What are the symptoms of a faulty air flow meter?

Symptoms of a Faulty Mass Air Flow 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.

How do you check for a bad mass air flow sensor?

In modern cars, the only way to test the mass air flow sensor is with a scan tool. Mechanics measure the amount of air flow (mass air flow sensor readings) at different RPMs. They compare the readings to the specifications or to the readings of a known-good mass airflow sensor.

What problems can a bad mass air flow sensor cause?

A bad mass air flow sensor causes various driveability problems, such as a no-start, stalling, lack of power and poor acceleration. A faulty mass air flow sensor may cause the Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light to come on.

Can you bypass mass air flow sensor?

There is a sensor on the air intake called the mass air flow sensor. This sensor calculates how much air to mix with the fuel. You can bypass the MAF sensor, and allow the O2 sensor to calculate how much air is needed.

Can a bad mass air flow sensor cause loss of power?

Hesitation or Surging: During acceleration or cruising, you might notice hesitation or sudden abnormal power, which can be unnerving. Hard Starting: Engine starting requires more fuel than idling, but the ECM may not command enough fuel injection to start the engine right away if the MAF sensor signal is skewed.

What happens if you disconnect mass air flow sensor?

If you unplug the mass air flow sensor the car will start. If you try to plug it in while it’s running the car will die.

Can MAF sensor cause misfire?

If an oxygen sensor or mass airflow sensor is failing, it could give incorrect data to your engine’s computer, causing the misfire. When a vacuum line is broken, it can cause a fuel-injected motor to misfire.