The heater control apparatus comprises an
exhaust gas sensor 6 for detecting an
oxygen concentration in exhaust gases of an
internal combustion engine, a heater 5 for heating this
exhaust gas sensor 6 to a predetermined temperature, a power source including a battery 2 for supplying
electric power to this heater 5 and a charging generator 4 for charging this battery 2, a switching element 19 inserted into a circuit for supplying
electric power to the heater 5 from the power source, control means 12 for performing current-carrying control of the switching element 19 so as to maintain a temperature of the
exhaust gas sensor 6 at a predetermined value, and an
overvoltage detection element 28 for outputting an abnormal detection
signal when a
voltage of the power source exceeds a predetermined value, and it is constructed so that the switching element 19 is broken to stop the passage of current to the heater 5 by the abnormal detection
signal of the
overvoltage detection element 28 when a
voltage of the charging generator 4 abnormally increases due to disconnection etc. of the battery 2 of the power source.