A faulty oxygen (O2) sensor can affect your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s gas mileage because it can indirectly affect how well the engine performs. Peerless Automotive advises that the O2 sensor is located in the tailpipe so it can measure how much oxygen is in your vehicle’s exhaust. If it is malfunctioning and sends incorrect data to the engine control module (ECM), the module will make unnecessary adjustments to the amount of air and fuel in the combustion chamber. This will create the following problems, the first of which can reduce your fuel economy.
Engine Performance Issues
When the ECM adds unnecessary air to the combustion chamber, your engine ends up operating on a lean fuel mixture. This means that the engine is fuel-starved and struggling to run. Consequently, the engine will lag and sputter. If the ECM does the opposite and puts additional fuel in the combustion chamber, your engine will surge. Both of these conditions cause the engine to use more fuel.
Exhaust That Smells Rancid
In addition, the extra fuel in the combustion chamber can clog the catalytic converter because it will have too many hydrocarbons to treat. Unfortunately, you will end up with exhaust that has a rotten egg odor because the catalytic converter is clogged with sulfur deposits due to the excess fuel.
Black Engine Exhaust Smoke
Another sign that the catalytic converter is struggling to treat the exhaust and that the engine is burning too much fuel is black exhaust smoke coming out of your vehicle’s tailpipe. These two problems can be indirectly caused by the malfunctioning O2 sensor and will continue until you replace the oxygen sensor.
Increased Emissions Levels
Unfortunately, there will also be an increase in the emissions levels that your vehicle is releasing through its exhaust. If you are located in an area that requires emissions testing, your automobile will fail the emissions test until you replace the oxygen sensor so that the engine control module balances out the air and fuel in the combustion chamber.
Illuminated Check Engine Light
Another reason why your vehicle is going to fail the emissions test is that a faulty O2 sensor will cause the ECM to turn on the check engine light. Your automobile cannot pass an emissions test if the check engine light is illuminated.
Call Peerless Automotive in Olathe, KS, today if you suspect your automobile needs a new O2 sensor.