How To Fix Your Car
How to Fix Your Car's Oxygen Sensor Fix Now or It Will Cost More in the Long Run Published: 02/11/2013 - by Philip Reed,Senior Consumer Advice Editor If your car's"Check Engine"light is glaring at you,it's probably because the oxygen sensor is malfunctioning. That's right,the oxygen sensor. It's a little device that's a mystery for most drivers but its misbehavior is the problem that most commonly triggers a Check Engine light,according to ,which sells an automotive diagnostic tool and provides repair information. The oxygen sensor unseats the formerly most common Check Engine light culprit: a loose gas cap. There are fewer reports of that problem because savvy motorists have learned to fix it themselves and consumers now buy new cars with capless gas tanks. But don't despair. Replacing your car oxygen sensor will keep you from wasting money by burning extra gas,and the repair isn't horribly expensive. We know this firsthand. We had to replace the O2 sensor on our 1996 Lexus ES 300,the subject of our Debt-Free Car project Porsche Piwis II,and it wasn't as much of a hassle or expense as we had feared. After the dreaded Check Engine light appeared in our Lexus,we plugged the CarMD device into the car's computer to read the error code. In our case,the code was P0135 Car Tools store,which meant that the oxygen sensor in"bank 1"was malfunctioning. It was surprising to learn that something was wrong with the car,since it still seemed to be running fine. Even though a car seems to be behaving normally,a faulty oxygen sensor will cause the engine to start"gulping down gas,"says Kristin Brocoff,director of corporate communications for . She says this problem can cause up to a 40 percent reduction in fuel economy. Sure enough,when we checked our fuel record for the driving we did while the Check Engine light was on,our mpg had taken a hit. The oxygen sensor,developed in the early 1980s,is an essential part of the car's emissions control system,says John Nielsen,director of engineering and repair for the American Automobile Association (AAA). "Most motorists would be well served to find a shop that they trust and take their car there for all oil changes and tire rotations,"Nielsen suggests."Then,when they have a problem with something like an oxygen sensor,they trust what the mechanic is saying rather than thinking that they're trying to rip you off." In our case,we learned that the faulty O2 sensor was in the rear of the engine and difficult to reach,so the fix seemed above our skill level. Instead,we took the Lexus to Overseas Garage,in Long Beach,California. There,the mechanic told us that the new sensor would cost $117,plus $144 in labor for a total of $261. This was close to the $246 average cost cited by CarMD'sBrocoff. While many people opt to simply ignore"Check Engine"lights,Brocoff says this can cause bigger,more costly problems later."So the problem you could have fixed for a few hundred dollars turns into a repair of the catalytic converter,which would be over a thousand." Driving back from the garage,it was a relief not to stare at the glowing check engine light. This made us realize that fixing such a problem provides another benefit: peace of mind.
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