BMW Oxygen Sensors
Emissions are something that most people are concerned about when owning a vehicle. New smog laws help to reduce the amount of emissions that vehicles on the road typically produce. All vehicles produce a certain amount of emissions that must be controlled in order to have a clean environment. BMWs are no different, and certain devices help BMWs reduce their overall production of emissions. One device that helps to monitor and maintain a clean running BMW is the oxygen sensor. BMW oxygen sensors are used to monitor the amount of oxygen that is found within the exhaust. The higher amount of oxygen in the exhaust system, the cleaner the BMW is running.
BMWs will very little oxygen in the exhaust means that the vehicle is running dirty and producing too many emissions. The oxygen sensor is used to alert the driver that maintenance is needed in order to correct the problem. BMW oxygen sensor also gives a signal to the onboard computer that controls the air to fuel ratio in the engine. If the sensor realizes there isn’t enough oxygen in the exhaust system, the sensor tells the onboard computer. The computer will then make the necessary adjustments with the air to fuel ratio in order to produce more oxygen in the exhaust system.
The BMW oxygen sensor is mounted inside the exhaust system in order to get an accurate reading with how much oxygen the exhaust is producing. It is mounted right before the catalytic converter, and uses voltage for a signal that the computer reads. Most of these oxygen sensors are made of a zirconium ceramic material which the sensor uses to make an accurate reading. Basically, the sensor is used by the computer to constantly monitor the airflow in which an exhaust produces. Any changes to the air to fuel mixture that is needed will be adjusted by the computer.
This is found on most vehicles and is used to fight air pollution, especially in areas with tuff area pollution policies. In fact, smog laws today dictate what vehicles are running clean and what vehicles are running dirty. BMWs with a faulty oxygen sensor will not pass the smog test. In this case, the owner will have to purchase a new BMW oxygen sensor in order for the computer to read the emissions that are found within the exhaust. The BMW oxygen sensor doesn’t last forever, and failing the smog test is mostly caused by a faulty BMW oxygen sensor.
Certain elevations can affect the oxygen sensor as well. However, most BMW oxygen sensors will make the necessarily adjustments to the air to fuel mixture that is needed for a clean running BMW. In fact, BMW oxygen sensors make the necessary adjustments on the fly in order to accommodate those who commute from different elevations. One thing that causes BMW oxygen sensors to fail is leaded gasoline. The lead that is found in leaded gasoline corrodes the oxygen sensor prematurely. Engines that consume a significant amount of oil will also cause the oxygen sensor to fail as well.
Luckily, there are plenty of online sites that provide BMW oxygen sensors that customers can choose from. BMW owners are advised to find the exact model of oxygen sensor they will need by researching the information about their vehicle. BMW oxygen sensors can be found online at many sites that sell car parts, as well as auction sites. Some local junk yards carry BMW oxygen sensors as well, but purchasing used BMW oxygen sensors comes with risks that the owner may not want to deal with. A faulty BMW oxygen sensor can affect the way the computer makes adjustments with the air to fuel ratio.