How to Tell if a Car's Oxygen Sensor is Faulty?
1 Answers
To determine whether a car's oxygen sensor is faulty, observe the color of the sensor's tip: a white tip indicates that the oxygen sensor has been contaminated by silicon to a certain extent and needs immediate replacement; a brown tip suggests lead contamination, which also requires replacement; a black tip is mainly caused by carbon deposits, in which case cleaning it thoroughly is sufficient. The ceramic part of the oxygen sensor is hard and brittle, so striking it with a hard object or washing it with strong airflow may cause it to break, preventing the oxygen sensor from maintaining normal working conditions.