What Should You Know About Your Vehicle's Oxygen Sensor?

It Does What?

Your vehicle's check engine light (CEL) is on, and your neighbor told you it might be a bad oxygen sensor. Okay, you think, but what does that do? An oxygen sensor located in the emissions/exhaust system measures the amount of unburned oxygen in your automobile's exhaust. This enables your car to adjust the amount of fuel being provided to the engine to ensure the proper fuel-to-air mixture. If your check engine light is illuminated, the bad news is that you could potentially have a failing oxygen sensor. The good news, however, is that you don't have to rely on your neighbor's guess as to what is wrong with your vehicle. Instead, rely on the ASE-certified technicians at Dynamic Automotive in Urbana, Maryland, for accurate CEL diagnosis and repair.

I'll Notice This?

You may also be wondering what you'll notice if an oxygen sensor is bad. Obviously, the check engine light will come on. Also, because the sensor is correlated to emissions, your car won't pass the vehicle emissions inspection program (VEIP) if you live in one of the Maryland counties where testing is required (Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, and Washington). Beyond these indicators, you'll likely notice overall poor performance and economy. Specifically, you'll probably experience decreased gas mileage, rough idling, or engine misfire/hesitation.

There's More Than One?

Since most references to an oxygen sensor are made in the singular, one might assume that each vehicle has just one. That's not accurate. Modern vehicles have one oxygen sensor in front of the catalytic converter and another in each exhaust manifold. Therefore, your auto's engine specifications dictate the number of oxygen sensors. Typical V6 or V8 engines have three, but your model may have only two or as many as four. This makes accurate diagnosis of great importance, so you aren't replacing parts unnecessarily. You don't have to worry, however, when you entrust your car to Dynamic Automotive. We'll take care of all your CEL, oxygen sensor, and other auto repair needs.