It doesn’t matter if you drive an Asian or European import, the mass airflow (MAF) sensor can get dirty or go bad and cause all kinds of problems. Don’t worry. Car Doctors Auto Repair can help. We can check the mass airflow sensor and clean it if it is dirty. If you have a malfunctioning MAF sensor, we can replace it. The following are indicators of a mass airflow sensor problem in your car.
Acceleration Lag
One of the first things you will notice is that your acceleration will lag. This is because the dirty or malfunctioning MAF sensor is sending incorrect readings to the engine control module and, as such, the module has put too much air in the combustion chamber.
Black Exhaust
If the module puts too much fuel in the combustion chamber, your vehicle’s engine will burn away the extra fuel and you will end up with black exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. This can also be caused by a malfunctioning oxygen sensor as well as the mass airflow sensor.
Check Engine Warning
If your check engine light comes on, there is something wrong underneath the hood. A 2019 study showed that the check engine light is very accurate in determining engine problems, including those that cannot be seen or heard. A faulty MAF sensor is one of those problems.
Hard Starting
If you are finding it difficult to start your automobile, it’s possible that the MAF sensor has, once again, tricked the engine control module into putting too much air in the combustion chamber. Any vehicle that has fuel-starved conditions in the combustion chamber is difficult to start.
Hesitation/Surging
Aside from acceleration lag, your engine may also hesitate while you are driving if you have too much air in the combustion chamber. Your engine may hiccup or sputter. A rich fuel mixture, one that has too much fuel in it, can make your engine surge.
Poor Fuel Economy
Either of these conditions will affect your fuel economy. You will notice that you are not getting the gas mileage that you normally get when you are driving with a faulty MAF sensor. Unfortunately, your gas mileage will only get worse as the mass airflow sensor malfunctions even more.
Rough Idling
One final engine performance issue caused by a dirty MAF sensor is rough idling. You will hear and feel your vehicle struggle to keep running while you are sitting at an idle.
Car Doctors Auto Repair in Athens, GA, are Asian and European import experts. Call us today if you think you have a faulty mass airflow sensor.
