OK I’m redo-ing this post bc I don’t think the original one made any sense.
So. Whenever you get an OBD code for MAF sensor, I don’t recall what it is off hand, but it gives a list of possible problems (sensor needs to be cleaned, faulty wiring, or a new sensor.) My question is, how do you go about figuring out which one is the issue?
Get a can of MAF sensor cleaner, not Throttle Body cleaner and certainly not Carb cleaner or Brake cleaner, and follow the directions on the can to clean off the sensor wire. Let it completely air dry before trying it out. If the problem doesn’t go away, then you need to probe and test the MAF sensor to see if it needs replacement. A Quick Google search found this gem. easyautodiagnostics.com/nissan/3.0L-3.3L-3.5L/testing-the-maf-sensor-1
Already tried the cleaner. It seemed to help for maybe a day? But hopefully this link helps! Thanks
Yep, my car has every one of those symptoms… But after driving it somewhere yesterday then attempting to leave, it wouldn’t start. Battery & starter were fine, had plenty of juice. My husband was fiddling with the wires for the MAF sensor & he unplugged it & it started right up. He tried plugging it back in & it started to die. We managed to make it to our next destination & we couldn’t ever get it started again, had to be towed home. Would the MAF sensor make it not start like that? It doesn’t even attempt to turn over
I’ve only had one bad MAF and it caused the engine to run very rough and stall. I just unplugged it and let it go into the limp mode. The engine ran pretty good and I drove it for a couple of days like that. Cleaning the MAF helped for a short amount of time but it went right back into running rough and stalling. I bit the bullet and shelled out about $500 for mine. The good news is that they have come down some in price. The MAF fixed the problem for me. Have your MAF tested or do it yourself if you are mechanically inclined before you replace it.
Well yesterday when he unplugged it, he drove for maybe 1/4 mile? And it started running funny.
I looked at Oreillys, they run around $300. So I went & looked where I always go for expensive parts, eBay 
only $25. But not gonna order anything til I know if its the sensor or wiring or what.
My car has all the symptoms of a bad sensor tho. Terrible gas mileage, idles rough & dies, all that stuff. I’m ready to sell it!
Friend had a bad maf that caused a no start.
Careful with eBay parts. Most are used with no guarantee to function right. Better off with a local salvage yard.
Well I’m guessing that’s what it is. And also bc it has over 200k miles lol but gonna try to get out there today & see what we can find out.
BustedKnuckles…We checked out the link, tried test 1 & 2, but for 3 it says the engine has to be warmed up, but we can’t get it to start…Is there any way around it without having to have the engine warm?
Also, a few months back we had diagnostics done & sometime between then & now I lost the papers, but I jsut found them…
P0100 - MAF sensor circuit malfunction,
P1320 - Ignition Control signal circuit malfunction…
Sounds like two separate problems. The no start problem is probably due to the P1320 code than the P0100 code. Afterall, no spark = no run. Looks like the solution is to replace all the coils. Pricey. http://x.nissanhelp.com/forums/maxima/20899-1998-maxima-error-p1320.html
Get a new/remanned MAF sensor
Unplugging the sensor to see how the engine reacts is a legitimate test, as a matter of fact
When the MAF is unplugged, the PCM uses preprogrammed default values
If the vehicle won’t run with it plugged in, but runs with it unplugged, it’s fairly clear you need a MAF
By the way, there are numerous ways a MAF can fail, dirt is not the only problem. They can also have electrical problems, and problems with the air temperature sensor, which is usually part of the MAF
I see you’ve got 2 codes. The MAF should take care of P0100. But it looks like you’ve got another problem, which looks to be an entirely separate thing
Well there are a couple of other ones…
P0134 (O2 sensor, bank 1,sensor 1) & P0154 (O2 sensor, bank 2, sensor 1) We replaced both of those.
P0300 - random/multiple cylinder misfire. We replaced all 6 spark plugs.
As for the P1320, we replaced 2 ignition coils, and they were all working properly after. We had also cleaned the MAF with the proper cleaner. Driving it with or without the MAF plugged in didn’t really matter. It wouldn’t start so my husband unplugged it, we drove away, it started making funny noises we’d never heard, he plugged it back in, it tried to die, but we managed to keep it going. Until it was shut off & unable to start again since then, with or without being plugged in.
We never took it back to have the CE light reset & checked again, but nothing had changed after all that. But I’m slightly confused about something. You said 2 different codes & 2 entirely separate things, but on the printouts that I got with all the codes, they all have a list of reported fixes & possible causes. For all of them, it lists something about replacing ignition coils, O2 sensors, MAF xensors and/or connector, spark plugs, etc.
I am so ready to just roll this car off a cliff, it’s been nothing but a headache, and a lot of this is confusing!
Can you tell me what the part is in the pic below? While we were trying to get it started, hubs took it off to check it bc last time he looked it had tiny little carbon pieces inside. This time he took off the gray hose too & unclogged all the carbon in it. put it back together. We try to get her started again, still no turnover, but there was a funny sound coming from it, and it felt warm to touch.
EVAP canister purge control valve?
Ok I figured that part out, and just want to add that he didn’t empty the carbon from the canister thing. Just cleaned out the hose.