Modern technology is one of the reasons why the car engine sensors make the car run without problems. These sensors are meant to communicate with the driver concerning the engine’s condition. If there is an issue within the engine’s systems, there will be an alert warning sent to the driver via the dashboard warning lights.
The car’s computer uses these sensors to monitor the working of the systems. Further it uses the sensors to control the activities within the engine. For example, Fuel combustion which results to engine power. Although these sensors are installed by the manufacturer, it is possible to get an upgrade from aftermarket sensors. For example, some manufacturers install the mass airflow sensor separately from the air intake temperature sensor. An upgrade would consist of each on of them being on one device.
By installing an upgrade on the car’s sensors, you are doing yourself and the car a huge favor. Firstly, its important to declare this modification to the insurance company. As one of the modifications that affect car insurance, they may consider lowering the insurance premiums. Because such a modification lowers risk and for all those types of modifications that lower risk warrant an insurance premium reduction.
Car sensors are classified as parking and engine sensors. The parking sensors rely on the car battery for power when the car is off. A while back the parking sensors did not come from the manufacturer for most car models. But this technology is not limited to a manufacturer’s installation. Meaning that you could get such an installation by yourself. Aftermarket parking sensors can be installed by any body kit workshop.
Car engine sensors.
The car engine sensors are very essential as as part of the engine’s systems. They function by checking whether the engine’s components are operating as they should. Further, they are connected to the onboard computer which uses them to monitor and control functionality.
They issue an alert through the dashboard warning lights. Rarely will there a beeping sound but there may be a flicking of the lights. Its good to know that the dashboard warning lights will vary from one car model to another. It is based on the manufacturer’s choice of what to include there. Further, it depends on the type of sensors that the manufacturer installs. Today we will not exhaust all of them but we will look into car engine sensors that affect fuel economy.
1. Oxygen sensors.
They are located around the exhaust to measure the catalytic converter’s effectiveness. This ensures that the air and fuel mixture is burning effectively to produce power. They are located before the catalytic convertor and the other one is located after the convertor. If this sensor is faulty, the check engine dashboard warning light is shown.
2. Intake air temperature sensor.
It is important for the engine to assess the temperature of the air flowing into the engine. This is an essential sensor in terms of maximizing the engine’s performance. In order for the fuel to burn effectively, there needs to be sufficient oxygen within the entering air. Now how does this relate to the air’s temperature?
When the air is hot, it doesn’t contain a lot of oxygen. Now that means the amount of fuel that gets burnt with such type of oxygen presence is limited. So, the onboard computer will receive this information and use it to regulate the amount of fuel being released into the combustion chamber. This helps to regulate the engine’s performance so that it doesn’t overwork. It also affects the car’s fuel economy.
3. Mass air flow sensors.
This sensor is responsible for checking the amount of air coming into the engine. It is also a sensor that affects fuel economy. That’s because the computer uses the mass air flow sensor’s reports to regulate the amount of fuel being released for combustion. The mass air flow sensor works so well with the air intake engine modification and this improves the engine’s performance and fuel economy.
4. Throttle position sensor.
The accelerator connects with the throttle body through electronic connections. This makes the process of acceleration much more automated. Further it makes it simpler to detect when there is a problem with the connection. The throttle flaps position determines how much fuel is released for combustion. Hence regulating the amount of fuel being dumped into the combustion chamber.
5. Fuel pressure sensors.
It is located along the fuel pressure line. In some other occasions its located at the fuel pressure rail. As the name suggests, it measures the amount of fuel pressure from the fuel pump along the pressure line. This sensor helps to regulate the fuel pressure in order to avoid a richer or leaner fuel mixture. The richer fuel mixture occurs when there is too much fuel while the leaner mixture occurs when there is little fuel.
Parking Sensors.
They appear around the car’s body kit and their function is to measure object to vehicle proximity. Their installation is specifically around the front and rear bumpers, the wheel wells, sidemirrors and doors. The alert system of these sensors varies from one type to the other.
Some cars will have a beeping alert system, others that have an attached camera will have an image to show the car and the object’s distance as well as a beep. These parking sensors are grouped into two types. That is, the ultrasonic and electromagnetic parking sensors.
These sensors are majorly applied during parking. Because parallel parking and reverse parking is difficult enough. These sensors help to eliminate the blind spots that way, the driver can park without much stress. The parking sensors help drivers to avoid collision with other vehicles and obstacles. Hence helping you to avoid repair costs.
1. Ultrasonic parking sensors.
They use radio frequency waves to detect the objects around the vehicle. The sensors are located around the front and rear bumper of the vehicle. Ultrasonic parking sensors are equipped with a receiver that picks up the radio frequency. Once the sensor deploys the radio frequency, it meets an obstacle within range and bounces back to the receiver. The distance taken for the radio frequency to travel back to the sensors is estimated and the sensor can approximate how far that object is.
If the sensor attaches to a camera, the sensor shows an image that helps the driver get a picture of the proximity. Others that do not have a camera, usually expel a beeping sound that increases in rate as the object nears the car.
There is a down side of this type of parking sensor. The fact that the radio frequency could get some interruption before reaching the object and going back to the sensor. Further the radio frequency could hit an object that does not reflect the radio frequency. Perhaps the obstacle is too thin or too low like a curb to receive the frequency. Further, Ultrasonic sensors only pick up frequency from objects that are directly opposite their location on the car’s bumper. Now if the object is located sideways, the sensor may not pick it up. For this reason, ensure that you use enough sensors on the bumper if you’re installing the aftermarket version of the sensor.
2. Electromagnetic sensors.
They are able to detect objects surrounding the entire car. They are found in multiple places on the car’s body. That is, wheel well, side mirrors, doors, front and rear bumpers of the car. With these proximity sensors the driver receives beeping alerts coupled with images on the dashboard screen. They are much more effective than the ultrasonic sensors.
Electromagnetic sensors work through emitting an electromagnetic field around the car. The electromagnetic field acts as a perimeter wall that protects the car’s space. Now if the vehicle approaches an obstacle and gets too close, the sensor issues alerts to the driver. The closer the obstacle gets, the higher the beeping sound becomes.
A disadvantage of these sensors is that they only work when the vehicle is moving and not when it’s stationery. So, when the vehicle is stationery, the sensors only work when the other object is moving. If it happens to move into the sensor’s electromagnetic field, the driver will receive some alerts. Manufacturers of high end vehicles install these types of sensors at the factory. But you can have them installed after buying the vehicle which doesn’t have them.
