorCommon
Heater circuit wiring faultCommon
Blown heater fuseLess often
Failed ECM driver (rare)Less often

How to diagnose & fix

Work through it in order

Scan and record freeze-frame data.
Inspect the sensor connector for corrosion or looseness.
Measure the heater's resistance across the sensor terminals against spec.
Check the heater's power feed and fuse.
Replace the O2 sensor — the heater isn't separately serviceable; consider the ECM last. Clear and re-test.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0059?+

Yes. The heater only helps the sensor warm up, so the engine runs normally, but the car will fail emissions and cold-start fueling is slightly less efficient.

Can I just clear P0059?+

It returns because the heater resistance is genuinely out of range. That almost always means the O2 sensor's internal heater has failed and the sensor needs replacing.

Read & clear P0059 yourself

Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.

▶ Get it on Google Play

✓ Verified name — SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6Guidance reviewed by OBD DashX