What Problems Can Car Sensor Failures Cause?

What Problems Can Car Sensor Failures Cause?

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What Problems Can Car Sensor Failures Cause?

Nowadays, vehicles are often compared to an 'electronic brain', which uses many sensors to control and manage the system at any operation time. If the sensor fails, the result may be a range of problems, from dysfunction to unsafe driving conditions. sensor magnets are key in generating precise signals for detecting positions or conditions within the vehicle. To follow this, we identify and describe the significance of typical sensors, expose the signs of their breakdown, and make recommendations that can be quickly followed.

 

Oxygen Sensor

The oxygen sensor is usually attached to the exhaust pipe, by and large, close to the catalytic converter, and it is utilized to detect the oxygen levels in the exhaust gas, thereby facilitating the ECU in its adjustment of the air-fuel ratio for an optimum combustion process. When the sensor becomes faulty, the ECU is not able to determine the exact amount of fuel to be injected, which will result in a rich fuel mixture (more consumption of fuel, production of black exhaust smoke) or a lean mixture (power loss) both of which will cause incomplete combustion, lower engine performance, excessive emissions and possible even damage to the catalytic converter. One of the car owners told a story about how the fuel consumption got 8L/100km to 12L/100km after the oxygen sensor failure while the dashboard warning light was on. It is a good practice to systematically inspect the exhaust system and take immediate action if abnormal fuel consumption occurs.

 

Coolant Temperature Sensor

The coolant temperature sensor measures the engine coolant temperature to change the ignition timing and fan operation. The car is installed near the doors and agrees to the temperature and humidity parameters given by the sensor. Still, it can also be on the driver's dashboard and only about the temperature data. If the coolant temperature sensor fails, the car will be challenging to start in the cold (especially in winter), the idle will be uncomfortable, and the acceleration will be insufficient; and in some cases, if the temperature data are incorrect, the fan will not operate, and the engine will be overheated. In one case, the sensor was not installed, and the car was on the thermostat for the engine to start. Someone only guessed because the sensor gave the wrong information. It is recommended that the sensor be checked first before accelerating hard during the winter startup problems.

 

Crankshaft Position Sensor and Camshaft Position Sensor

It is important to note that the failure of these sensors may lead to the engine not starting or to a sudden cut-off while driving; minor faults might cause intermittent shaking or sluggish acceleration. In a particular case, a vehicle stalled at high speed due to a loose crankshaft sensor harness, almost having a rear-end collision.

 

ABS Sensor

The ABS sensor is placed beside the bearing of every wheel, which gives ABS data on the wheel speed. As soon as it is out of order, the ABS stops working, increasing the risk of the wheels being locked during an emergency braking situation, which may provoke the vehicle to slide or even cause it to lose control in the wet environment. An instance of a car owner driving in snowy conditions was the cause of the ABS failure of the vehicle; hence, it pinned through the distance a few meters after the braking and was a few inches away from the wall. To be safer, it is logical to examine the anti-lock brake system before ensuring it's in good condition in rainy or snowy weather.

 

Parking Distance Control (PDC) Sensor

The parking distance sensor is fitted in the front and rear bumpers to measure distance to obstacles while parking. If it does not work, the vehicle will not emit any sound alert while parking and the radar will be out of order. Thus, the risk of scratches or even more harmful situations will be much higher. Quite often, the driver who realized the damage to the rear bumper only from the pole during reversing did not know that a sensor had failed. An essential step, which is said to help protect against the inadvertent obstruction of the probes by dirt, is to check the sensor occasionally.

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