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Mass Air flow Sensor (MAF): how it works, symptoms, problems, testing

Updated: July 09, 2021

Mass Air flow Sensor (MAF) Mass Air menstruation Sensor (MAF).

The Mass Air Catamenia sensor (MAF) is one of the cardinal components of an electronic fuel injection arrangement in your car. It is installed between the air filter and the intake manifold of the engine. See the diagram. The mass air menses sensor measures the amount of air entering the engine or the air catamenia.
In modern cars, an intake air temperature or IAT sensor is congenital in the mass air flow sensor. At that place are few types of air menses sensors, however, modern cars use a hot-wire type. Let's see how it works.

How a hot-wire air menstruum sensor works

A hot-wire mass air flow sensor has a pocket-sized electrically heated wire (hot wire). A temperature sensor installed close to the hot wire measures the temperature of the air well-nigh the hot wire.

When the engine is idling, a small amount of air flows around the hot wire, so it takes a very depression electric current to keep the wire hot.

Toyota mass air flow sensor (MAF).

When you press the gas, the throttle opens allowing more air to flow over the hot wire. The passing air cools the wire downward. The more than air flows over the wire, the more electrical current is needed to continue it hot. The electric current is proportional to the amount of air flow. A minor electronic chip installed inside the air flow sensor translates the electrical electric current into a digital point and sends it to the engine computer (PCM). The PCM uses the air menstruation signal to calculate how much fuel to inject. The goal is to continue the air/fuel ratio at the optimal level.

In addition, the PCM uses air flow readings to determine the shift points of the automatic transmission. If the air flow sensor doesn't work properly, the automatic transmission might shift differently too.

Mass air catamenia sensor issues

Mass Air flow Sensor (MAF) Volkswagen mass airflow sensor.

Issues with mass air menstruation sensors are common in many cars, including BMW, GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Toyota, Nissan and other brands. The sensor element could go contaminated or damaged.
For case, in some Mazda Skyactiv engines, a failed mass air flow sensor could cause the engine to crank just non to get-go.
An improperly installed or complanate air filter tin can cause the air flow sensor to fail sooner. Over-soaking a washable air filter can also cause bug with the air catamenia sensor.

Symptoms of a bad mass air menses sensor

A contaminated or failed mass air menstruation sensor cannot measure out the amount of air flow correctly. This causes the engine computer to miscalculate the amount of injected fuel.

Mass Air flow Sensor (MAF).

As a result, a bad mass air flow sensor causes various driveability problems, including a no-showtime, stalling, lack of power and poor acceleration. In improver, a faulty mass air menses sensor might cause the Cheque Engine or Service Engine Soon light to come on. A problem with the air flow sensor could also alter the shifting pattern of the automatic manual.

When the air flow sensor indicate varies from the expected range, the PCM records a fault and stores the corresponding trouble code, illuminating the Check Engine low-cal on the nuance. This trouble code can be retrieved with a browse tool. The following trouble codes are usually associated with a mass air flow sensor:
P0100 - Mass Air Flow Excursion Malfunction
P0101 - Mass Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance
P0102 - Mass Air Flow Circuit Low
P0103 - "Mass Air Flow Circuit Loftier"
P0104 - "Mass Air Flow Excursion Intermittent"
Trouble codes P0171 System Too Lean (Bank 1) and P0174 Organization Too Lean (Bank 2) are also often acquired by a bad or contaminated mass air menstruation sensor.

How the mass air flow sensor is tested

In mod cars, the but way to test the mass air flow sensor is with a browse tool. Mechanics measure the amount of air flow (mass air menstruum sensor readings) at dissimilar RPMs. They compare the readings to the specifications or to the readings of a known-good mass airflow sensor.

Testing Mass Air flow Sensor (MAF) Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) readings of a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine at dissimilar RPMs.

Often mass air flow sensor readings are measured at idle, ane,000 RPM, 2,000 RPM and three,000 RPM. A contaminated or bad air flow sensor will, in most cases, bear witness lower air flow readings than a known good i. In some rare cases a bad sensor may show higher readings. Of course, dissimilar engines volition have different readings. The air flow depends on the engine volume, so a V6 or V8 engine volition take college readings.

Low mass air flow readings do non mean the sensor is bad. A clogged upwardly air filter or plugged catalytic converter can as well crusade lower air flow sensor readings. Vacuum leaks bear on air menstruum sensor readings likewise. That's why mechanics use a known-good sensor to compare the readings. Read more: Vacuum leaks: common sources, symptoms, repairs.

Is at that place a fashion to check the mass air flow sensor readings at home? Of class, for case, hither we used the gratuitous Torque app to measure the mass air flow sensor readings at unlike RPMs (in the photo). This mass air menses sensor is proficient.

To utilise whatever phone app that connects to your car, you volition need a Bluetooth adaptor that plugs into the OBD connector.

Sometimes a poor electrical connection at the air flow sensor connector could besides cause the air flow readings to exist out of range. For this reason, the air flow sensor connector terminals every bit well as the wiring needs to be carefully inspected.

Often if an air filter is non installed properly, or the air filter box is not closed, a piece of debris tin become sucked into the mass air menses sensor (see this photo) and cause problems. Sometimes the debris can fall in during the air filter replacement. In this case, the repair is easy. The mass air menses sensor must be cleaned and the air filter must be reinstalled correctly or replaced.

Air menstruum sensor replacement

If the air flow sensor is bad, information technology needs to exist replaced. It's a fairly simple job. The part costs from $89 to $380. If a sensor is dirty, your mechanic may suggest cleaning it (cleaning the airflow sensor is a delicate process) as a temporary solution; sometimes it could help. When replacing the mass air menses sensor, make sure the air filter is installed properly.