# Mass Air Flow sensor, cost? how long last? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** 323, mazda\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor-cost-how-long-last/42564 "2010-01-14T23:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simplifying](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@simplifying](https://community.cartalk.com/u/simplifying)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor-cost-how-long-last/42564/1 "2010-01-14T23:01:00Z")
1996 Mazda Protege, 323, 116000 miles. Normal, town driving ( I am 60 and am not a wild driver) Need to replace this. How long do they last? Cost? better for a used one or a new one? What makes this partineed to be replaced? I plan to keep this car for another 3-4 years. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor-cost-how-long-last/42564/2 "2010-01-14T23:07:27Z")
In your case, they last 14 years. Nice work. Sometimes they just need cleaning, but a lot of them are hot wire types that use the amount of currnt necessry to keep them hot to assess how much air is flowing by. they do go bad eventually. Replace it with a new one. An internet search can get you the best price, and it’s an easy DIY job with little risk associated. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor-cost-how-long-last/42564/3 "2010-01-15T04:03:21Z")
I really have to wonder why you think it needs to be replaced. Do you have a check engine light and a code? Landfills are full of perfectly good parts that people replace either by guessing (using parts replacements as diagnostics) and/or assuming that computer codes that report problems in systems identify “bad parts.” E.g. there are OBDII codes that would lead you to check out a MAF system for a problem. But the problem could be in the wiring to & from the MAF rather than in the MAF itself. Electronics cleaner, dialectric grease, solder & heat shrink wraps…stuff like that are very cheap items. MAFs are very expensive. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor-cost-how-long-last/42564/4 "2010-01-15T04:26:05Z")
Let us know if changing the MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor makes any difference in solving the problem, or not. I’m supposing that you did the diagnostics, right? OK?