Summary: This auto repair blog post provides a quick easy way to check for a vacuum leak that can cause lean codes on Ford Windstars.

Ford seems to have more than it’s reasonable share of lean codes, the Ford Windstar is no exception. If all the usual suspects have been investigated and no leaks were found, there’s another possible cause of a lean code when diagnosing a Ford Windstar. At one time I had so many of these vehicles to work on… I kept a parts list! In my notebook, I kept a list of part numbers that made writing up an estimate for repairs much easier. Later, when I used the computer at work more I converted my notes over to a “Word Document” file that allowed me to copy paste. When you work Flat Rate, you learn to save time when you can! Back to the subject at hand. In this auto repair article we briefly cover a common cause of lean codes on the Ford Windstar.

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Ford Expedition lean codes could caused by a leaky PCV hose.

If a car has a check engine light on and has P0171 and P0174 codes stored, the most likely cause is a vacuum leak. These codes are set by the car’s computer when it sees too much oxygen in the exhaust. Excessive oxygen readings in the exhaust will set lean codes. This does not mean that the oxygen sensors are defective. It is a common mistake for people to replace oxygen sensors when lean codes are present. Just because the code is related to oxygen sensor readings, it doesn’t mean that the oxygen sensors are bad. If both of these codes are stored this means that both banks of the engine have excessive oxygen in the exhaust. If the oxygen sensors are replaced it’s most likely that the same codes will reappear. It is very uncommon for two oxygen sensors to fail at the same time.

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