How does an air fuel sensor work?
The job of the air fuel ratio sensor is to measure the oxygen content in the exhaust and provide feedback to the engine computer (PCM). Based on air fuel ratio sensor signal, the computer adjusts the air to fuel ratio to keep it at the optimum level, which is about 14.7:1.
Can I drive with a bad air-fuel sensor?
Yes, you can drive with a bad oxygen sensor if you can still start your engine and feel little difficulty driving. But don’t leave it alone for over a couple of days, as it might cause safety problems and lead to the malfunction of other parts of your vehicle.
What are the symptoms of a bad air fuel ratio sensor?
1. Decrease in fuel efficiency One of the first symptoms of a problem with an air-fuel ratio sensor is a decrease in fuel efficiency. The air-fuel ratio sensor monitors the oxygen content in the exhaust stream and sends data to the computer so that it can add or subtract fuel.
Why is my O2 sensor on my heater not working?
But there are other possible causes for a heater DTC. Before screwing in a new sensor, this simple test will determine whether everything else is in order. As vehicles grow older, there comes a point when the oxygen or air/fuel ratio sensor’s heater circuit will probably fail. When that happens, the easiest fix is to install a new sensor.
What’s the difference between an air fuel sensor and an oxygen sensor?
The Difference Between Air Fuel Sensor and Oxygen Sensor. There are different types of oxygen sensors, but two of the more common types are: • the narrow range oxygen sensor, the oldest style, simply called the oxygen sensor. • wide range oxygen sensor, the newest style, called the air/fuel ratio (A/F) sensor.
What happens when a fuel sensor goes bad?
If there is any problem with the sensor, it can send a bad or false signal to the computer which can throw off its calculations and cause it to waste fuel excessively. Miles per gallon (MPG) will usually drop over a period of time, until it remains consistently lower than before.