Bad air mass flow sensor symptoms effects

Causes The MAF sensor is subject to harsh environmental factors, such as heat, cold and vibrations, all of which can damage the sensor element. This depends on how bad the car is running. This changes the air fuel mixture and the injector on time. We'll discuss these in-depth on this page. This method allows the computer to do an accurate analysis of the air  entering the engine.

What happens when a mass air flow sensor goes bad

Not only can a contaminated mass airflow sensor cause hesitation and stalling, but it can also cause poor fuel economy and performance. As an example, in 1994 Ford came out with a technical service bulletin as well as Mazda, that outlined the test procedure for a contaminated mass airflow sensor. In many cases a mass airflow sensor may be blamed for your problem when it is doing its job just fine. However, scanning your computer codes is a good place to start. This can cause more problems than the dirty sensor did. It works by super heating the sensing element to burn off any contamination like a self cleaning oven. I should also mention the older the part is, the more likely problems are.

If theres a film or dirt on the hotwire it will insulate it and slow the communication between the MAF sensor and the computer; a situation that can directly cause drivability issues, excessive emissions and poor fuel economy. Contaminated Mass Airflow Sensor If there is no vacuum leaks and the air induction hose is in good shape, it's possible that a dirty mass airflow sensor is the problem. After the scan, the scanner will display one or more alphanumeric codes, which may be looked up in a reference book that accompanies the scanner if the scanner is one that does not display the summary of the code on its screen. The engine may also not respond well to sudden changes in throttle position.

Mass Airflow Sensor Failure Symptoms eHow

The code will be set if the frequency is either too high or too low or if the burn off cycle after shutdown fails. Check for things that would be more common then a defective part. It allows air to enter the engine without the computer knowing about it. Most of the time, this buildup wont be significant enough to affect the MAF, but severe buildup can cause interference. Contaminated Mass Airflow Sensor If there is no vacuum leaks and the air induction hose is in good shape, it's possible that a dirty mass airflow sensor is the problem. This is due to unmetered air entering the engine. The strength of the signal is determined by the energy needed to keep the element at a constant temperature above the incoming ambient air temperature.

As the volume and the density of air across this heated element changes the temperature of the element changes. If you do this and the scanner codes refer to a malfunctioning MAF, you will need to have the MAF inspected and likely replaced. You will notice that your engine may be running with a rich fuel trim as the oxygen sensors will be giving the PCM feedback that the current program is too lean. With the same live data feed, monitor your oxygen sensor data.