Five Signs Your Oxygen Sensor Going Bad
A vehicle’s oxygen sensor can be its Achilles’ heel. This emissions system part serves two critical purposes. First, it makes certain that the gas and air mixture found in the combustion chamber has the correct air ratio. Second, it also makes certain an automobile releases the right amount of oxygen out of the tailpipe. After reading that, you’ve probably guessed that a bad oxygen sensor can mean trouble for your automobile. Techway Automotive offers up the following symptoms of a problem.
Dashboard Warning
If your check engine light keeps coming on and annoying you, yet there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong – you can’t hear, see, or smell anything strange – it could be the oxygen sensor. Problems with the sensor are silent. You won’t necessarily know there is something wrong until your car tells you there is.
Increased Gas Consumption
Let’s talk air/fuel mixtures for just a second. A lean air/fuel mixture means there is too much air in it. A rich air/fuel mixture means there’s too much gas in it. Because the oxygen sensor measures the air, a bad sensor will affect the mixture’s ratio, increasing your vehicle’s gas consumption.
Stalling or Bumpy Idling
Let’s keep talking about air/ fuel mixtures. Let’s assume for the moment that your oxygen sensor isn’t measuring the air properly, and your vehicle has too much air in the combustion chamber. This will starve the engine of gasoline, and you will experience rough, bumpy idling and engine stalls.
Failing Test Grades
Your vehicle will not pass an emissions test if it has a bad oxygen sensor. This is because the oxygen levels in the vehicle emissions are off. What’s worse is replacing the sensor can be pricey, as much as $800 or more. This is bad news if you need to renew your vehicle registration and the sensor is bad.
Your Vehicle Itself
Your automobile is a sign? Well, yes. Older vehicles and high mileage will have a bad oxygen sensor simply because the part has worn down. You cannot expect the sensor’s lifespan to exceed 100,000 miles, so if you’re looking at that number on your odometer, it’s time to replace the sensor.
Don’t panic if you believe your vehicle’s sensor is bad. Techway Automotive can help! Contact either our Dothan, AL, shop or our Blakely, GA, shop. We can work with you to get your vehicle’s oxygen sensor replaced if necessary.