The Taurus was Ford’s large, comfortable sedan for 15 years. However, in 2019, Ford decided to cancel all cars in North America other than the Mustang and Fusion. So, you can no longer go out and buy a new Taurus. If you already own one and want to keep it on the road, you may want to learn how to maintain and fix a few key Ford Taurus auto parts.
What Is an MAF Sensor?
Your vehicle has a mass air flow sensor attached to the air intake system. It measures the mass of the air flowing through the intake into the engine. This is important because your car needs this data to calculate the right amount of fuel to mix with the air.
A correct fuel/air mixture helps to achieve optimal performance, fuel-efficiency and longevity. However, a lean (too little fuel) or rich (too much fuel) can cause major performance issues and excess wear.
How Does an MAF Sensor Work?
The MAF sensor works on a clever principle. There is a small wire inside the air intake. As air rushes past this wire, it heats the wire up. The sensor then determines the temperature of the wire by measuring its electrical resistance. Hot metal has higher resistance. Thanks to this simple but useful concept, your vehicle can easily calculate how much air is passing through the intake.
Some vehicles even add a “cold” wire to complement the “hot” wire in the intake. The cold wire measures the ambient air to help calculate a more accurate mass. However, this isn’t typically necessary.
What Are the Signs of MAF Sensor Issues?
As mentioned, if the MAF sensor isn’t working, the engine will run either lean or rich depending on when the sensor failed. Both of these can cause similar issues. Essentially, the result is that the engine underperforms and over-emits. Therefore, you can identify a bad sensor because the car will have rough idles, poor acceleration and stalling.
Another clear sign of a bad MAF sensor is the check engine light turning on. Of course, this can be caused by many other types of issues. Fortunately, you can easily check what the problem is with an OBD-II reader. All vehicles built in 1996 or later has a port that you can plug the reader into. It will provide diagnostic trouble codes to let you know what the problem is.
If there is an issue with the MAF sensor, disconnect the battery and remove the sensor. Check it for significant dirt or build-up. In some cases, cleaning the sensor will fix any issues. You can also check its voltage and frequency using a multimeter. If it is defective, replacing it is as easy as installing a new one.
Keep Your Ford Taurus Running Smoothly.
When you know how to do maintenance tasks such as changing Ford Taurus oil filters, you can keep your car running smoothly. Even basic repairs such as changing the MAF sensor are surprisingly easy if you are willing to learn. Buy some basic tools and get started maintaining your Ford Taurus.
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