When do you need an oxygen sensor in a car?
You May Need an Oxygen Sensor Or You May Need Something Else Entirely When check engine lights are scanned, a p0420 code is a very common result. It’s actually a generic code, meaning it can be thrown from any vehicle after 1996.
Can a bad O2 sensor cause a check engine light?
In most cases, a bad (O2) sensor will trigger a check engine light. P0138 and P0135 are some of the codes you may expect to see on a OBD II reader. Other than that, it’s difficult to spot a failing (O2) sensor.
What does it mean when your oxygen sensor says P0420?
Oxygen sensors are only a part of a greater system, meaning if the p0420 code (or p0141, or p0135) is thrown, that doesn’t necessarily indicate the oxygen sensors need replacement. Rather, there could be something else in that system does that’s causing the oxygen sensors to appear faulty.
Why is my fault code and O2 sensor melted?
In fact, the fault code and melted sensor meant that the problem was a lean condition that needed to be resolved. A lean mixture can cause very high combustion chamber temperatures and can also melt spark plugs. If you find a melted o2 check the spark plugs also.
Are there any codes for an oxygen sensor?
There are a large number of codes relating to oxygen sensor faults. There are also a lot of faults that are often incorrectly thought to be caused by a bad oxygen sensor (also referred to as an O2 Sensor). The O2 codes relating to circuit faults can be tested fairly easily.
When did I replace the O2 sensor in my van?
In February 2013, three error codes popped up (P0134, 0138, 0139), and the car was running sluggish and getting poor gas mileage. Three weeks ago, I took the van in to replace the O2 sensor. (I did not drive more than 40 miles since the codes came up).
How does the O2 sensor in a car work?
The O2 sensor in your vehicle monitors the exhaust gases coming out of the engine. It determines the amount of oxygen in the gases, which indicates how well the fuel is being burned. The O2 sensor then sends information to the electronic control unit, or ECU, the vehicle’s computer.
Oxygen sensors are only a part of a greater system, meaning if the p0420 code (or p0141, or p0135) is thrown, that doesn’t necessarily indicate the oxygen sensors need replacement. Rather, there could be something else in that system does that’s causing the oxygen sensors to appear faulty.