Circuit/System Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 GMC Sierra, 2010 GMC Cab & Chassis Sierra, and 2010 Chevrolet Silverado. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The heated oxygen sensors (HO2S) are used for fuel control and catalyst monitoring. Each HO2S compares the oxygen content of the surrounding air with the oxygen content of the exhaust stream. When the engine is started, the control module operates in an Open Loop mode, ignoring the HO2S signal voltage while calculating the air-to-fuel ratio. While the engine runs, the HO2S heats up and begins to generate a voltage within a range of 0-1,275 mV. Once sufficient HO2S voltage fluctuation is observed by the control module, Closed Loop is entered. The control module uses the HO2S voltage to determine the air-to-fuel ratio. An HO2S voltage that increases toward 1,000 mV indicates a rich fuel mixture. An HO2S voltage that decreases toward 0 mV indicates a lean fuel mixture.

The heating elements inside each HO2S heat the sensor to bring the sensor up to operating conditions faster. This allows the system to enter Closed Loop earlier and the control module to calculate the air-to-fuel ratio sooner.