Hello again CarTalk guys, I gave my daughter a 2003 Mazda, which run great, but one day after 58K + miles the car just quit running and she barely made it home. (engine is a gonner)it has been replaced. Now she is getting the codes above,which is the cheapest way to start?, she is a college student and mom, should I go ahead and replace the MAF or is there any other type of troubleshooting I can do?
Thanks again CarTalk
The first thing I would do is buy a can of MAF sensor cleaner from an auto parts store. Pull the MAF and clean it. Clear the codes and see what happens. If you’re confused about that, just read the directions on the can an spend some time googling for how to clean a MAF & you’ll get all sorts of stuff. Its very simple.
How did that first engine get killed at 58K?
The radiator blew a hole on top,She did not pay attention to the engine temp and she kept on driving, one thing she said she noted was the car drove very very slow making it home at night.
The CIRCUIT needs to be evaluated to determine why the MAF circuit has low input, and the IAT has high input. These could be simple connector problems, and not sensor problems. You need a manual for this car. It should have the correct testing procedures.
The electrical connectors to the MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor, and the iat (intake air temperature) sensor are often disconnected when the air filter is changed (or, the intake tube is removed for some other reason). Look for disconnected, or poorly connected, electrical connectors (“plugs”) on the intake tube.