The mass air flow sensor shortly also known as (MAF) is a part of your vehicles engines “electric fuel injection system”. The main work of a Mass Air Flow Sensor sends important data to the Engine Control Unit or the ECU of the vehicle that helps the unit to process and enable the the system to correctly send the correct amount of fuel to the engine. By this sensor of the production of energy and the fuel remains balanced.
The sensor basically works in the way that it basically collects the data of the total amount of air entering the engine. And with this data it also sums up the data of fuel that has delivered to the engine.
A bad Mass Air Flow Sensor can cause a variety of problems. First of all a defective Mass Air Flow Sensor will hamper your engine to give your expected service. This will result in your car giving a very low service by sometimes running too rich or running too lean.
A bad Mass Air Flow Sensor will give the some sign as a low compression or vacuum gives to an engine. You will also find fuel pressure very low as fuel pump is defective. Roughness of the engine, backfire or even black smokes from the tailpipe are also some Symptoms the Bad Mass Air Flow Sensor may show.
Symptoms of a Bad Mass Air Flow Sensor are given bellow
1. Hesitation and Jerking of the Car During Acceleration:
A Bad Mass Air Flow Sensor will definitely reduce the quality of driving the car. To be more on point that are drive ability of the car will be reduced. And this will result in jerking and hesitation of the car while you are accelerating the car.
This symptom is very common when you take a car which has a faulty Mass Air Flow Sensor to some highway and you need to gear up or speed up. Many accidents happen in the world because of getting middle of this situation. As a result for the very best you should fix your car as quickly as possible.
2. The Ratio of the Air Fuel will be very Rich:
As previously we knew how a Mass Air Flow Sensor works. It mainly collects the data of Air and Fuel ratio and then sending them to the Engine Control Unit. But when the Air Fuel ratio is very rich it means there is much fuel than the air. There are also sum sub symptoms that will prove this symptom. They are given blew :
- Black smoke ejaculating from the tailpipe
- The fuel efficiency will be lower than usual
- Roughness of the engine
- Problematic engine lights
These symptoms are very common when the Mass Air Flow Sensor is damaged or any kind of pollution or dirt has affected the area.
As the result the sensor fails to send the required data to Power train Control Module which is combined a control system consisting the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU).
The failure of the sensor makes the ECU to supply too much fuel than the air supply causing the fuel ratio be richer than the air.
3. The Ratio of the Air Fuel will be very Lean:
This situation is the exact opposite of the previous situation. It is just like the opposite side of the same coin. Here the bad Mass Air Flow sensor again failing to send required data towards the Power train Control Module and that ending up causing this problem.
But this time the air will be too much and the fuel will be too little. This may give the vehicle a very improved fuel efficiency but for very short period and ending up harming the vehicle for a very long term. Here the vehicle also show some sub symptoms to prove this point. They are :
- Engine gushing or hesitation
- Subjugation of the engine
- Facing problems during starting
- Problems in the engine lights
Wrap Up
The Mass Air Flow sensor is very important in its dealing with maintaining the balance between the air flow and the fuel. The sensor basically collects the data of the ratio of these two and sends them to the Power train Control Module. Here where both the Engine Control Unit and the Transmission Control Unit lies.
And they process the data in controlling and supplying the fuel. But when your Mass Air Flow sensor is bad you will face some massive problems regarding energy production and supply.
The common three symptoms regarding the air fuel ratio and vehicle jurking can be seen. And if you find you car has a bad Mass Air Flow sensor proper step must be taken to avoid accidents and permanent engine damage.
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