MAF Sensor

📖 YOUCANIC Automotive Glossary

The MAF sensor sits in the intake tract and measures the volume and density of air entering the engine, sending that data to the ECU so it can calculate the precise amount of fuel needed for combustion. It’s one of the most critical sensors in the engine management system because even small inaccuracies in its readings throw off the entire fuel mixture calculation. A contaminated or failing MAF sensor commonly causes a check engine light with codes like P0101 or P0102, poor fuel economy, rough or unstable idle, hesitation and stumbling under acceleration, black smoke from the exhaust indicating a rich condition, or a lean condition that causes misfires. MAF sensors can often be cleaned with dedicated MAF sensor cleaner spray rather than replaced, but they are sensitive components and should never be touched or cleaned with generic solvents.