One of the most common reasons your check engine light may be going off is that one of the oxygen sensors on your vehicle needs to be replaced. It can be easy to ignore the check engine light when you know that you can keep driving with a failed oxygen sensor. However, here are three reasons why driving around with a broken oxygen sensor isn't the best idea:
A Broken Oxygen Sensor Will Throw Off Your Gas Mileage
One of the most immediate consequences of a bad oxygen sensor is you will start to notice your gas mileage start to decline and you'll notice that your gas budget doesn't stretch as far.
The main reason behind the decline in your gas mileage is that your oxygen sensor is responsible for sending information to your emission control system. The information that your oxygen sensor sends to your emission control systems helps control how much fuel you use. Without this valuable information to fine-tune your fuel usage, your emission control system just lets out the same amount of fuel regardless of whether it needs to or not.
A Broken Oxygen Sensor May Cause You To Fail An Emissions Test
If you have to take your vehicle in for an emissions test, you may not pass if you have a bad oxygen sensor. Your oxygen sensor, as noted above, plays a vital role in your emission control process. It ensures that the balance of fuel to oxygen is at an ideal level. When your engine fails to get this information from your oxygen sensor, it may release too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen. This will result in a failed emissions test.
A Broken Oxygen Sensor Can Do Damage To Your Engine
Finally, if you fail to fix your oxygen sensor, over time, the lack of the vital information that your oxygen sensor provides to your engine could result in further damage to your engine. When your oxygen sensor is not working properly, neither is your engine.
If you see your check engine light is on, and your mechanic informs you that you have a bad oxygen sensor, don't put off this repair just because you can keep driving your vehicle. Over time, you can cause damage to your engine and you will notice a decrease in your fuel economy. Try to schedule an appointment to change your oxygen sensor as soon as possible after you find out that it is damaged or broken. For more information, contact a specialist like Professional Automotive.
Share14 May 2015
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