# 1997 Nissan Maxima Mass Air Flow Sensor **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** sensors\ **Created:** [May 19, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607 "2019-05-19T00:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Allan\_Marsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/958977/32.png) [@Allan\_Marsh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Allan_Marsh)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607/1 "2019-05-19T00:29:55Z")
I’ve been having some hesitation going uphill. Research says mass air flow sensor. Got a replacement off Ebay, put it in, and it won’t accelerate uphill. Put the old one back in, still get the hesitation, but it accelerates uphill. The gasket is pretty toasted, but I don’t think that’s the problem ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607/2 "2019-05-19T00:34:12Z")
> [@Allan\_Marsh](#): > > The gasket is pretty toasted, but I don’t think that’s the problem You do realize the gasket is there for a reason? Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607/3 "2019-05-19T00:36:14Z")
Accelerating uphill stresses the fuel system, exhaust system, and the air/fuel mixture system. Where to start, hard to say. But I wouldn’t usually start by replacing the MAF unless a fuel-trim measurement indicated a problem with the air/fuel system. Besides checking for diagnostic codes I’d start with an intake manifold vacuum check for exhaust obstructions and a fuel pressure test (during acceleration) for fuel system problems. EGR problems could be involved too, so I’d do a basic EGR system check. On a 97, I’m guessing you may have an exhaust obstruction problem. The replacement MAF was probably faulty out of the box. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607/4 "2019-05-19T12:03:58Z")
> [@Allan\_Marsh](#): > > Research says mass air flow sensor Does the error code the car throws indicate MAF? > [@Allan\_Marsh](#): > > Got a replacement off Ebay Based on your experience with that part, maybe Ebay isn’t the best place to buy parts like this. Many are poor copies of the real thing, not replacements. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-nissan-maxima-mass-air-flow-sensor/140607/5 "2019-05-19T14:32:49Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > The replacement MAF was probably faulty out of the box. Let’s look at things from a different perspective . . . maybe the maf wasn’t the problem in the first place maybe Allan is better off leaving the research to the mechanic who’s going to get paid to properly diagnose and repair the car Unless Allan’s “research” included use of a decent scanner and/or dmm, I’m going to guess that the research was a google search, or something similar . . . unless he gives us a lot more details using the shotgun approach to fix cars can get real expensive, real fast Sometimes it’s cheaper to avoid that scenario and bring the car to a reputable repair shop no offense intended, Allan