P0332 knock code on, questions about it!

[ryhendricks1]

hello, I have had my 02 trans am for around a year and 3 months. I was driving home one day and the light just came on but really didnt think much about it. The car ran the same and had no pinging or anything but I was also using 89 octane all the up to about a week and half ago and switched to 93. So I ran the code and it was this code which is the knock sensor. What I am wondering is since I have been running like this for about almost a year or so is it alright to keep doing so and could have been because I was using a lower octane fuel for so long? I really dont have the money right now to dump more in to get this fixed immediately. Any help would be much appreciated thanks and god bless.

[Guerrillakilla13]

its borderline "ok", if that, to mix fuel grades every so often but its damaging to use lower grade fuel for so long.. its really bad for the motor, amongst other things. Make absolute sure your using the right fuel from now on.

[ryhendricks1]

I do understand that know and im using 93 from now on, but my question is could using lower grade gas cause that and with this knock sensor code still on is the car ok to drive still? since its been on for the last year or so

[Guerrillakilla13]

Yes, using lower grade fuel probably did cause the code. As far as damage goes, I'm not entirely sure but the code could be going off just because the timing of the fuel ignition is a little off from using the wrong gasoline grade. You should be okay if it still drives and feels the same.

[0rion]

do you wash or have you ever washed the engine bay with a hose? Water is the number 1 killer of those sensors. It gets under the intake a pools on the sensors. Although running a lower octane gas isn't the best idea unless you do mechanical damage the only thing it'll do is put the car on the low octane table which lowers your timing. For what it's worth I've had my knock sensors turned off for years.