The danger of Automotive Dyi on social networks: The cheap that can be expensive

Losses intensify when misinformation comes into the scene

São Paulo, agosto de 2025 - With the popularization of videos that stimulate the yourself - or on the acronym in diy (do it yourself) -, Access to automotive maintenance information has become much easier. Nonetheless, Democratization of technical content has brought a growing risk related to the dissemination of incorrect tips or myths that can lead drivers to damage sensitive vehicle parts or worse, expose your safety.

A concrete example is that of sensors of the electronic injection system, sensitive and often mentioned parts in content with wrong guidelines. To help consumers avoid fraud, Financial waste and vehicle damage, The NAT, brand of Niterra, Japanese multinational also responsible for NGK and reference in components for ignition systems, List the main care:

1- Be wary of “miraculous cleaning” with homemade products. Sensors such as oxygen (lambda probe) have porous ceramic and should not be cleaned with alcohol, spray solvents, disgust, Injector or similar nozzle cleaning equipment. The attempted cleaning can render the part or hinder its future removal, If you remove the grease from the thread, that avoids the locking of the sensor in your workplace.

2- Sensor cleaning should only be done with specific products and techniques. Disassembly of cleaning components can increase the cost of labor. If the cleaning does not solve, it will be necessary to repeat the process for replacement - which doubles the time and the cost, many sensors have locks in the connectors, that incorrectly manipulated can be damaged.

3- MAP sensors may lose precision by internal contamination and dryness of your internal membrane. The MAP sensor is an essential piece for the calculation of air mass (“Amount of air”) que entra no motor para que a ECU calcule a massa de combustível que deverá ser injetado. Ao realizar a limpeza no estilo DIY partículas de óleo podem sujar a parte interna ou danificar a membrana interna do sensor MAP, sensitive, leading to errors in sensor information, increased fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

4- IOil Pressure Ntructors are also sensitive. Trying to clean them can damage the inner membrane, The lack of oil change (Preventive engine maintenance), can lead to contamination by sludge. The use of lubricating oil outside the specified, pode acelerar o processo de desgastes internos gerando contaminações por resíduos metálicos, afetando o seu correto funcionamento.

5- Engine washing should be done with extreme care, because jets of water in modules, connectors and power plants can cause short, Oxidation and serious failures. Only qualified professionals should perform this type of service, with appropriate products.

6- Avoid buying used sensors. Reused parts may have doubtful origin and invisible wear. Old sensors are often outdated, compromising the efficiency of the injection system.

Diagnosis is not “do it yourself”

Another critical point is the practice, increasingly common, of consumers arrive at workshops with ready -based diagnostics based on videos from the internet. What may seem saving time and money, but often leads to the waste of these resources.

“The mechanic is a trained professional who invests in courses, Equipment and years of experience. When we interfere with its diagnosis based on information without technical foundation and application of diagnostic techniques, We risk authorizing services or purchases of parts that do not solve the root cause of the problem, generating new costs and increasing repair time ”, alerta Hiromori Mori, Niterra Technical Assistance Consultant.

The search for economy in automotive maintenance is legitimate, But trusting wrong information can turn a simple failure into a complex problem. The secret is to value the specialized technical work, Respect the diagnosis of the trusted mechanic and distrust easy and cheap solutions found on social networks.