How a Bad Oxygen Sensor Affects Your Audi’s Performance

Before the catalytic converter and in the exhaust manifold, the oxygen sensor is generally placed. Audi, like some other vehicles, can have multiple oxygen sensors to monitor the catalytic converter’s efficiency. These sensors are usually placed around the converter with one after and one before it. A faulty oxygen sensor can be caused by overheating of the sensor, contamination from oil or coolant, electrical issues, or wear and tear from age.

A faulty sensor can lead to rough idling, decreased fuel economy, increased emissions, poor acceleration, disrupted engine timing, and a lit check engine light. If a bad oxygen sensor is left unaddressed, it can lead to significant problems with the catalytic converter and engine. The only way to properly restore the functionality is by replacing the oxygen sensor. At Howland Autohaus, we recommend bringing your Audi into our shop instead of attempting to repair it yourself. Our expert mechanics specialize in Audi vehicle repair and can fix the issues involving your oxygen sensors.

Why is My Audi’s Engine Performing Worse?

Did your engine stall on you? Is your Audi using more fuel than normal? At Howland Autohaus, our mechanics suggest looking out for these symptoms to tell if one of your vehicle’s oxygen sensors has gone bad.

• Check engine light
  • When low oxygen levels are discovered in the exhaust by the oxygen sensor, the check engine light will appear on your dash.
• Poor fuel economy
  • Your Audi will use more fuel than usual if there is a bad oxygen sensor.
• Black exhaust smoke
  • If the oxygen sensor is malfunctioning, there is a chance that the engine will burn too much oil and cause black exhaust smoke.
• Increased emissions
  • Your Audi could fail an emissions test due to a bad oxygen sensor. Your vehicle could produce harmful emissions in more quantities.
• Engine issues
  • Your car’s engine can stall, misfire, run roughly, or hesitate if there is a faulty oxygen sensor.

What Our Technicians See That Causes Faulty Oxygen Sensors

Our mechanics at Howland Autohaus see a variety of reasons for a bad oxygen sensor. The following causes are what they come across the most:

• Overheating
  • The internal components of the oxygen sensor can be damaged by the excess heat from the vehicle’s engine. The oxygen sensor will overheat and lead to it going bad.
• Contamination
  • The oxygen sensor can become contaminated by air/fuel mixture, oil blow-by, or coolant burning in the combustion chamber.
• Electrical issues
  • Electrical issues can be caused by a fault in the circuit of an oxygen sensor.
• Age
  • Due to high mileage and age, your oxygen sensors can fail over time.

How an Audi Oxygen Sensor Functions

Like in any car, an Audi’s oxygen sensor will work by measuring the quantity of oxygen left in the exhaust gases after combustion. This information is then sent to the vehicle’s computer or electronic control unit. The ECU will adjust the amount of fuel being injected and try to keep the air-to-fuel ratio maximized for reduced emissions and efficient engine operation. The vehicle is told if the fuel mixture is burning too much fuel, too rich, or not burning enough, too lean. This allows the engine to make the corrections needed to optimize the performance of the engine.

• Sensor design
  • The oxygen sensor of an Audi is designed to have a ceramic element that is coated with platinum. The exhaust gases will have exposure to the element, which acts as a sensing surface.
• Voltage generation
  • A voltage will be generated across the oxygen sensor when the oxygen levels of the surrounding air are different from the levels inside the exhaust.
• Signal interpretation
  • The electronic control unit, ECU, will interpret the voltage signal to discover if the air-fuel mixture is lean or rich.
• Adjusting fuel delivery
  • To maintain the best air-fuel ratio, the electronic control unit will adjust the amount of fuel that is injected into the engine based on the voltage signal.

At Howland Autohaus, our technicians have more than 30 years of experience. So we are dedicated to providing the best high-quality repairs for your Audi. Stop by our location in Heath today! We also serve drivers in the surrounding areas.

• Heath, OH
• Buckeye Lake, OH
• Granville, OH
• Hebron, OH
• Johnstown, OH
• Lancaster, OH
• New Albany, OH
• Newark, OH
• Pataskala, OH
• Pickerington, OH
• Zanesville, OH

Schedule an appointment by calling us at 740-967-7833 or book an appointment online at https://howlandautohaus.com/book-now/.