If you are wondering how many miles you can get out of your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s oxygen (O2) sensor, it’s about 100,000 miles. If you drive an older automobile, you may not get as many miles out of the sensor. Anderson Automotive can replace your oxygen sensor when it goes bad. We are going to list the signs of a faulty oxygen sensor below for your information.
Black Exhaust Smoke
One thing that can happen when the oxygen sensor malfunctions is it can trick the engine control module (ECM) to add excess fuel to the combustion chamber. As the engine burns away the extra fuel, you will see black exhaust smoke flow out of your tailpipe. This can also be a sign that the exhaust has not been treated by the catalytic converter because it is clogged by the excess hydrocarbons the added fuel in the engine produce.
Engine Performance Issues
If there is too much fuel in the combustion chamber, your engine will start to pick up speed sporadically as it burns away the excess fuel. A faulty O2 sensor can also trick the ECM into adding unnecessary air to the combustion chamber. When this happens, your vehicle’s acceleration and engine performance suffer. Your engine will not be able to produce the normal amount of power that it produces.
Rotten Gas Mileage
Unfortunately, these things can reduce your gas mileage significantly. If your budget is tight and you cannot afford to go to the service station more often, it’s important to have the O2 sensor replaced right away to restore your engine performance and fuel efficiency.
Increased Emissions Levels
As we mentioned above, there will be excess hydrocarbons in your vehicle’s exhaust if the engine is burning too much fuel. Consequently, this can increase the emissions being released in the exhaust and cause your vehicle to fail an emissions test if it is required to take one.
Rancid Exhaust Smells
You may also smell rotten eggs in your vehicle’s exhaust if the catalytic converter is clogged by the excess hydrocarbons. You may not believe this, but a malfunctioning O2 sensor can actually damage the catalytic converter indirectly and cause a need for it to be replaced.
Illuminated Check Engine Light
Finally, a common sign that the O2 sensor is bad is an illuminated check engine light. This light will turn on because the O2 sensor will report errors to the ECM.
Call Anderson Automotive in Marion, IA, today if you suspect that your car needs a new oxygen sensor. We will test the sensor and replace it if necessary.