 | Jeff Lovell is the owner of Neptune Radiator and Auto Repair. He started a radiator repair shop in 1996 and has grown over the last 15 years into an automotive repair shop. With 3 ASE Certified technicians including 1 Master ASE Certified technician, they have over 40 years of combined experience. They do everything except glass and body repair. For more information please contact us at 620.231.5890 or visit us at 902 West 4th Street. |
Automotive Service & Repair
2012-06-01 11:19:32
Causes of poor gas mileage
Q: I have a mid 1990s Dodge. Lately I have noticed that I am getting horrible mileage. What could be causing this?
A: The most likely cause is your O2 sensor, or oxygen sensor. This device monitors the oxygen content of the car’s exhaust system and determines the optimal air to fuel ratio needed to run the vehicle. If the sensor is broken, the car’s consumption of fuel goes up. Sometimes fuel consumption shoots up dramatically, and other times the problem may not be noticed immediately because the change in performance occurs gradually. Either way, over time, the situation will get worse, and the sensor will need to be replaced to restore peak engine performance.
A rise in fuel consumption is just one way to determine if it is an O2 sensor problem. You may also see a check engine light go on, or flunk a smog test. The most accurate way to test an O2 sensor is taking it to a technician and using an OBDII code checker, which is capable of identifying any problems in the exhaust system.
Every vehicle needs to have its O2 sensor replaced eventually. Over time, contaminates from combustion accumulate on the sensing element. You can use the year of the vehicle and number of miles as a guideline. Vehicles from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s should replace the sensor every 40,000 to 50,000 miles. Later 1980s to mid 1990 models need them replaced every 60,000 to 70,000 miles. Vehicles from the later 1990s and later should replace the sensor at around 100,000 miles.
A fresh sensor can improve your fuel consumption by up to 15% which is no small thing!
