1999 M3 O2 Sensor compatibility - BOSCH

[AuburnRyan]

I just bought 4 BOSCH sensors from RockAuto for ~$50 each for my 100k interval (99 M3). Their parts catalog shows these being OEM replaement for 1999 M3, but 1998 doesn't show this as an option - only the NTK and equivalent.

Is this a mix-up for the 1999 (confusion with e46), or are the 1999 sensors different?

13477 http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-13477-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/compatibility-chart/B000CEZQGW
15109 http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-15109-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/compatibility-chart/B000BZI3GW

[anotsostealth]

This is a good question. Ive got a 99 M that needs the two front ones replaced. Was that the cheapest ones you found? Do me a favor and PM me the answer when you can. Thanks.

[AuburnRyan]

Looks like 4/1998 might be a production change date.... 1996-1998 one 1999 has it's own?

But Real OEM has the same #. Tischer BMW seems to differentiate the years...

Just so odd I can't seem to find anyone running into this issue, only the question of wiring up a Bosch 4 wire universal to which the answer is typically "only the 1995".

Read something about the NTKs reak a non standard voltage due to different sensing element...hence BOSCH may throw a code.

Confused...

[Xiphos]

NTK's virtually identical to bosch and are OEM.

[Devius1]

:lol pick the nicer box.

[CMG]

$50 each is a good price.

[pbonsalb]

My understanding is that the M3 with Siemens ECU uses titanium oxide sensors that read in reverse of standard sensors and that universal Bosch 4 wire sensors will not work. I would use the direct fit NTKs (try cmuzyy at Zygmunt or art at RMEuropean for the best prices) unless you can confirm that the Bosch will work.

[AuburnRyan]

These are not "universal" type (splice in) BOSCH sensors but rather OEM fit.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/313FA7NWTNL._SL500_SL160_.jpg

These BOSCH also do not read NTK (I'll double check tonight) on the sensor.

From the bosch website after selecting a 99' M3 - I chose the "OE Type" - Note that if you choose a 1998 M3 it suggest (4) 13884 sensors:

13477Oxygen Sensor - OE Type Before Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15109Oxygen Sensor - OE Type After Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15738Oxygen Sensor - Univ Type After Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15738Oxygen Sensor - Univ Type Before Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Ret

[Xiphos]

These are not "universal" type (splice in) BOSCH sensors but rather OEM fit.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/313FA7NWTNL._SL500_SL160_.jpg

These BOSCH also do not read NTK (I'll double check tonight) on the sensor.

From the bosch website after selecting a 99' M3 - I chose the "OE Type" - Note that if you choose a 1998 M3 it suggest (4) 13884 sensors:

13477Oxygen Sensor - OE Type Before Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15109Oxygen Sensor - OE Type After Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15738Oxygen Sensor - Univ Type After Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Retailer
15738Oxygen Sensor - Univ Type Before Catalyst Two required; Check / Replace Interval: 100,000 Miles Locate Ret

Every O2 sensor that I have ever pulled has stated NTK on it, even cars fully serviced from the stealership. My car had 1 owner before me, and had full service records from the stealership showing every purchase made including bosch o2 sensors. He didnt do any work himself, and my o2 sensors read NTK. Maybe he was a sneaky man and replaced them himself, I could be wrong.

[art@rmeuropean]

13477 is for E46 before Cat.
15109 is for E46 after Cat.
15738 is a universal sensor, fits a bunch of european cars but not E36 OBD-II M3


NTK is OEM for 96-99 M3, I am not aware of a BOSCH O2 sensor that is compatible to NTK.

[AuburnRyan]

Thanks Art and all who chimed in...

I spoke with BOSCH Tech help and all but confirmed their applicability chart for the 1999 is questionable. We check a few different sources including real oem together to confirm that the BMw part # did not correspond to the BOSCH sensors their chart shows fits 99 m3's.

I'm returning the Bosch's for NTK sensors. More expensive, but better safe than sorry.

[kjh1818]

$50 each is a good price.

agree ! $50 is quite a good price~

[littlewing1208]

I don't have a bimmer but in my experience, Bosch O2 sensors are crap. I put one in as my primary on my Honda because the original's heater circuit went bad, and the Bosch was putting out more than 1 volt almost from the get go. I didn't notice any performance hit but I finally decided to put the NTK in and my gas mileage was a lot better and after doing a top end cleaning, I haven't seen any carbon deposits on my pistons or valves for well over 15k miles...the Bosch had my engine running rich unnecessarily.

Anyway, point being, get the NTKs.

[hokie36]

Guys, sorry to dig this old thread out... but I just ran into the same issue OP had five years ago...

At RockAuto, the Bosch #13477 and #15109 says good for 1999 M3, sent the car to my mechanic but he found out it didn't fit well, needs parts for 98 M3. So I googled around and found this thread.

Although according to RockAuto's catalog and Bosch official part finder, the above both fits 99 M3, but it just simply didn't fits mine... But both websites has only the Bosch #13884 fitting 98 M3. Also, other online retailers like BavAuto or Pelicans and others have conflicting fitment information, which confused me.

