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Secondary Air Injection Pump

An electric pump that forces fresh air into the exhaust for the first minute or two after a cold start, so unburnt fuel in the cold rich exhaust continues burning and the catalytic converter reaches operating temperature sooner. It runs briefly and only when cold, so its failure is almost never noticed by a driver — but the loud whirring it makes after a cold start is a useful diagnostic in itself, by its presence or absence. Frequently destroyed by exhaust gas or condensate reaching it through a failed check valve, which is why replacing the pump alone tends to buy a second failure.

Also known as: air pump, smog pump, sai pump, secondary air pump, air injection pump

Referenced by 32 codes

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Codes involving this component (32)

Other components in Exhaust and Emissions

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