Regular Replacement of BMW Oxygen Sensors Needed for Preventive
Maintenance
Preventive maintenance--this is the main reason being cited by
the leading oxygen sensor manufacturers why they would advice
BMW owners to replace the O2 sensors of their vehicles
periodically. A damaged oxygen sensor can greatly increase the
fuel consumption of a vehicle. Further, the failure of the BMW
oxygen sensor may cause damages on other parts of the vehicle,
especially on the catalytic converter which is necessary for
emissions control.
An automotive oxygen sensor is a small
electronic sensor inserted into the exhaust system of most
engine-fueled vehicles, especially on those manufactured after
1980. Vehicles manufactured in the 1980s are usually equipped
with one or two oxygen sensors, usually located on the branch
manifold before the catalytic converter. This number, however,
has been doubled after the introduction of the Onboard
Diagnostic II (ODBII), with the added sensors usually placed
after the catalytic converter to measure its efficiency.
The main function of automotive oxygen sensors is to measure the
volume of oxygen remaining on the exhaust gas. The data obtained
by the oxygen sensor would then be delivered to the engine
management ECU computer. Based on this data, the ECU computer
would then adjust the amount of fuel to be delivered to the
engine. If the oxygen sensor gets damaged, this function of the
ECU computer would be compromised, usually resulting to feeding
the engine with more gasoline than what it actually needs. Such
richness in the fuel-to-air ratio would also cause the catalytic
converter to run hotter than normal, a condition that may lead
to the eventual failure of the converter.
To prevent such things from happening, oxygen sensor
manufacturers advise that oxygen sensors be replaced at regular
intervals. For vehicles manufactured prior to the implementation
of the OBDII, unheated oxygen sensors must be replaced after
every 30,000 to 50,000 miles while heated oxygen sensors after
every 60,000 miles. For those vehicles with OBDII (vehicles
manufactured in the mid-1990s and newer), the replacement of
oxygen sensors is recommended after every 100,000 miles.
By replacing the BMW oxygen
sensor at the said intervals, BMW owners will be assured
that the emission levels and the fuel consumption of their
vehicles will be held at the minimum. The power generation of
the vehicle's engine is also guaranteed to become more efficient.
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whenever it is time to replace the sensors of their vehicle.