Originally Posted By: SavagePatch
I used to get a CEL every year due to running a K&N air filter in a 3.4 Tacoma. The CRC MAF Sensor cleaner worked everytime. Don't touch the wire. Just spray a few times and let it air dry.
WalMart sells a
TB & MAF Cleaner Combo for pretty cheap. Two birds with one stone.
(So besides me having to clean and re-oil the filter, clean the MAF, clear the CEL, all the while introducing more silica than necessary to the engine... was it worth it?)
Good post and I would add that you can use a MAF cleaner for cleaing electrical contacts, BUT do not use cheaper contact cleaners to clean a MAF cos they are often contaminated with traces of varnish and that results in a sticky set of elements that will collect dirt and fail again.
The chances that a defective MAF can be cleaned are about 50/50, so when you consider the cost of an OEM standard replacement it's worth a try.
If the MAF sensor or connections fail in terms of signals that the ECU thinks are out of limits it results in limp home mode with most vehicles. That mode does not always give a CEL warning for some reason with older cars.