Chevrolet Cobalt Sensors
With the advent of increasingly complex automobile engines and the computer systems used to control the electrical and mechanical components of vehicles, it is important to understand some of the different sensors on your Chevrolet Cobalt, how they work, and what you might experience while driving your Cobalt if the sensors are failing and in need of replacement. Sensors gather information from different parts of your Chevrolet Cobalt and send that information to the engine computer. As sensors fail, the overall performance of your Chevrolet Cobalt may begin to lag or fail as well.
What are some signs that an oxygen sensor is failing?Oxygen sensors, also called O2 sensors, help with the combustion of fuel in your Chevrolet by gathering data from the exhaust of your car and sending that information to the engine computer, which can then adjust the ratio of air-to-fuel to improve performance. There is usually an oxygen sensor in the catalytic converter as well as one in the exhaust manifold.
Signs that an oxygen sensor is failing and approaching the end of its lifespan include:
- High fuel consumption, caused by the inability of the oxygen sensor to collect or send correct data to the computer for the air-to-fuel ratio
- Difficulty starting, caused by a problem with the initial combustion to start the car
- Jerking or stuttering during idling
- Failing an emissions test, caused by a fuel-to-air ratio that is using too much fuel and producing more than the mandated level of carbon emissions
- Slow or no acceleration when pressure is applied to the gas pedal
Because Chevrolet Cobalts are designed and engineered to perform at a multitude of altitudes, from sea level to mountains, they are equipped with a barometric pressure sensor that can gauge and measure the atmospheric pressure in the area where the sedan is driven. Atmospheric pressure is higher at sea level than it is in the mountains. The data collected by the barometric sensor is used to help adjust the fuel-to-air ratio, as there is more oxygen in the denser air found at sea level than found in the lighter air in the mountains.
A failing barometric pressure sensor may mimic the symptoms of a failing oxygen sensor, causing slow acceleration, sputtering and sluggishness, and idling issues. As with the oxygen sensor, the Check Engine Light may be triggered and may remain lit on your Chevrolet Cobalt dashboard until it is reset.
Where is the tire pressure sensor located on a Cobalt?The tire pressure sensors on a Chevrolet Cobalt, also referred to as the TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitoring System, are located on each tire. As you look at the tire, locate the valve stem where air can be added or released from the tire. Beneath each valve stem is the TPMS for each tire.