What symptoms may occur when the mass airflow sensor is faulty?
2 Answers
Mass airflow sensor failure can cause engine surging and intermittent vehicle stalling. More information about the mass airflow sensor is as follows: 1. When the mass airflow sensor is damaged, the vehicle's idle and stationary acceleration will appear normal. 2. The automobile mass airflow sensor is used to detect the engine's air intake volume, converting the information about the amount of engine air intake into electrical signals sent to the ECU. 3. Mass airflow sensors can be divided into the following types: vane-type mass airflow sensor, Karman vortex mass airflow sensor, optical Karman vortex mass airflow sensor, and ultrasonic Karman vortex mass airflow sensor.
When the mass airflow sensor fails, the car will run very poorly. Like my old car that had this issue before: it always took a few extra seconds to start the engine, and after ignition, the idle speed would fluctuate up and down, with noticeable vibrations inside the car. Accelerating felt weak, struggling to climb hills, and fuel consumption would skyrocket—I calculated a full tank would get me dozens of kilometers less. This happens because the sensor misreads the intake air volume, throwing the fuel injection system into chaos, and the ECU can't adjust the air-fuel mixture properly. Over time, the check engine light may come on, and worse, it could damage the catalytic converter, leading to costly repairs. I recommend checking the intake pipe for dirt during self-inspection—dust buildup makes it prone to failure, and regular cleaning can prevent trouble.
