# Mass air flow sensor **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** eighty-eight, oldsmobile\ **Created:** [July 16, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor/51958 "2010-07-16T23:00:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jrm911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jrm911](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jrm911)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor/51958/1 "2010-07-16T23:00:11Z")
When the mass air flow sensor fails, what reaction occurs to a running engine? ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor/51958/2 "2010-07-16T23:10:16Z")
The check engine light comes on. The ECM has a work around so the engine may still appear to run ok. ---
**Author:** ![jrm911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jrm911](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jrm911)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor/51958/3 "2010-07-16T23:13:53Z")
The car runs rough and then quits. Is this the fault of the mass air flow sensor or has something else failed? ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mass-air-flow-sensor/51958/4 "2010-07-16T23:17:30Z")
Is a Check Engine light on? Can you read the codes for free at a local auto parts store? More clues needed including symptoms, causal factors, year of car, # of miles. Why do you suspect MAF sensor, could be dozens of things.