The oxygen sensor is an unsung hero in your vehicle’s exhaust system. It measures the oxygen levels in the vehicle’s exhaust to make sure your vehicle’s fuel metering and delivery are correct so the timing isn’t off. Generally, oxygen (O2) sensors last about 30,000-to-50,000 miles if you have an older car. Newer sensors can go 100,000 miles before they need to be replaced. University Auto Repair lists six signs below that your vehicle’s oxygen sensor is dying.
1. Bad Gas Mileage
If your vehicle’s timing is off, you will lose fuel economy. An engine that struggles uses more gasoline, and if the O2 sensor isn’t measuring the oxygen levels correctly, your vehicle might be burning gas to overcompensate for what the other engine sensors interpret as too much or too little oxygen.
2. Power Loss
Your vehicle might also lose power if the oxygen sensor is failing. Because the sensor measures oxygen levels, it directly affects the engine’s air/fuel mixture and, thereby, its combustion and timing. You will feel this problem in your engine’s performance, including power loss and engine misfiring.
3. Black Exhaust Smoke
If the O2 sensor is measuring oxygen levels incorrectly, excess fuel could be introduced into the air/gas mixture and your vehicle’s engine will burn it off. When an engine is burning too much fuel, black exhaust escapes through the tailpipe. This is dangerous, so schedule an appointment with us ASAP.
4. Emissions Test Failure
Any exhaust system problem is going to show up in an emissions test and the oxygen sensor is no exception. If the O2 sensor is bad, your vehicle won’t pass an emissions test because there will either be too much or too little oxygen in the exhaust, which affects the other emission gas levels.
5. Rough Idling
As we mentioned above, your car, truck, or C/SUV might lose power if the oxygen sensor is acting up. It might also idle roughly, or give you a combination of signs such as idling roughly at a red light and then hesitating to go and speed up once the light turns green. This is also a sign of fuel problems.
6. Stalling
Severe oxygen sensor problems might make your engine stall completely. The problem with this sign of engine trouble is that it can be attributed to the O2 sensor and many other things, such as clogged fuel injectors, bad spark plugs, or an electrical problem. It’s best to have the issue check right away.
Don’t worry! We can help. Just give University Auto Repair in Flagstaff, AZ, a call to set up an appointment for your automobile.
