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Not recommended
- While it's technically possible to drive with a bad oxygen sensor, it's not recommended. A faulty sensor can lead to various engine problems, decreased fuel efficiency, and increased emissions.
auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car-problems/mechanical/bad-oxygen-sensor-symptoms.htm
Apr 13, 2023 · Yes, you can still drive your car with a bad O2 sensor. However, it’s not recommended to drive for an extended period as it can lead to decreased fuel economy, increased emissions, and even damage to other components of your car’s engine.
- Check Engine Light Illuminates. One of the most common bad oxygen sensor symptoms is a check engine light on your dashboard. In many cases, there can be a trouble code related to the oxygen sensor, and you don’t notice any other bad o2 sensor symptoms at all.
- Decreased Fuel Economy. Inside the combustion chambers, there must be the right amount of air and fuel mixing. If there’s more fuel than air, your defective oxygen sensor might not be able to detect it.
- Rough Idle. If you’ve noticed that the car runs roughly when it’s stopped or parked, the idle is off. Usually, a car should idle at around 1,000 or fewer RPMs.
- Stalling Engine. When the engine idle gets too rough, the motor could stall. This problem normally starts out as a misfire and doesn’t normally occur until the problem has been left unresolved.
- Illuminated Check Engine light. Bad O2 sensors affect your engine and trigger the Check Engine light. When your O2 sensors start to go, they can’t measure the levels of oxygen in your exhaust accurately.
- Decreased fuel efficiency. Faulty O2 sensors can cause your engine to burn more fuel than needed. Have you been spending more on gas or making more frequent trips to fill up the tank than usual?
- Sulfuric or gasoline smells from the exhaust. Pungent, excess fuel can build up in the engine from bad O2 sensors. Notice if you smell sulfur, a rotten egg-like smell, or plain gasoline when you turn on your car or stand outside it while it’s idling.
- Black smoke from the exhaust. Black smoke comes from improper combustion from low oxygen levels. Oxygen is what your engine uses to burn fuel.
Should you drive with a bad oxygen sensor (O2 sensor)? The short answer is no. You’ll technically be able to start and drive your car with a faulty O2 sensor, but you’ll likely face poor engine performance and a drop in fuel economy. So, what happens if you ignore the issue?
Driving with a bad O2 sensor is not recommended. While driving for a short period with reduced performance and fuel efficiency may be possible, ignoring the issue can lead to increased emissions, potential damage to the catalytic converter, and reduced engine lifespan.
Aug 9, 2023 · Can You Drive with a Bad Oxygen Sensor? While it's technically possible to drive with a bad oxygen sensor, it's not recommended. A faulty sensor can lead to various engine problems, decreased fuel efficiency, and increased emissions.
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Jun 10, 2021 · Driving with a faulty O2 sensor leads to various head-scratching issues, such as rough idling, poor acceleration, misfires, and more. They can make it risky to drive your vehicle, and fixing them usually takes a toll on the wallet.
