As the owner of a car in Belleville, IL you would hate to see your check engine light come on. This alert has many different meanings, but one of the most common issues is with the oxygen sensor. Another warning you might get for your sensor is your car’s computers showing a heater circuit malfunction. While it is not always the answer, seeing either of these warnings could be a sign that your sensor has gone bad. Here we want to go into detail about your sensor and what it does.
The Oxygen Sensor
If you are the owner of an automobile in Belleville, IL, you owe it to yourself to know exactly what your sensor dose is. An oxygen sensor is part of the emission system in your car and it measures the level of oxygen present in your engine. Your sensor will also alert you whenever the emissions are too excessive. There can be several sensors in your car, the amount depends on the make, year, engine, and manufacturer of your vehicle. It should be noted that all cars post-1980 have this kind of sensor.
What The Oxygen Sensor Dose
The oxygen sensor in your car will look to make sure that the oxygen to fuel levels in your engine are correct. Any gasoline-powered engine that burns gasoline will have oxygen present. Whenever there is too much oxygen but not enough fuel, it is called a lean mixture, having too little oxygen but too much fuel is called a rich mixture. Both of these kinds of mixtures are not only bad for your engine but bad for the environment. The sensor will create a voltage from the off-balance gasoline to oxygen ratio that will signal to the engine how much fuel to expend. Whenever your sensor has failed, your engine will not have a way to determine how much fuel to expend compared to the oxygen which can cause damage to your engine and cause pollution in the environment. Having a bad sensor can easily make you fail an emissions test. If you believe that your sensor is malfunctioning, have it looked at by an auto repair professional right away.
If you live in Belleville, IL, and are looking for an auto repair company that can assist you with your oxygen sensor issues, give our team of experts over at Full Circle Auto Service a call today!
