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How to Clean the Ford Mass Air Flow Sensor

Details
Written by Abraham Torres-Arredondo

No Improvement in
Performance After MAF Clean

Cleaning the MAF Sensor is just a maintenance type of repair, just like changing the oil of the engine in your Ford vehicle is only a maintenance type of service.

To be a bit more specific, if the engine in your Ford vehicle is knocking... changing the Engine Oil (no matter how old or dirty), is not gonna' solve the engine mechanical issue causing the knock, and so it goes with cleaning the MAF Sensor.

Cleaning a MAF Sensor will only improve Engine Performance and/or Gas Mileage if it's dirty (contaminated). So, if cleaning the MAF Sensor didn't do anything for the vehicle you're driving.. you need to look into a deeper Mass Air Flow Sensor diagnostic.

If you need to test the MAF Sensor itself, to see if it's producing a correct Signal the PCM can use, check out my article on testing it with a Multimeter at:

  1. How to Test the Ford MAF Sensor (this article at: easyautodiagnostics.com).

The MAF Sensor test in the article above is done with just a Multimeter (no Scan Tool required) and is accomplised in 4 easy test steps.



Applies To:

 

Ford Vehicles:

  • Aerostar 3.0L, 4.0L
    • 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
  • Bronco 5.0L, 5.8L
    • 1994 1995, 1996
  • Crown Victoria 4.6L, 5.0L
    • 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
  • Contour 2.0L, 2.5L
    • 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Ford Vehicles:

  • Escape 2.0L, 3.0L
    • 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
  • Explorer 4.0L, 5.0L
    • 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
  • E150, E250, E350 4.9L, 5.0L, 5.8L
    • 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

Ford Vehicles:

  • Focus 2.0L
    • 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
  • F150, F250, F350 4.9L, 5.0L, 5.8L
    • 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
  • Mustang (GT, Cobra) 2.3L, 4.6L, 5.0L
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003

Ford Vehicles:

  • Probe 2.0L
    • 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • Ranger 2.3L, 2.9L, 3.0L, 4.0L
    • 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
  • Taurus 3.0L, 3.8L
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
  • Tempo 2.3L, 3.0L
    • 1992, 1993, 1994

Ford Vehicles:

  • Thunderbird 3.8L, 4.6L, 5.0L
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997

Mercury Vehicles:

  • Cougar 3.8L, 4.6L, 5.0L
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • Grand Marquis 4.6L, 5.0L
    • 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

Mercury Vehicles:

  • Mountaineer 4.0L, 5.0L
    • 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
  • Mystique 2.0L, 2.5L
    • 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
  • Sable 3.0L, 3.8L
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
  • Topaz 2.3L, 3.0L
    • 1992, 1993, 1994

Lincoln Vehicles:

  • Continental 3.8L
    • 1992, 1993, 1994
  • Town Car
    • 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

Mazda Vehicles:

  • B4000
    • 1994

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