Oxygen Sensor: Description and Operation

Heated Oxygen Sensors

Typical Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S):

The Villager is equipped with both upstream and downstream Heated Oxygen Sensors (HO2S) (Figure 1). The upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S11) is used to control engine fuel flow. The sensor detects the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas and sends a signal to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). In a rich condition, the HO2S will output a voltage of 0.6 volts or greater, and in a clean condition a voltage of 0.4 volts or less will be output.

The downstream heated oxygen sensor (HO2S12) is used primarily for monitoring the efficiency of the catalytic converter system. The HO2S12 works in a similar way to the HO2S11 but only indicates to the PCM that the catalyst is functioning properly. In the event that the HO2S11 fails, fuel control will be switched over to the HO2S12 and the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will be illuminated. This allows the vehicle to operate with fewer emissions, even with a sensor failure.