Mercedes Benz, or what people call today as either "Mercedes" or "Benz" is a German automobile car brand that has already become a status symbol for the rich and famous. A car like this would not be worth it if it has poor engine performance and a huge polluting capacity because of its emissions. The good news is that possible problems such as these can be prevented by the proper maintenance of your car parts. One good example could be your Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor.

The oxygen sensor is a small sensor inserted into the exhaust system of a petrol engine to measure the concentration of oxygen remaining in the exhaust gas to allow an electronic control unit (ECU) to control the efficiency of the combustion process in the engine.

To detect whether the air and gasoline mixture is too lean or too rich, the oxygen sensor is strategically located in the exhaust manifold. Simply put, the oxygen sensor is the primary measurement device for the fuel control computer in your car to know if the engine is too rich or too lean. The correct ratio of the air-fuel mixture is 14.7 to 1 in almost all types of vehicles.

There are two types of oxygen sensors. These are the single wire oxygen sensor and the heated oxygen sensor.

A properly functioning Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor helps in increasing fuel economy and in lowering exhaust emissions. Most importantly, it also helps in better performance of the engine and reducing air pollution.

Failure of your Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor can be attributed to several factors. One can be normal wearing out due to use and another may be the heavy use of leaded fuels. Among the signs of an oxygen sensor failure is the loss of power of the engine or the engine may not seem to respond quickly. Another possible sign that could suggest a failure is an increase amount of fuel consumption than the usual, even if your car has already undergone some tune-up processes.

When your Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor totally malfunctions and fails, your car will most probably have a very poor performance and you will end up wasting more money for more fuel consumption, not to mention the money you'll pay to repair further engine damages. These things happen because a malfunctioning oxygen sensor prevents your engine's computer from reading the correct air-fuel ratio.

To ensure a longer life for your Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor, you must consider at least four factors. One is good electrical connections since the sensor generates low currents. Second is the outside air supply since air must circulate to the internal portion of the sensor. Third is proper operating temperature. The ECU only recognizes sensor signals only when the temperature is already 316 C. Fourth is the use of leaded gasoline since common use of these can damage the oxygen sensor quickly.

Proper maintenance of your Mercedes Benz oxygen sensor includes using oxygen sensor safe gasket sealers only. It is also best for you to check any undercoating, antifreeze or oil on the outside surface of the sensor to provide sensor damage, but most of all, be sure to replace it when really needed.

Your Mercedes Benz is one of the best cars in the world. So why not give it the only the best maintenance in order for it to deliver its best performance.