The mass airflow sensor or MAF is kind of an unsung hero in your automobile. Most people don’t think about it and some people have never even heard of it. The MAF monitors how much air flows into the engine from the outside. This helps the engine control module (ECM) make adjustments to the air and fuel mixture your vehicle needs for combustion. Willoughby Hills Auto Repair can clean or replace your mass airflow sensor if it’s dirty or going bad. Here are signs that it is.
Hard Starting or Turning Over
One sign that you have problems with the MAF is your vehicle will become difficult to start or refuse to turn over. You might immediately think the battery is the problem, and it could be, but it might also be a dead mass airflow sensor that is creating the problem. If the MAF is dead or dirty, it won’t send the proper readings to the ECM, which can cause starting problems.
Stalling Engine
You may get your automobile started, but it will die shortly thereafter. This, too, is a sign that you’ve got a problem with the MAF. Because the MAF measures the air that flows into the engine, it can actually cause the ECM to make changes to the air and fuel mixture that will cause your engine to stall if it’s sending incorrect air readings. Your engine might be fuel-starved or flooded.
Engine Hesitation
Either fuel condition can also make your engine hesitate or drag when you are hauling something or sitting at an idle. This sign of a bad mass airflow sensor can also happen while you’re moving along. You might notice your car, truck, or utility vehicle hesitate or even jerk when you press down on the accelerator to pick up speed. Again, these engine performance issues are being caused by problems with the air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber if the MAF is bad.
Hiccups
Not you; your engine. Your engine might also hiccup and sputter while you’re driving if you have a dirty or failing MAF sensor. This is also a sign of a bad oxygen sensor or fuel system problem. In fact, your engine might hiccup if you have an issue with the exhaust system, as well, so it’s important to get a professional diagnosis of the cause of your engine hiccups so they can be fixed properly.
Fuel Mixture Problems
Finally, this sign of a bad MAF is a culmination of all of the things discussed above. If the MAF is malfunctioning and not gauging the incoming air properly, your air and fuel mixture will either be too rich or too lean. Too rich means there’s too much fuel in the combustion chamber; too lean means there’s too much air. Either will cause the engine performance issues discussed above.
Call Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills, OH, to schedule an appointment for an MAF inspection, cleaning, or replacement. We’ll restore your engine’s performance.
