Once it is dry, it can be reinstalled and the car can be started again. Spraying these wires clean with MAF cleaner or electrical contact cleaner and leaving the MAF to air dry is the best approach to cleaning this sensitive instrument. The sensor is a small unit with two exposed wires the wires heat up when the car is running, and the MAF measures the airflow by detecting how quickly the flow of air cools the temperature of the wires.

If you remove the mounting bolts and wiring harness, you can remove the entire mass airflow sensor unit and open it to expose the sensor. The MAF is mounted to the vehicle’s air cleaner box and connected to the computer with a wiring harness. In these cases, you may be able to restore it to full functionality by removing and cleaning it. Most of the time, this buildup won’t be significant enough to affect the MAF, but severe buildup can cause interference. Although the air that passes through the MAF is filtered, microscopic particles will still get through and accumulate on the sensor. The engine is very hard to start or turn over.The engine stalls shortly after starting.The engine hesitates or drags while under load or idle.Hesitation and jerking during acceleration.The engine hiccups.Excessively rich or lean idling.Sometimes the MAF will begin malfunctioning because it is dirty. Symptoms of a Faulty Mass Air Flow Sensor. In this regard, what are the signs of a failing mass air flow sensor? In addition, a faulty mass air flow sensor might cause the Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light to come on. As a result, a bad mass air flow sensor causes various driveability problems, including a no-start, stalling, lack of power and poor acceleration. A faulty mass airflow sensor is a common reason why a check engine light comes on.Īlso asked, what problems can a mass air flow sensor cause? One sign that your vehicle's MAF is going bad is black exhaust from excess fuel.

Toyota mass air flow sensor problems