The O2, or oxygen, sensor in your car’s engine does one very important thing. It keeps track of oxygen levels in your car’s exhaust so that the computer can adjust fuel, spark, and air ratios to help with combustion. L&D Automotive has these tips for recognizing when your oxygen sensor might just have outlived its lifespan.
Your Car’s Exhaust Is Extra Stinky
Car exhaust does not smell great as a rule, but there are a few different parts of the system that work to make those stinky fumes not quite as bad as they could be. One is the catalytic converter and another is your car’s oxygen sensor. If the oxygen sensor is starting to fail, then there’s probably more fuel going through the engine and that smells pretty terrible as it burns off.
Gas Mileage Is Pretty Bad
Another problem you might notice is that your gas mileage is gradually getting worse. That happens because again, there’s more fuel in the combustion area of the engine. More fuel isn’t always the right answer and burning off more than your engine really needs to means that you’re not using that fuel efficiently. You’re probably also paying more for gas.
You Hear Problems in the Engine
The O2 sensor helps your car’s engine to run efficiently because it measures oxygen levels and helps your car’s onboard computer to control combustion as well as possible. When that sensor is failing, it’s not doing that job. That means you’re more likely to hear misfires, engine knocks, and your car might even be stalling.
Your Car’s Check Engine Light Comes On
Finally, you might even get to see that most dreaded sign of all: The check engine light. When the check engine light comes on, that’s your car’s way of letting you know that, “Hey, there’s something wrong.” You should never ignore the check engine light. It’s an early warning sign that can help you to fix a small problem, in this case the oxygen sensor, before it becomes a big problem, like replacing your entire engine because it’s not been getting what it needs.
Suspect that there might be something going on with your oxygen sensor? Call us at L&D Automotive in Lavon, TX. We can run diagnostic testing and help you to determine exactly what is wrong and what the best repair is for your situation. We’ll repair your car quickly and professionally.