What Does An Oxygen Sensor Do In A Car

The oxygen sensor transmits the data to the vehicle s pcm to maintain the optimal air to fuel ratio for your engine.

What does an oxygen sensor do in a car. On the tip of the oxygen sensor that plugs into the exhaust manifold is a zirconium ceramic bulb. Oxygen sensors work by producing their own voltage when they get hot approximately 600 f. On the contrary even a failing o2 sensor sometimes called a lazy o2 sensor may cause your car to have a few issues. A faulty oxygen sensor has a negative effect on the injection timing and combustion levels and can interfere with other engine functions as well.

An oxygen sensor does not have to fail completely to give you problems. In your car a functioning o2 sensor ensures that your engine is running at top performance. Let s take a closer look. When functioning the o2 sensor sends data to the management computer located within the engine.

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. Failing the emissions test. If you notice any of the following signs you may have a bad o2 sensor or one that is about to go bad. The o2 sensor tip is located inside of your exhaust pipe the oxygen sensor detects the percentage of oxygen in the exhaust.

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. What is an oxygen sensor. All cars that were manufactured post 1980 feature an oxygen sensor. 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.

The inside and the outside of the bulb is coated with a porous layer of platinum which serve as the electrodes. Most newer vehicles have a heated element to the o2 sensor to compensate for when the engine is cold and will be putting extra fuel into the cylinders until it reaches. 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. What does an oxygen sensor do in a car.

Let s take a closer look at just what an oxygen sensor does and the steps you can take to do the work yourself. Still many people are unsure about what the oxygen sensor actually does. Check engine light comes on. The oxygen sensor or o2 sensor is a key component of your vehicle s emissions system and dates back to the earliest days of electronic engine controls.

The sensor measures the oxygen content of the exhaust gases and compares it to the oxygen proportion in ambient air and sends information on the gases to the engine computer. It is located within the emissions control system.