Fixing Mass Airflow Failure in Your Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz has a long-standing history of being one of the best luxury vehicle manufacturers around. They produce incredible cars year after year. With their stellar reputation, it’s not hard to see why there are many die-hard Mercedes enthusiasts worldwide.

However, a great car demands respect from its owner, and without the correct maintenance standards in place, these fantastic cars can begin to show signs of wear. With that in mind, in this article we will take a look at your Mercedes’ Mass Air Flow Sensor and look at ways in which you can maintain and/or fix this integral part of your car.

What is a MAF sensor and where is it?

Commonly referred to as the MAF sensor, the Mass Air Flow sensor is a black cylinder found under the hood. It has various apertures which are connected to different parts of your Mercedes. The main role of the MAF sensor is to monitor the airflow through your car to the engine by measuring temperature and weight. This information is crucial to the successful performance of your car, as it allows your vehicle’s onboard computer to supply the correct amount of fuel to mix with the air for optimal ignitions and driving conditions.

What are signs that the MAF sensor has failed in your Mercedes?

Rough Idling

If the MAF sensor isn’t working correctly, then you are likely to notice your Mercedes begins to idle far more roughly than it did before. This is because of an incorrect air-to-fuel ratio, meaning your engine is not getting the proper mixture to perform at its designed best.

Difficult to Drive

Your Mercedes is also likely to become unpleasant and tricky to drive if the MAF sensor is failing. Due to the poor air-to-fuel mixture, you are likely to experience frequent lean misfires and dangerous stalling.

Bad Fuel Economy

If your MAF sensor has failed, then you can expect to pay far more for fuel than you did before. As the MAF begins to fail, your vehicle’s OBD is left to guess how much fuel to add to engine. It will usually over-compensate, meaning your fuel runs low far quicker because of the misinformation.

How to Prevent MAF Failure

When it comes to preventing MAF failure, the 2 best things you can do are to clean the sensor and maintain your Mercedes’ PCV valve. Let’s take a look at how to properly complete those maintenance measures.

1. Cleaning the Sensor

This is a simple task that most novices can undertake. It will help prevent one of the most common causes of MAF failure, which due to blockages. To do this task, you should ensure that your engine is cool and the key is not inserted. Remove the air intake tibong, and then the sensor itself. Clean this using a MAF cleaner, which is a specially-designed spray intended to remove dirt and grime without damaging the sensor. Then, you can re-install the sensor, waiting at least a few minutes before starting up your car’s engine.

2. PCV Valve Maintenance

The PCV valve is a pipe that is responsible for providing your engine with fresh air. This part works in unison with the MAF sensor, and if it fails, it will have a knock-on effect on the sensor. Maintaining this part is simple and can be done through regular oil changes, which will help to regulate the airflow around the system as well as all the integral parts in your engine. Incorporating this with regular maintenance is easy and requires nothing from the owner except ensuring the shop is performing this routine work.

Fixing the MAF Sensor

While maintaining the MAF sensor is quite easy, when it comes to replacing this part when it fails, it is best to err on the side of caution and seek professional repairs. Even those who have mechanical experience may find the need for an experienced mechanic.

Luckily, if you are a Mercedes driver and live in or around Pineville, Charlotte, and Greensboro, NC, A&M Auto Service is here to help. With top-level customer service and highly knowledgeable technicians, you can sit back and relax knowing that everything is being taken care of at an affordable price by expert technicians.

* Mercedes-Benz C 43 image credit goes to: teddyleung.