Your car’s oxygen sensor is a crucial part of the engine and exhaust system. Your car’s onboard computer takes information from the oxygen sensor and determines how to adjust fuel and air in order to make combustion as flawless as possible. Viking Automotive has these tips for you so you can spot a potential issue with your car’s oxygen sensor.
You’re Hearing New Engine Sounds
When the oxygen sensor fails, that can cause some big issues in the engine itself. That’s because your car’s engine needs the right mix of fuel to air, and the oxygen sensor plays a big part in making that mix exactly right. If the mix is off, the engine misfires and that’s something you’ll definitely hear.
And Smelling New Engine Smells
Something else that might happen is that you start to smell some new smells in and around your car. The exhaust might be smellier than usual, especially if the engine problems and exhaust problems have gotten so bad that they’re affecting the catalytic converter. In that case, you might smell something a lot like rotten eggs.
There’s a Lot More Exhaust Smoke
Speaking of the exhaust, you’re probably seeing a lot more exhaust smoke than usual. This happens because your car’s engine is dumping a lot more gunk into the exhaust and the exhaust system likely isn’t working as well as it could, either. All of that adds up to more smoke that is likely to get darker in color as the problem gets worse.
Performance Is Off
The main way that you can spot performance issues is through gas mileage. You might notice that your car just doesn’t have that same get up and go anymore, but the main reason for that is lack of fuel efficiency. Your car’s engine isn’t burning gas as well as it should be, and so performance suffers all around.
The Check Engine Light Is On
Finally, the check engine light is always your big indication that something has happened. Your car’s onboard computer turns this light on when failures happen that can cause serious and even catastrophic engine damage. A failed oxygen sensor definitely fits that bill.
When your car is telling you something’s wrong, listen to those warning signs. Viking Automotive in Houston, TX can help you to get the proper diagnostic testing done on your car. We’ll find and fix issues that seem confusing, like a failed oxygen sensor.
