Oxygen Sensor

The bane of owners with “check engine” lights everywhere, the oxygen sensor is a device that can fail with frustrating frequency. The oxygen sensor is a device that measures the oxygen level in the exhaust gases, allowing the engine to adjust the air & fuel mixture accordingly. Every new car, and most cars produced after 1980, have least one oxygen sensor.

The bane of owners with “check engine” lights everywhere, the oxygen sensor is a device that can fail with frustrating frequency. The oxygen sensor is a device that measures the oxygen level in the exhaust gases, allowing the engine to adjust the air & fuel mixture accordingly. Every new car, and most cars produced after 1980, have least one oxygen sensor.

However, each manufacturer uses the oxygen sensor differently–and uses oxygen sensors of varying qualities and design as well, so that a failing oxygen sensor in one car may produce no noticeable affects, while in other cars a failed oxygen sensor (also called an “O2 sensor”) can radically impact fuel efficiency and overall engine performance–in some cases, the car may not even run. If you’re going through oxygen sensors like nobody’s business, it’s probably a symptom of larger problem, often having to do with an “off” air/fuel mixture damaging the sensor.

Th­e oxygen sensor is positioned in the exhaust pipe and can detect rich and lean mixtures. The mechanism in most sensors involves a chemical reaction that generates a voltage. The engine’s computer looks at the voltage to determine if the mixture is rich or lean, and adjusts the amount of fuel entering the engine accordingly.

Although some cars have an oxygen sensor “reminder” light to alert you when it is time to check the oxygen sensor, most do not. If your O2 sensor is failing, you may experience a noticeablydrivability problem like your vehicle hesitation when you step on the gas pedal, stalling, rough idle, sootier exhaust, as well as lower fuel economy, or a “Check Engine” light. Most people have no way of knowing if their oxygen sensor is functioning properly or not.

So don’t wait for failure, replace your oxygen sensor as normal preventive maintenance to minimize the consequences of normal aging. Keeping the oxygen sensor fresh may improve fuel economy as much as 10%-15% (which can save $100 each year in fuel costs on average). Keeping the oxygen sensor in good operating condition will also minimize exhaust emissions, reduce the risk of costly damage to the catalytic converter and ensure peak engine performance (no surging or hesitating).

For these reasons, the oxygen sensor should be considered a “tune-up” replacement item just like spark plugs, especially on older vehicles (those built before the mid-1990s).

Disclaimer Information: The above listed information is based on the average vehicle on the road today is 11.7 years; experiencing sever weather climate, and extreme driving conditions and driving habits. This is the opinion of Total Car Care Guaranteed For Life, Inc and you should always refer to your vehicle owner manual. Price estimation includes parts and labor cost to replace original replacement part.