Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice

VW P2568

Fix VW P2568 trouble code

VW 2568 VW owners are pretty miffed when they see a VW P2568 trouble code pop up after installing a new radiator. P2568 Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor refers to a sensor glued to the radiator core. It’s pretty easy to screw up a radiator replacement when the VW has this system so I’ll go through what a Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor does and how you can screw it up.

The radiators in some California emissions vehicles are coated with a catalytic coating that reacts with ground level ozone (O3) to convert it into O2 in an effort to reduce smog. The radiator coating is similar to your catalytic converter in that it must reach a “light off” temperature before it reacts with the ozone passing through the radiator fins. The “light off” temperature is approximately 140°F to 167°F.

Now for the hard part. Car makers like Volvo, VW/Audi, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW receive a Tier 3 emissions credit for installing these special radiators. However, to make sure shops don’t cheap and install a non-coated radiator, they must install a new Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor with each new radiator and that sensor must be installed a certain way.
You cannot reuse the old sensor because it has a tamper-proof design. In fact, just removing the old sensor will cause it to break. The sensor sends encrypted data to the ECM, so there’s no way to bypass it with a resistor.

Installing the new P2568 Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor

Installing the sensor requires a special procedure. The sensor includes a special adhesive which must be applied to the probe portion ONLY. Do NOT use the glue to attempt to glue the sensor to the radiator core. Do so will cause the P2568 Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor trouble code to appear because the glue acts as an insulator so the sensor can’t report the proper temperature to the ECM. Repeat, do NOT apply the glue to the face or body of the sensor, only the probe.

VW P2568 Direct Ozone Reduction Sensor
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Posted on by Rick Muscoplat



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