Don’t Ignore the Check Engine Light: Understanding the Role of Oxygen Sensors
Why Your Check Engine Light is On and How to Fix It
The Check Engine Light: Your Car’s Cry for Help
The check engine light on your vehicle has many reasons for turning on. It can be as simple as a misaligned gas cap or as complicated as a malfunctioning catalytic converter. Regardless of the reason, it can be very frustrating when the check engine light comes on in your vehicle. You can take your vehicle to a mechanic to check it out for the reason behind the check engine light, or you can even go to an auto store that does check engine light diagnostics.
The Oxygen Sensor: The Culprit Behind Your Check Engine Light
Your check engine light may be on because your exhaust system has a faulty oxygen sensor. If this is the case, you’ll notice engine misfires, rough idling, and bad fuel economy in your vehicle. The advantage is that it’s relatively easy to fix an oxygen sensor and, therefore, relatively inexpensive. If the check engine light is on, You may have a problem with an ignition coil. The spark is used to ignite the fuel in the engine, and if more than one coil fails, you’ll notice a change in how the engine runs. The check engine light turning on in your vehicle is the first sign that it is time for you to have your oxygen sensor changed. You’ll want to take your car to a mechanic with complex diagnostic tools necessary to diagnose the problem. You may also notice that there is decreased fuel efficiency in your vehicle if your oxygen sensor needs to be fixed. If you have a faulty oxygen sensor, it may cause your engine to burn more fuel than you need to. You may notice that you have a sulfur smell coming from the exhaust system if your oxygen sensor is bad. This smell is a result of burning off excess fuel and is a sign of a bad oxygen sensor. Black smoke coming from your exhaust system is a sign of a bad oxygen sensor. When there is too little gasoline, black smoke travels through your exhaust pipe. A functioning oxygen sensor would tell the engine control module to adjust the air-gasoline ratio. Bad oxygen sensors can be a part of misfires in your vehicle, as well as lurching or poor acceleration. If your vehicle fights you when you start the engine, you’ve likely been driving with bad oxygen sensors for some time.
Bring us your vehicle
At Austin’s Promax, we pride ourselves on providing high-quality auto care for any make and model of vehicle. Suppose you’ve experienced any of the signs above of a bad oxygen sensor. In that case, you must bring your vehicle to us at the shop to have it repaired. We consider your budget for the repair and the vehicle’s make, model, and current condition to determine a service plan for your vehicle. When the service plan has been reviewed and approved by you, we hand it to our technicians and let them get to work. When finished, they will talk to you in plain language about what may have been wrong with your vehicle. We will answer all your questions and only stop once you understand what was repaired and why. Give us a call at one of the three locations near Tacoma, Washington, to make an appointment.