When a bad mass air flow sensor gives the wrong information to the engine control unit, it could mean the engine will receive less air and more fuel than needed. But if you experience any of the other symptoms on this list, you should immediately investigate your mass air flow sensor. It probably won’t be the first reason that comes to your mind when you see the Check Engine light on. One of those reasons is a bad mass air flow sensor. There are lots of reasons why the Check Engine light could illuminate on the dashboard of your car. A bad mass air flow sensor needs to be replaced before the symptoms get progressively worse. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should investigate them at once. Mass Air Flow Sensor Symptomsīelow are the top 5 symptoms of a bad mass air flow sensor in your car. You’ll start to notice certain signs of trouble, including functionality issues that will limit your ability to drive the car normally. When you have a bad mass air flow sensor in your car, it can cause all kinds of problems for your engine and the overall driving experience. Based on these measurements, the engine control unit will adjust how much air should go into the engine. The sensor sends the air flow measurements back to the engine control unit. As air goes into the engine, the mass air flow sensor is actively measuring the air mass. Of course, the right balance of air and fuel is needed to combust in the chamber successfully. This means it will require more air and fuel.

For instance, if you step on the gas pedal, you put more demand on the engine to generate more power for the vehicle. These quantities are based on how much demand is put on the engine. The engine control unit must calculate how much air and fuel to send into the engine’s internal combustion chamber.

Mass air flow sensor problems symptoms