
Volkswagen of Alamo Heights can help you identify broken O2 sensor symptoms.
Looking at all the unique sensors your car uses daily, perhaps one of the most vital sensors is an oxygen sensor, which is needed for a vehicle to perform at its very best. Because of all of the exhaust gases any car creates, your vehicle needs to watch the oxygen levels left in the exhaust gases. The sensor has a crucial role in tracking a car’s O2 levels to make sure the engine is correctly burning its gasoline. A functional oxygen sensor will be an essential cog for a consistent running vehicle. Still, a bad O2 sensor will probably cause bad gasoline economy, a horrible odor from your car, and affect your powertrain’s performance ability. Here we’ll discuss symptoms to look out for when using your car that could be easy-to-see symptoms of a failed oxygen sensor.
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If you’re riding on the highway and smell something rotten out of your car, that can be a crucial sign that your oxygen sensor is going bad. If you ever start to pick up on some changes like poor engine performance, engine misfires, or loud noises, that can be a clear result of your O2 sensor potentially having issues. One of the most devastating things that can be a result of a bad O2 sensor is a catalytic converter failing suddenly, which might put a big hole in your wallet.

Similar to many different components of a vehicle, oxygen sensors could break down after lots of usage and start to go bad. But if you aren’t paying attention, a bad oxygen sensor could lead to huge issues all over your vehicle. A build-up of contaminated coolant or oil ash can lead to an O2 sensor failing, so your selection of oil or gasoline is incredibly essential. Due to its location in a vehicle, it’s better that you bring your car to our professional mechanics to get it looked at or get an OEM O2 sensor replacement.

It’s better that you don’t drive with a failed oxygen sensor as the engine is not running on the right gas mixture. Though it might perform okay, if your engine is using too much fuel it could start to clog the catalytic converter. Considering the cost to get new O2 sensors is less than a new catalytic converter, it’s worth making the investment earlier. Additionally, if your vehicle is more than 15 years old or has over 60,000 miles on the road you may want to consider getting new O2 sensors for lower pollution and better engine performance.
Volkswagen of Alamo Heights is a great place to get vehicle repair in the San Antonio area. We gladly service all makes and models of vehicles. Visit our dealership online or in person to schedule service and repair for your car or SUV. Our knowledgeable technicians are ready to serve you.