Oxygen Sensor Car

All oxygen sensors fail over time.

Oxygen sensor car. Check engine light comes on. Failing the emissions test. Cars with o2 sensors have a minimum of one sensor in front of the catalytic converter as well as one in each of the car s exhaust manifold. If you have a faulty oxygen sensor it is essential that you replace it sooner rather than later.

Every new car and most cars produced after 1980 have an oxygen sensor the sensor is part of the emissions control system and feeds data to the engine management computer the goal of the sensor is to help the engine run as efficiently as possible and also to produce as few emissions as possible. A bad or failing oxygen sensor will have a negative impact on environmental emissions and engine performance so there are a 3 things to watch out for before your oxygen sensor completely fails. If your car is no more than 15 years old consider replacing your sensor every 60 000 to 90 000 miles. It was developed by robert bosch gmbh during the late 1960s under the supervision of dr.

The oxygen sensor transmits the data to the vehicle s pcm to maintain the optimal air to fuel ratio for your engine. The oxygen sensor developed in the early 1980s is an essential part of the car s emissions control system says john nielsen director of engineering and repair for the american automobile. The actual number of oxygen sensors for a car depends on the year make model and engine. Cars made in 1996 and after are required to have a second oxygen sensor that is located below the catalytic converter.

They take a lot of wear and tear. The original sensing element is made with a thimble shaped zirconia. If your car is slow to accelerate or if the engine stops running all of a sudden then the oxygen sensor may be the culprit in both scenarios. If you drive your car with a faulty oxygen sensor you may get poor gas mileage and it can damage the catalytic converter.

A faulty oxygen sensor has a negative effect on the injection timing and combustion levels and can interfere with other engine functions as well. This o2 sensor monitors the operating efficiency of the catalytic converter. Your oxygen sensor s readings are transmitted to your engine in real time and helps your car determine its fuel to air ratio in order to maximize its performance. Failing oxygen sensors were the most common repair performed by north american automotive mechanics for the 5th year in a row with cars older than 10 years constituting most repairs.

An oxygen sensor or lambda sensor where lambda refers to air fuel equivalence ratio usually denoted by λ is an electronic device that measures the proportion of oxygen o 2 in the gas or liquid being analysed.