Does my 2011 Cadillac CTS 4 that comes with the 3.0 engine have a mass air flow sensor? If so where would it be located? If it does, how do you tell if it is operating correctly? Can it be cleaned or must it be replaced?
Yes it does,
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7008628&cc=1446544&jsn=427
Located between the air filter box and the engine intake. It can be removed. It can be cleaned with special MAF cleaner available from the auto parts store as a spray. If is operating correctly you won’t have a check engine light (CEL).
If the light is ON and the error code is showing as a P0101, then cleaning it MAY help. It will take at least 5 start cycles for the CEL to go off. If it is a P0102, or 103 or 104, cleaning won’t help. Replace it.
Not getting any of those codes, I am trouble shooting an issue with simulated stalling of my car. Now 6 times since November I have had this issue and trying to figure out what would cause a car at cold start up ( 3 times) and then while slowing at a stop light (3 times and within about 10-15 minutes of cold start) to act like it wants to stall. Also from time to time at stop lights the car just doesn’t feel like it’s idling correctly. So thought maybe this might be the issue.
Well WHAT codes are you seeing? And does this have anything to do with your injector cleaning?
There are no codes, it just acts up every so often. We are now at 6 “events” where it acts like it wants to stall, the CEL blinks a few times but the car never stalls. While at lights from time to time it “feels” like it’s not idling right. I am trying to think what it might be, I have decided to hold off on the FI cleaning, and as I was doing some reading I came across the info that a dirty Air Flow sensor can cause the issue I am having. I called my dealership this morning and asked if on Saturday when they change the oil if they could check the air filter and clean the Air flow sensor and he wasn’t to sure if my car had something like that…yea not to reassuring.
Since you have 5 days until your appointment, why not check and or change the air filter yourself? That is one of the maintenance items I do myself, air, cabin air, and wiper blades. If this is the same car from a previous thread, I think a fuel system cleaner was recommended. Fuel system cleaners are less than $10, if you have not been using high detergent gas, ie TopTier certified, it is worth it.
There was a new air filter put in back in January of 2018, and since then have driven a bit over 12,000 miles, so I will have the dealership check it on Saturday. Me doing it just not a good idea. I don’t have the patience to tackle that. I purchased the 12oz bottle of Techron engine cleaner which I will be putting in on my fill up and plan on getting another 12oz bottle and do it again. I go through a gas tank in about a week and a half.
Try cleaning the electronic throttle body with throttle body cleaner.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=9092736&cc=1446544&jsn=411A
A dirty the throttle body can cause a rough idle.
Tester
I had that done back in November when they replaced the spark plugs and coils. When I asked the mechanic said it was pretty dirty with carbon. The engine runs great majority of the time, starts right up, is getting the average 20-21 MPG in the city and such. I am going to go with the FI cleaner in the gas tank the next two full tanks. I am just trying to deduce down what is causing this issue that is so random. I read about how a dirty air flow sensor can cause an issue.