BMW of Houston Midtown can help you identify the signs of a bad O2 sensor.
There are many different sensors your car uses daily, perhaps one of the more important ones is the oxygen sensor, which is required for a vehicle to perform at its top-notch capability. With all of the exhaust gasses a car produces, it’s important to have a piece of tech that recognizes the oxygen levels left in the exhaust gasses. The sensor plays an important role in keeping track of a vehicle’s O2 amount to ensure the engine is efficiently using its fuel. A well-working O2 sensor can be an essential cog for a consistent running car. Still, a bad O2 sensor can probably cause a bad odor from your vehicle, bad gas efficiency, and affect your engine’s performance ability. Here we’ll go deeper into things to look out for while using your vehicle that can be telltale signs of a failed oxygen sensor.
If you’re ever riding on the highway and smell anything rotten out of your car, that can be a crucial sign that the O2 sensor is going bad. If you ever start to keep track of some differences from poor powertrain performance, engine misfires, or loud noises, that can be a symptom of the oxygen sensor potentially having issues. A severe problem a failing oxygen sensor could cause is an unexpected catalytic converter failure, which will likely cost you a lot of money and may put your vehicle stuck in the shop for a long time.
Similar to many different parts of a car, O2 sensors can break down over time and begin to fail. But if you aren’t paying attention, a failed O2 sensor could begin to show major problems all over your car. A build-up of contaminated coolant or oil ash can cause an O2 sensor to fail, so a choice in fuel or oil is incredibly essential. If you’re noticing some issues similar to the ones listed above, you should visit our trained mechanics, who can set you up with an OEM O2 sensor replacement.
We advise against driving with a bad oxygen sensor as the engine is not running on the right gas mixture. Though it may perform fine, if your powertrain is running rich and over-using its fuel it could start to clog the catalytic converter. Looking at the cost to replace O2 sensors is much less than a catalytic converter, it’s worth making this investment earlier. Also, if your car is over 15 years old or has more than 60,000 miles on the dash you should think about replacing your oxygen sensors for optimal performance and lower pollution.
BMW of Houston Midtown is an ideal place to get vehicle service in the Houston area. We happily service all vehicle makes and models. One of our factory-trained technicians will inspect your car or truck to determine if there are any needed repairs and will suggest the best resolution for you and your vehicle. Schedule your luxury car or SUV service online or in person today.
