How to Identify & Fix A Bad Mass Air Flow Sensor

Here is a story we found in forum.

One fine day, while all set to head to work, James' beloved car failed him. The engine wouldn’t start easily and when it finally did, his car got all bumpy and shaky. He had no other choice but to pull it in the garage and take the subway.

He did get it diagnosed finally and the mechanic told him it was the faulty mass air flow sensor. So,what can we learn from his experience? He had been ignoring the seemingly harmless bad mass air flow sensor symptoms for a while that eventually cost him a good deal.

To avoid the same troubles he did,here are three signs of a damaged mass air flow sensor we should know.

1. The Check Engine Light.All new models feature a check engine light, which notifies the driver of potential problems. If the check engine light flashes on, that can be the early symptom of a bad airflow meter and you need to have your car analyzed so that you find the cause of the problem.

2.Reduced Performance.The airflow meter is a critical component of the balance between fuel and air in the vehicle's engine. If it fails, it will cause performance issues for the engine,such as

1) The engine doesn’t start easily and causes troubles while turning over

2) The engine becomes shaky upon acceleration

3) The engine becomes jumpy while the vehicle is on the move

4) The engine idling is unusually rich or lean

5) The engine stalls, a little while after starting.

3. Reduced Fuel Efficiency.The problem in the sensor develops gradually and in the beginning the insignificant changes in the mileage may go completely unnoticed. However, once your car starts consuming more fuel than usual, then you may very well attribute the problem to the faulty MAF sensor.

Since we have known how to identify a bad MAF sensor, what we could do when it's bad ?

Here is the three-step process to fix the MAF sensor.

1. Remove the MAF sensor.

Open your vehicle’s air box and use a flathead screwdriver to pull it out, but make sure you don’t touch the wires–they break easily, and a replacement could cost over $100.

2. Clean your sensor.

You have two options here. The cheaper option is to put the sensor in a plastic bag with rubbing alcohol; move the bag around so that the alcohol washes off the grime and dirt. The more sophisticated option is to buy an MAF sensor cleaner from an auto parts store and spray it onto the sensor.

3. Dry and reinstall the MAF sensor.

Whichever cleaning method you use, let the sensor air-dry for at least 20 minutes. If the sensor isn’t completely dry when you reinstall it, then it could become damaged. When you’re sure it’s dry, simply replace the sensor in the air box.

Conclusion

Reduced fuel efficiency,trouble starting the engine and engine stalling are some of the most telling bad mass air flow sensor symptoms. If you experience any of it, do not waste any time and get your engine checked asap.After you check,you could follow the above three-step process to fix it or take it to the mechanic.

Hope this article can help you how to identify and fix a bad MAF.For more information about the other kinds of car or motorcycle repair information,you could keep an eye on our blog ,which is dedicated to share professional tutorials for most automotive aftermarket.