Hi all,

Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the shop,
they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air Flow
Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2) Is it
difficult to replace?

My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
it.

Your help will be much appreciated...

-Joe.

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:17:33 -0800, Joe wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the
> shop, they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air
> Flow Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2)
> Is it difficult to replace?

IIRC, about $325.00 But, this is an Emissions related device and should
be under warranty for 7 years or 100,000 miles, IIRC...Ray or Qslim may be
able to shed more light on this, or you could Google it.

Replacing it? Look at your air cleaner. Behind the 'box' is a metal
contraption with a connector on it. That's the MAF sensor. You can go
aftermarket, but I would try a boneyard first. Just make SURE that if it
does not resolve the problem you can return it! Many boneyards have a No
Return on Electronics policy, assuming you're going to replace it wrong
and burn it. If there's a way to replace this item incorrectly, let me
know, and I'll eat the old one! (Um, aside from installing it in the air
stream backwards, that is...)

They'll probably still want $120-225 for the thing...

http://www.car-part.com

Search in your area.


>
> My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
> it.
>
> Your help will be much appreciated...
>
> -Joe.

"Hachiroku ????" <Trueno@AE86.gts> wrote in message
news:UzPrh.21546$Ch1.20350@trndny04...
> On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:17:33 -0800, Joe wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the
>> shop, they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air
>> Flow Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2)
>> Is it difficult to replace?
>
> IIRC, about $325.00 But, this is an Emissions related device and should
> be under warranty for 7 years or 100,000 miles, IIRC...Ray or Qslim may be
> able to shed more light on this, or you could Google it.

I am pretty sure that the MAF sensor is not covered by the emissions
warranty.

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"Joe" <guichov@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eooa8k$1ui2$1@ihnp4.ucsd.edu...
> Hi all,
>
> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the
> shop, they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air
> Flow Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2)
> Is it difficult to replace?
>
> My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
> it.
>
> Your help will be much appreciated...
>
> -Joe.

1) Whether it is "expensive" or not depends on your definition of
"expensive." I've never priced one, hachiroku says it is around $325, that
sounds about right to me.

2) Again, whether it is "difficult to replace" depends on your definition of
"difficult." It is attached to the engine air filter housing. It is the
only part with wires sticking out on the air filter housing. The MAF sensor
is not supposed to be a serviceable part, which to me means that there is
nothing to lose in trying to fix it before replacing it. Remove the MAF
sensor from the air filter housing, you will see a tube that protrudes into
the air flowing out of the air filter. Inside the tube is a thin metal
wire. Try cleaning the wire very gently with rubbing alcohol or carburetor
cleaner and a Q-tip. The MAF sensor is basically a heated wire, and air
flowing past it cools the wire. As the wire cools, its resistance changes,
and as its resistance changes, voltage going back to the computer changes.
By monitoring the voltage coming from the MAF sensor, the computer knows how
much air is going into the engine. If the wire gets covered with crud, the
crud acts like an insulator and so air no longer cools the wire.

If the cleaning attempt doesn't work, then go ahead and replace it. BTW,
make sure you clear the trouble codes after cleaning and/or replacement.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Thanks for your reply. I realize that 'expensive' and 'difficult' are
relative terms and I should have been more specific. Thanks again.

-Joe.

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:581f$45afceb4$44a4a10d$18966@msgid.meganewsse rvers.com...
>
> "Joe" <guichov@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:eooa8k$1ui2$1@ihnp4.ucsd.edu...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the
>> shop, they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air
>> Flow Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2)
>> Is it difficult to replace?
>>
>> My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
>> it.
>>
>> Your help will be much appreciated...
>>
>> -Joe.
>
> 1) Whether it is "expensive" or not depends on your definition of
> "expensive." I've never priced one, hachiroku says it is around $325,
> that sounds about right to me.
>
> 2) Again, whether it is "difficult to replace" depends on your definition
> of "difficult." It is attached to the engine air filter housing. It is
> the only part with wires sticking out on the air filter housing. The MAF
> sensor is not supposed to be a serviceable part, which to me means that
> there is nothing to lose in trying to fix it before replacing it. Remove
> the MAF sensor from the air filter housing, you will see a tube that
> protrudes into the air flowing out of the air filter. Inside the tube is
> a thin metal wire. Try cleaning the wire very gently with rubbing alcohol
> or carburetor cleaner and a Q-tip. The MAF sensor is basically a heated
> wire, and air flowing past it cools the wire. As the wire cools, its
> resistance changes, and as its resistance changes, voltage going back to
> the computer changes. By monitoring the voltage coming from the MAF
> sensor, the computer knows how much air is going into the engine. If the
> wire gets covered with crud, the crud acts like an insulator and so air no
> longer cools the wire.
>
> If the cleaning attempt doesn't work, then go ahead and replace it. BTW,
> make sure you clear the trouble codes after cleaning and/or replacement.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
>

"Joe" <guichov@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eoolpe$22bq$1@ihnp4.ucsd.edu...
> Thanks for your reply. I realize that 'expensive' and 'difficult' are
> relative terms and I should have been more specific. Thanks again.
>
> -Joe.
>
You're welcome! Try cleaning the sensor before you replace it. It
shouldn't take more than 5 minutes and the only skill needed is to unplug it
and remove a couple of screws.

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:17:33 -0800, Joe wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the
> shop, they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air
> Flow Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2)
> Is it difficult to replace?
>
> My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
> it.
>
> Your help will be much appreciated...
>
> -Joe.


Well, I *FINALLY* yanked the manual from my Scion today to have a look
through it. You MAF is only warrantied 24/24,000 per the Feds, or
36/36,000 per Toyota. Some are maked 8/80 (8 years, 80,000 miles)

The MAF is a 3/36,000...

I own a 2002 Toyota Corolla and I own a screw driver... and I managed
to clean my MAF sensor myself! Like everyone else said, it's the only
wire thing on the airbox. Mine was 2 screws, and the elctrical wire.
Just unscrew it and pull out the wire. I got some brake cleaner I
think was recommended (?) and sprayed it from a distance. I wouldn't
use a QTIP though. You don't want to break that thin wire and it's
easy to do. Anyway, sprayed with break cleaner and then gently with
canned air afterwards. Let it dry for a few hours and put it back in.
Worked great...

I check it every time I replace my air filter because sometimes it
needs a good cleaning.


Joe wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Recently, the Check Engine light turned on and, after taking it to the shop,
> they tell me that a sensor need to be replaced. It is the Mass Air Flow
> Sensor. Can anyone tell me 1) Is this is an expensive sensor and 2) Is it
> difficult to replace?
>
> My car is a 2000 Toyota Corolla, 4cyl automatic with about 50000 miles on
> it.
>
> Your help will be much appreciated...
>
> -Joe.