It is possible to drive with a defective oxygen sensor if you can start your engine and experience only minor difficulties while driving. A couple of days is fine, but any longer and you run the risk of damaging other parts of your car or causing a safety hazard.
Can I drive my car with a broken O2 sensor?
To summarize, yes, it is possible to drive with an O2 sensor that is malfunctioning. Change it right away, though, or you’ll end up paying more for gas on your daily commute or on a weekend getaway out of town, not to mention the additional expense of buying a new catalytic converter.
Can a bad O2 sensor cause engine damage?
When the O2 sensor malfunctions, the engine can run rich, resulting in an overabundance of fuel and underabundance of air. Catalytic converter damage and engine failure are all possibilities if this occurs, as is decreased fuel efficiency.
What happens if you don’t replace oxygen sensor?
For example, an oxygen sensor failure could result in lower fuel economy, higher emissions, and even the overheating of other components such as the catalytic converter if the engine computer can’t correctly set the air-fuel ratio.
How much does it cost to replace oxygen sensor?
Between $275 and $500 at the mechanicDepending on how many sensors need to be replaced and their quality, the final cost of the parts can range from $155 to 380. The cost of labor is typically $120, and the average amount of time spent is one hour.
What happens if you keep driving with a bad O2 sensor?
Sluggish and rough driving, stalls, poor fuel efficiency, and high pollution can all be symptoms of a bad oxygen sensor. In the long run, this can cause thousands of dollars in damage to the engine and catalytic converter if you leave it there for a long time.
Can a bad O2 sensor drain a battery?
Battery drain can occur if any of these systems are experiencing electrical issues.