You should get about 100,000 miles out of the factory oxygen (O2) sensor. After this time, Premier Auto Repair can replace the O2 sensor when it needs it. Your automobile will give you signs that the oxygen sensor has gone bad. We are going to list these signs below for your information.
Black Exhaust Smoke
The O2 sensor keeps track of the oxygen found in your vehicle’s exhaust. The engine control unit (ECU) uses this data to add the right amount of air and fuel into the combustion chamber for engine combustion. A malfunctioning O2 sensor may skew the data it sends to the ECU and the ECU may put extra fuel in the chamber. As the extra fuel is burned away, you will see black exhaust smoke.
High Emissions Levels
Unfortunately, this extra fuel will also increase your vehicle’s emissions levels. If you live in a state that requires emissions testing, a faulty O2 sensor can cause your vehicle to fail the test. This is not only because the O2 sensor sends an error code to the ECU that is picked up by the test, but your automobile might also fail because of unusually high emissions levels in your vehicle’s exhaust.
Performance Trouble
Too much fuel in the combustion chamber can also cause your automobile to pick up speed sporadically. If the ECU has made an incorrect adjustment in the opposite direction and added too much air to the combustion chamber, your vehicle’s acceleration will lag and the engine will sputter. Unfortunately, you will continue to have engine performance trouble until you replace the faulty O2 sensor.
Fuel Efficiency Loss
All of these things can add up to a noticeable reduction in your automobile’s gas mileage. This is because the engine is burning through the fuel more quickly than it normally would because it is not running efficiently. Nobody wants to head to the service station more often than they have to.
Rancid Exhaust Odors
We talked about the increased emissions in your vehicle’s exhaust above, and aside from causing you to fail an emissions test, they can also damage your catalytic converter by clogging it. When this happens, you will notice that your exhaust smells like rotten eggs.
Finally, all of the above may be accompanied by a check engine warning on the dashboard, so call Premier Auto Repair in Tyler, TX, today to schedule an appointment for your automobile. We will test the oxygen sensor and replace it if necessary.
