If your car, truck, or utility vehicle is suddenly getting horrible gas mileage, there’s a possibility that the oxygen (O2) sensor is faulty. This sensor measures the oxygen found in your vehicle’s exhaust. It reports this information to the engine control module (ECM) so the ECM can make changes to the fuel and air in the combustion chamber if necessary. LP & Sons Auto Care advises that if the O2 sensor is bad, the information may be incorrect and the ECM will make an unnecessary adjustment to the air and fuel that will directly affect your vehicle’s fuel economy.
Black Engine Exhaust Smoke
This adjustment can also cause an increase in your vehicle’s exhaust. If there is too much fuel being burned in the combustion chamber, you will end up with black exhaust smoke flowing out of the tailpipe. Again, incorrect information from the O2 sensor can create this problem.
Rotten Egg Exhaust Smell
Aside from the excess black exhaust, your vehicle’s exhaust may also smell like rotten eggs. This is a sign that the excess fuel has overloaded the catalytic converter. When this happens, the catalytic converter gets clogged and malfunctions. Unfortunately, you will smell the unpleasant odor in your vehicle’s exhaust and you may also end up with an overheating engine.
Extremely High Emissions
The excess fuel can also cause extremely high levels of hydrocarbons in your vehicle’s exhaust. If you live in a state that has emissions testing, this can cause your automobile to fail. In fact, the fact that the oxygen sensor is not working will also cause your vehicle to fail an emissions test. It won’t pass the test until you replace the malfunctioning O2 sensor.
Engine Performance Issues
The imbalance of air and fuel in the engine can also cause engine performance issues. For example, your engine may sputter, hiccup, and struggle to accelerate and operate at higher speeds if the engine is filled with air. If there is too much fuel in the engine, your engine will surge and buck.
Dashboard Warning Light
Finally, when the oxygen sensor malfunctions, it sends a code to report the error to the ECM. Once the ECM receives this code, it will turn on the check engine light to let you know that the oxygen sensor is faulty. We can run a diagnostic test to get the code that points directly to the O2 sensor.
We are LP & Sons Auto Care in DeLand, FL, and we would be happy to replace your oxygen sensor if it needs it. Call us today for an appointment.