P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler

Post-Cat O2 Sensor No Activity (Bank 1 Downstream)

P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler indicates post-cat o2 sensor no activity (bank 1 downstream). It usually stays drivable short-term but should be diagnosed promptly. The most common cause is open circuit in the o2 signal or ground wire (typically $80–$350). Confirm the root cause before replacing parts.

Severity: moderate Safe to drive (short term) SUV

Reviewed by MECH AI Editorial · Last verified

What does P0140 mean on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

P0140 is set when the Bank 1 downstream oxygen sensor shows no meaningful activity at all. The voltage sits flat — typically parked at the ECM's bias voltage of roughly 0.4–0.5 V — and never moves, even under conditions that should force it to move. Bank 1 is the bank containing cylinder number 1, and Sensor 2 is the sensor after the catalytic converter. P0140 is different from a sensor reading too low (P0137) or too high (P0138): with no activity the ECM is effectively looking at an open circuit or a completely dead sensor element.

The symptoms, causes, and diagnostic steps below describe P0140 itself, so they read the same on nearby Jeep Wrangler model years. Powertrain and trim details vary year to year — confirm the specifics against your own vehicle before buying parts.

Is it safe to drive a 2022 Jeep Wrangler with P0140?

In most cases a 2022 Jeep Wrangler stays drivable for short trips with P0140 active, but diagnose and repair it promptly. This is a moderate-severity code — ignoring it can lead to further damage or a failed emissions test.

What are the symptoms of P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

What causes P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

Cause Likelihood Estimated repair (USD)
Open circuit in the O2 signal or ground wire Most common $80–$350
Failed Bank 1 downstream O2 sensor (dead element) Most common $150–$450
Failed sensor heater leaving the sensor below operating temperature A zirconia sensor produces no signal until it is hot — a dead heater looks exactly like a dead sensor. Common $150–$450
Blown O2 heater fuse Common $5–$30
Corroded or disconnected downstream O2 sensor connector Common $30–$200
Harness chafed or melted against the exhaust Common $80–$350
Failed PCM input for the downstream sensor circuit Rare $400–$1,500

Cost ranges are editorial estimates for parts and labor at an independent U.S. shop — not quotes. What you actually pay moves with your region, the shop's hourly rate, which engine you have, and how much diagnostic time the job takes. Dealer service departments typically sit above these ranges.

How to diagnose this on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler

  1. Pull every O2 code before deciding anything

    P0140 next to P0141 tells a very different story from P0140 alone. With P0141 the heater circuit has failed and the sensor never gets hot enough to produce a signal — the heater is the fault and the "no activity" is a consequence. P0140 by itself points at the signal circuit or the sensor element.

    Tools: Scan tool with full code retrieval

  2. Check the O2 heater fuse

    Many vehicles run all O2 heaters from one fuse; some split them by bank. Test the correct fuse with a test light rather than eyeballing it. If a fresh fuse blows straight away, there is a short in the harness or inside a sensor, and that short is your actual repair.

    Tools: Test light or multimeter, Replacement fuse

  3. Measure heater resistance at the sensor

    Unplug the downstream sensor and measure across the heater terminals — typically somewhere in the 3 to 15 Ω range depending on the sensor. Infinite resistance means the heater element is open, the sensor never warms up, and it will never produce a signal no matter how good the wiring is.

    Tools: Multimeter, Wiring diagram

  4. Verify bias voltage reaches the connector

    With the sensor unplugged and the key on, the scan tool should still show the ECM's bias voltage on the signal PID. If it does, the signal wire is intact back to the PCM and the sensor is the suspect. If the reading goes to zero or reads erratically, the fault is in the harness.

    Tools: Scan tool, Multimeter

  5. Force the sensor to respond and watch for movement

    With the engine fully warm, briefly create a rich condition — most easily by snapping the throttle — and watch the downstream PID. Even a lazy but living sensor will show some movement. A trace that never leaves its resting value under any condition confirms the element is dead.

    Tools: Scan tool with graphing PIDs

NHTSA complaints & recalls for the 2022 Jeep Wrangler

Owner-reported safety complaints and official recalls filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 2022 Jeep Wrangler. Use these to gauge how common a problem is on your specific vehicle before you start chasing Jeep Wrangler diagnostics.

