Most p'n'p's will let you exchange 'defective' parts for 30 days, so if you go and buy two (dropping 20) and neither works (pretty unlikely) you can bring them back and switch them out. The best part is how accessible these sensors are, on some of the models you have to drop the CAT (or more) to get at them (usually the rear though..)

It is possible, though unlikely, that your wire is to blame, somewhere (either in the sensor or in the wire) is a short, so if you do a visual of your wire and notice that a section is melted and bare wires touch, then there's the problem (high temp electrical tape will fix ya for some time) though it might be easier to just replace and be done...

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If you're not driving it "like its stolen," are you really driving?