If your Mazda’s oxygen sensor (O2) is bad, it will give you signs. Mazcare is going to list those signs below. We are Mazda experts, and you can count on us if you need to get a new oxygen sensor installed in your Mazda. This part is important to your vehicle’s exhaust and combustion. It measures the oxygen in the exhaust so the engine control unit can make necessary adjustments to the combustion mix. You will notice one or more of the following things listed below if your O2 sensor is bad.
Check Engine Warning
The check engine light almost always comes on when your Mazda’s oxygen sensor goes bad. This is unavoidable, and the check engine light will not turn off until you replace the malfunctioning O2 sensor with a new one.
Reduced Fuel Economy
Because the oxygen sensor causes the engine control unit to make adjustments to the air and fuel levels in the combustion chamber, a failing O2 sensor can actually make the engine control unit perform adjustments that are necessary. One of these things is to increase the amount of fuel in the chamber. If this happens, you will notice a significant reduction in your Mazda’s fuel economy.
Rotten Egg Odors
The more fuel your Mazda burns, the more carbon monoxide the catalytic converter has to deal with. This can clog the catalytic converter and cause it to go bad. When this happens, you will smell burning sulfur. This also smells like rotten eggs. You will detect the odor coming from your Mazda’s engine and also in your Mazda’s exhaust.
Black Exhaust Smoke
Another sign that your Mazda is burning too much fuel is excess exhaust smoke coming out of the tailpipe. When the engine burns fuel, the exhaust smoke is black. If the engine is burning oil, the exhaust will be blue, and if the engine is burning coolant, the exhaust will be white. In the case of a failing oxygen sensor, the exhaust is usually black.
High Vehicle Emissions
Your Mazda will not pass an emissions test if the oxygen sensor is malfunctioning. In fact, it won’t pass the test if the check engine light is on. Unfortunately, when the oxygen sensor convinces the engine control unit that the combustion chamber needs more fuel when it actually doesn’t, you end up with excess carbons in your Mazda’s exhaust.
Engine Problems
Finally, your Mazda’s engine will pick up speed sporadically when it is burning away excess fuel. The engine will continue to surge until such time as you replace the oxygen sensor. If the opposite is going on in the combustion chamber and there is too much air, your acceleration and engine performance will lag and sputter.
As we said above, Mazcare in Marietta, GA, are Mazda experts, and we can replace your Mazda’s malfunctioning O2 sensor.