Recent automobiles are progressively furnished with new technologies, apart from the comfort of use it can bring, technology as well has the advantage of saving fuel or reducing the pollution emitted by our automobiles. This is exactly the subject of our article content of the day, we are going to look at the problems of the lambda sensor on Kia Optima , this sensor as well named oxygen sensor plays an necessary role. To find out, first, we are going to identify what a lambda probe is employed for, then, what are the lambda sensor problems on Kia Optima and how to fix them.

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What is a lambda role on Kia Optima?

So we begin our article with the benefit of a lambda sensor on Kia Optima , we will first discover what is the task of this probe and then how it works.

Role of a lambda sensor on Kia Optima

First designed by Volvo in the 1970s, it began to show up on our cars in the 1990s with the first EURO 1 emission requirements. As well called oxygen sensor on Kia Optima , its objective is to regulate the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases, this will allow the engine to adapt the air/fuel mixture to reduce the pollution emitted by the motor vehicle and reduce the car’s fuel consumption.

Lambda sensor procedure on Kia Optima

Before describing you the different problems of lambda probe on Kia Optima , we will look a little more in detail at its working to allow you to understand precisely how it works and thus to consider more serenely the correction of a problem related to it.
As we explained to you, a lambda probe has the job of controlling the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust gases . One could naively believe that this data is measured upstream of the combustion but it is on the contrary measured at the engine outlet . With the EURO 1 standard there was only one lambda sensor required before the catalyst, but with the arrival of more drastic requirements there are now 2 lambda sensors, one before and one after the catalyst . The benefit is to have more exact data by compiling the two probes. These data are sent to the ECU which will modify the quantity of air and gasoline injected into the engine to optimize the combustion .

Lambda sensor problem on Kia Optima

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Finally, we are now going to attack the part you are undoubtedly most interested in this article, how to proceed if you have a lambda sensor problem on Kia Optima . In a first step we will find out how to find a lambda sensor HS and in a second step how to replace it.

How to know if a lambda sensor on Kia Optima is HS

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It is necessary to know that a lambda sensor has generally a lifetime of 150 000 km , this statistics can vary according to the year of your Kia Optima, your driving, and the good functioning of your engine. A poorly looked after engine that releases unburned gases may forever corrupt your lambda sensor. One of the clues that can warn you of a faulty lambda sensor on Kia Optima may be the engine light comes on, if you want to turn off the engine light of your Kia Optima, do not think twice to consult our dedicated article to discover the process to stick to. The only effective technique to be certain that you have a lambda sensor problem on your Kia Optima and to pass your car to the diagnostic case, for that do not think twice to seek advice from our guide which explains you Kia Optimahow to read the fault code of a Kia Optima. Please be aware that if you have problems with one of your lambda sensors, the only remedy to solve them will be to replace the faulty sensor.

How to replace a lambda sensor on Kia Optima?

And at last, we are going to concentrate on the correction of lambda sensor problems on Kia Optima , by detailing how to replace a lambda sensor.

The replacement of a lambda sensor is quite simple to accomplish and you will be able to do it yourself with a lowest of tools and mechanical knowledge. A lambda sensor is worth between 25 and 50€ , it is better to replace the 2 lambda sensors present upstream and downstream of your catalytic converter because if one of them is faulty the second one risks to drop you fairly quickly. To replace it, it will be necessary to put your Kia Optima on candles and at the level of your catalyst unscrew your probes, disconnect them, reconnect them and screw the new ones . Once re-connected, you should not have any more problems with your lambda sensor on Kia Optima.

To find more tips on the Kia Optima, take a look at the Kia Optima category.