MAF sensor life

[Daox]

What are you guy's experience with mass airflow sensors? My Matrix is the first vehicle that I have owned with a maf sensor. This winter, on a very cold day, it started real rough and threw the check engine light on. It ran fine once warmed up I pulled the code with my scangauge and it said it was a maf sensor malfunction. I let it go knowing that the car uses the maf sensor literally around 2% of your driving time as its in closed loop 98% of the time. The check engine light went out later that day or so. This same thing happened about three times during winter and hasn't happened in the last two months. I did clean the sensor with cleaner after the first time it happened and that seemed to help a little. But, it came back on a few weeks later. So, I don't think its that. My question is, do maf sensors wear out (I didn't think they did)? If I'm looking to replace it should I get a salvage yard sensor, or a new one?


edit: is there anyway to edit the title after posting?

[SVOboy]

MAF sensors do work out, some toyotas would have the problem and we replaced a few at the shop I worked for a few years back. I would go ahead and soak it really well with some throttle body cleaner before replacing it though, it might just be gunked up or something.

Users can't edit the title, but if you want me to I can.

[Daox]

Thanks, I guess I'll try soaking it a bit more.

It does have a very annoying tendancy to not drop rpms when I push the clutch in on the highway. When I P&G I have to blip the throttle a little to get it to rev up and drop back down. Normally, if I would clutch in and it just keeps the rpms steady. After a few seconds it slowly idles down. Very annoying! However, the lower the speed, the less it does it. I did notice once I cleaned it the first time I idled down right away. When you just get off the gas is when it kicks into open loop and is using the maf sensor, so this made sense to me.

Just wanted to add something like "life" to the end of the title.

BTW, the car has 80,000 miles on it.

[tasdrouille]

The MAF on my 99 TDI is holding up pretty well. Clean air is a must with a MAF, as an example, a K&N will eventually kill it even if it's properly oiled as hey just let too much dirt through.

[Peter7307]

Yep a second on that last item...dirt and other rubbish is a real killer.
Degreaser or sometimes just a blast with compressed air will help things out a lot.
The good news is they can last as long as 500 000kms (about 360 000 miles) but regular cleaning keeps them alive.

Cheers , Pete.

[Daox]

Ah, that could be it. The previous owner did have a TRD cold air intake on the car before I got it. I'm not sure how long it was on the car. But, it did use an oiled air filter.

[diesel_john]

i have had success using contact cleaner for electronic equip.
it seems to dry with less residue.

[fabrio.]

You can try to engine shot down the engine when it is runnig over 3000RPM.
More MAF when it is stopped the engine in this conditions, enter in "cleaner procedure": the hot film or the hot wire (depending by technology) they are overheat and the deposit are eliminated.

[Daox]

Wouldn't that tend to bake on whatever didn't burn off?

[fabrio.]

I do not understand if than I writed, it is comprehensible!

the deposit it isburn off in overheating procedure,