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Some of the most important sensors in your Acura are the oxygen sensors. As their name suggests, these sensors monitor the oxygen level in your engine. This is essential, as oxygen must mix with fuel in a precise ratio to power combustion. Sensors can wear out or become damaged, with serious consequences for your engine. As your Acura dealership, we'd like you to know a few signs you need to visit us for oxygen sensor replacement. more Signs You Need an Oxygen Sensor Replacement at Your Acura Dealership Reduced Fuel Economy Combustion requires far more fuel than air, as fuel can't burn successfully without enough oxygen. Air enters the engine through the engine air filter and mixes with fuel in the intake manifold. The oxygen sensors monitor the air level and inform your computer so it can ensure the correct amount of fuel is added to the mixture. A worn or damaged sensor won't supply the right information, forcing your computer to guess the amount of fuel to add. If the computer guesses wrong, your engine could receive more fuel than air. Excessive fuel turns your engine fuel-rich. The lack of air prevents most of the fuel from burning, and it's dumped out the exhaust. Once we replace the sensor, the fuel-air mixture will return to normal. Black Exhaust Smoke As we saw above, low oxygen levels prevent most of the fuel from burning. The hot fuel is dumped into the exhaust system and travels to the catalytic converter. The converter converts dangerous, toxic engine gases into harmless ones. The converter uses extreme heat during the conversion process, and the hot fuel can raise its internal temperature too high and damage it. The unburnt fuel passes out the tailpipe, usually accompanied by hisses, pops, and occasional small flames when the fuel touches the hot metal. The accompanying black cloud has a strong fuel smell and is also toxic. If you live in Lake or Porter counties, this smoke will cause your Acura to fail its smog check. Your exhaust smoke will turn thin and whispy again once a new sensor is installed. Check Engine Light The check engine light comes on when engine sensors detect a problem that affects engine performance. Sensors are attached to all essential engine components to monitor them and ensure they're working correctly. If the oxygen mixture in your engine is wrong, the spark plugs won't ignite the mixture successfully, causing a misfire or even stalling your vehicle. In addition, a fuel-rich atmosphere coats the plugs and ignition coils in sticky carbon, further reducing their performance. All these issues reduce performance, and this will cause the check engine light to illuminate. Sensors are quick and relatively inexpensive to replace. Contact us today at Ed Martin Acura in Indianapolis, IN.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​As we all know, winters here in Indianapolis, IN, get very cold. Our flat prairie landscape allows the wind to howl across the land and drop the temperature even further. Winter driving requires good preparation and regular car maintenance to enjoy a safe, trouble-free driving season, and it's never too early to start taking steps to keep your family safer on the road. As your Acura dealership, we want to give you a few tips on good maintenance to prepare for the weather. more Battery Check The average life of a battery is three to five years, but this can be reduced due to extreme weather. Our winters can be battery-killers, particularly if you have an older battery. Low temperatures make the battery's electrolyte solution more viscous, reducing its power and storage capacity. If the temperature drops to 0 F or lower, the electrolyte can freeze, and your battery will fail. We advise testing your battery before winter arrives. Our technicians will connect your battery to our computerized battery tester. This machine subjects your battery to various tests to determine its strength and storage capacity. If your battery is weak, we can replace it in minutes to ensure it works through the winter. If your battery is healthy, we advise parking your Acura in a garage in winter, if possible, to prevent your battery from freezing outside. Fluid Check Your Acura contains numerous fluids that keep your engine clean and healthy, allow the brakes to work effectively, ensure your transmission shifts gears, and that your windshield stays clean. All these fluids weaken over time and become less efficient. Older brake fluid, for example, can overheat and lose its ability to provide the hydraulic power your brakes need to engage. Engine oil is a particular concern in winter. Old oil is thick, and it becomes even thicker as the temperature drops. Thicker oil can block the oil filter, causing engine problems ranging from increased friction damage to components to an overheated engine. Our technicians can easily check all your fluids and replace them if necessary. Windshield Wiper Check Your windshield wipers are easy to forget, but they're vital when snow starts to fall. Your wipers can quickly clear snow and ice off the windshield to give you the visibility you need. We check your wipers to ensure the rubber blades are in good condition. Cracks in the wipers can cause them to break, and broken wipers can scratch your windshield. We can install winter wipers to make driving in snow much easier. Their heavier and thicker blades are more resistant to damage from the cold. We'll also replace your windshield wiper fluid with a variant that includes antifreeze to prevent the wiper fluid from freezing in low temperatures. If you'd like to know more about preparing your vehicle for winter, contact us today at Ed Martin Acura in Indianapolis, IN.