348 owner complaints
13 involved a crash
11 involved a fire
6 reported injuries
  • ENGINE 82
  • POWER TRAIN 55
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 141
  • STEERING 68
  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER 57

14 active recalls

  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING May 2022

    Chryler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The side marker lights may not function due to an incompatible tail light assembly wiring harness. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbe…

    NHTSA campaign 22V326000
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY Oct 2022

    Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Jeep Wrangler Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. The high voltage (HV) battery pack assembly was built with incorrect fasteners to secure the 200-amp fuse, which can generate excessive heat.…

    NHTSA campaign 22V768000
  • FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP Oct 2022

    Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.…

    NHTSA campaign 22V767000
  • ENGINE Nov 2022

    Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles equipped with 2.0L Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle engines. A loss of communication may cause an engine shutdown.…

    NHTSA campaign 22V865000

How do I fix P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

Engines in the 2022 Jeep Wrangler

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler was offered with the 2.0L 4-cylinder, 3.0L 6-cylinder, 3.6L 6-cylinder and 6.4L 8-cylinder engines, including a diesel version. Which one you have changes where P0140 is most likely to originate, so confirm your engine before ordering parts.

Engine data: EPA fueleconomy.gov.

The four Bank 1 Sensor 2 codes, side by side

All four describe the same downstream sensor. Reading them together narrows the diagnosis far more than any one of them alone:

CodeWhat the ECM saw
P0136Generic circuit fault that fits no narrower pattern
P0137Voltage below the calibrated minimum
P0138Voltage above the calibrated maximum
P0140No activity at all — the signal never moves

P0140 is the “flatline” member of the family. Where P0137 and P0138 mean the sensor is saying something wrong, P0140 means it is saying nothing.

Check the heater before condemning the sensor element

A zirconia oxygen sensor generates no usable signal until it reaches roughly 350 °C. That is why every modern sensor has a heater built into it. When the heater dies, the sensor sits cold, produces nothing, and the ECM logs exactly what it observes: no activity. The sensor element itself may be in perfect condition.

This matters because the two faults often present together. If you have P0140 and P0141 on the same scan, the heater circuit is the thing to diagnose. Sometimes that is a five-dollar fuse rather than a sensor.

The bias-voltage test

Every downstream O2 circuit is held at a reference bias voltage by the ECM, usually around 0.4–0.5 V, so that the ECM can tell the difference between “sensor is reading mid-range” and “wire is broken.” Unplug the sensor, key on, and watch the PID:

Living with P0140

The downstream sensor watches the catalyst; it does not run the engine. So the car will drive normally, and this is not a code that will leave you stranded. What it will do is block the catalyst readiness monitor from completing, which fails an emissions test even after the light is cleared. Fix it before your inspection is due, not the week of.

P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler: frequently asked questions

What does diagnostic trouble code P0140 mean on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

P0140 is set when the Bank 1 downstream oxygen sensor shows no meaningful activity at all. The voltage sits flat — typically parked at the ECM's bias voltage of roughly 0.4–0.5 V — and never moves, even under conditions that should force it to move. Bank 1 is the bank containing cylinder number 1, and Sensor 2 is the sensor after the catalytic converter. P0140 is different from a sensor reading too low (P0137) or too high (P0138): with no activity the ECM is effectively looking at an open circuit or a completely dead sensor element.

What are the symptoms of P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

Check Engine Light is illuminated. Catalyst readiness monitor will not complete. Often no drivability symptoms at all. Possible slight reduction in fuel economy. Vehicle will fail emissions / smog testing. Frequently sets alongside P0141 when the sensor heater has failed

What causes P0140 on a 2022 Jeep Wrangler?

Open circuit in the O2 signal or ground wire (most-common). Failed Bank 1 downstream O2 sensor (dead element) (most-common). Failed sensor heater leaving the sensor below operating temperature (common). Blown O2 heater fuse (common). Corroded or disconnected downstream O2 sensor connector (common). Harness chafed or melted against the exhaust (common). Failed PCM input for the downstream sensor circuit (rare)

Is it safe to drive a 2022 Jeep Wrangler with P0140?

In most cases a 2022 Jeep Wrangler stays drivable for short trips with P0140 active, but it should be diagnosed and repaired promptly — this is a moderate-severity code. Ignoring it can lead to further damage or a failed emissions test.

Related diagnostic codes

P0140 on other Jeep Wrangler model years