But I'd go check my Carfax report I've got when I bought it used last year, that mine seemed to be produced in late 1998, although the initial brochure claimed it's 1999. And I was impressed and curious back then, yet didn't pay much attention. I guess it's the issue about "production year" and "market year"...

I'll update later. Hope not many people stepped into the same shoes .... Bosch....



I just bought 4 BOSCH sensors from RockAuto for ~$50 each for my 100k interval (99 M3). Their parts catalog shows these being OEM replaement for 1999 M3, but 1998 doesn't show this as an option - only the NTK and equivalent.

Is this a mix-up for the 1999 (confusion with e46), or are the 1999 sensors different?

13477 http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-13477-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/compatibility-chart/B000CEZQGW
15109 http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-15109-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/compatibility-chart/B000BZI3GW

[Tongboy]

hte last part of your vin# will tell you the production date

go to realoem.com and put it in and it'll tell you the production date.

as it is an e36 you'll need the relatively unusual titanium oxide style o2 sensors - not the vastly more common newer o2 sensors.

[NeilM]

All E36 M3 OBD2 cars use the same OE-style replacement O2 sensors, and furthermore they're the same for both the pre- and post-cat locations. One sensor part# does 'em all.

All the online vendors get their parts from two or three master wholesalers. At some point one of them made a part number error and it's seemingly propagated itself out through a bunch of different internet storefronts. Yes, it seems to be a confusion with the E46.

It doesn't matter whether you buy Bosch or NTK. The correct part numbers to look for are:

NTK 25013
Bosch 13884

These are direct fit with the proper lead lengths and connectors. I would never advocate buying the generic replacement and cutting/splicing the connectors. Just stick either of the above part numbers into Google search. Current best price I saw was $61.75 via Amazon for the NTK, and about $80 for the Bosch version.

Neil
96 M3

[hokie36]

hte last part of your vin# will tell you the production date

go to realoem.com and put it in and it'll tell you the production date.

as it is an e36 you'll need the relatively unusual titanium oxide style o2 sensors - not the vastly more common newer o2 sensors.
thx for the site, really helped. Mine was produced Sep '98.

[hokie36]

Thanks very much for the confirmation! I've searched and read some, noticed it IS just the common problem for the Bosch part # on E36 M3. It's just I've never thought about it could just happen.... for me.
Anyway, will get right parts and do it later.

PS, will continue to dig in about the Two/Four o2 sensor debate... need to budget around now... -- just had a tooth crown done but not covered by dental insurance.... damn expensive...


All E36 M3 OBD2 cars use the same OE-style replacement O2 sensors, and furthermore they're the same for both the pre- and post-cat locations. One sensor part# does 'em all.

All the online vendors get their parts from two or three master wholesalers. At some point one of them made a part number error and it's seemingly propagated itself out through a bunch of different internet storefronts. Yes, it seems to be a confusion with the E46.

It doesn't matter whether you buy Bosch or NTK. The correct part numbers to look for are:

NTK 25013
Bosch 13884

These are direct fit with the proper lead lengths and connectors. I would never advocate buying the generic replacement and cutting/splicing the connectors. Just stick either of the above part numbers into Google search. Current best price I saw was $61.75 via Amazon for the NTK, and about $80 for the Bosch version.

Neil
96 M3

[pbonsalb]

Rears do nothing for how the car runs, so skip them until you get a CEL if on a budget. They just tell the computer whether the cats work or not.

[Kenshiro]

As far as I'm aware, the post-cat sensors also have a different plug style - they're like the female connectors that the pre-cat sensors plugged into but with mirror-image keying.

[NeilM]

Rears do nothing for how the car runs, so skip them until you get a CEL if on a budget. They just tell the computer whether the cats work or not.

Correct. However you obviously won't pass an emissions inspection that way, plus the constant CEL could mask some other fault that arises, so it's not a great idea.


As far as I'm aware, the post-cat sensors also have a different plug style - they're like the female connectors that the pre-cat sensors plugged into but with mirror-image keying.

Not correct.

Installation Hint: The rear bank (cylinders 4-6) pre-cat O2 sensor must be plugged into the forward connector on the head, and vice-versa. With stock headers the wire lengths more or less make you do this automatically, but not necessarily if you have aftermarket headers.

Neil

[Kenshiro]

Not correct.
Ah, just went and checked, and it's the E39/E46 and onwards post-cats which have the mirrored female keying.

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss64/nagumo-sama/o2.jpg

[twastheglow]

I'm glad I found this thread since it seems I need to replace both pre-cat O2's. I'm pretty stoked about that Amazon price of $68.75 for the NTK's. Sure beats Pelican's price of $100 EACH.

So pre-cat and post-cat run the same exact sensor?

[YAOGinanM3]

I'm glad I found this thread since it seems I need to replace both pre-cat O2's. I'm pretty stoked about that Amazon price of $68.75 for the NTK's. Sure beats Pelican's price of $100 EACH.

So pre-cat and post-cat run the same exact sensor?


PM me, I have 2 O2 sensors that are known to be good. I took them out of a very low milage OBDII exhaust I modded to use on my OBD1 M3. The exhaust was pristine matching the totaled car it was taken out of.

[twastheglow]

Why does realoem list two different part numbers for the pre-cat o2's? How do I know which one to replace?