How Cleaning Your Mass Air Flow Sensor Can Help Make Your Car Run Better

These days, virtually every car that hits the road comes equipped with a complex computer running its electrical systems. Those systems help control and often monitor the inner workings of a car's engine, too, with the help of sensors that track vital stats and sound an alarm when one element is not functioning as it should.

Given that fact, those sensors can be just as important as the engine components they monitor. That's particularly true of the engine's Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. As part of the performance-boosting air intake system, the MAF monitors how much air is entering the engine, helping regulate your car's air-to-fuel ratio and thus ensuring your vehicle operates at maximum power and efficiency. The MAF also monitors an engine's heat, making it as vital to engine health as any other sensor under the hood.  

As such, keeping the MAF sensor clean can prevent certain issues related to fuel injection and ignition, including rough idling, engine stalling, slow or jumpy acceleration, and excessive crank times. Like everything else under that hood, the MAF can get excessively dirty when you're on the road, and like every other engine component, the sensor will benefit from routine service and cleaning. Thankfully, cleaning the MAF is one part of vehicle maintenance you can handle yourself. Here's how to clean your engine's mass air flow sensor.    

Most car owners should be able to clean the Mass Air Flow sensor in mere minutes. But you will need to assemble a few tools from your DIY kit to get the job done, including a screwdriver or socket wrench, a clean shop towel, and a can of MAF sensor cleaner. Likewise, it's a good idea to wear gloves and safety glasses when working on an engine. 

Just FYI — only use an official MAF sensor cleaner for the job, as the compound is designed to clean and evaporate without leaving any damaging residue behind. Once you've collected the necessary materials, follow these steps to clean the MAF sensor.

1. Ensure your engine is off and cool to the touch before you begin.  
2. Locate the plugged-in MAF sensor under your vehicle's hood. The sensor should be located near the air filter between the air box and the throttle box and may be covered by an assembly. If you have trouble finding those components, consult your vehicle's user manual.
3. Once you've located the MAF sensor, unplug the wire harness connecting the sensor to the electrical system.
4. Use your screwdriver to remove the sensor and housing.
5. Place the sensor and housing on your towel and spray them directly with MAF sensor cleaner as directed. No wiping or scrubbing is needed.
6. Allow the sensor to air-dry. 
7. Once the sensor is completely dry, screw it back into place.
8. Re-connect the electrical wire harness, and you should be good to go.

Instructions may vary depending on the make and model of your vehicle, so consult your user manual before beginning. And as always, consult an automotive professional for help if you run into trouble.