MAF sensor error codes. Help please.

[eddie3000]

Hi! I posted this in the technical guide forum, maybe the wrong place, and got no answers. So I thought I might just paste it here. Hope nobody minds.

 

"Hello everyone. Nice to be back to the forum after some time.

 

The problem we have is a flashing glowplug light in the dash that appears every day or two. We had it diagnosed at a local mechanic as a faulty MAF sensor, had that changed for a new one (200€ repair), but it's still happening. The car is out of guarantee, the dealer that sold us the car has closed down(due to the crisis I expect), and the nearest skoda dealer isn't too near really. We have inspected all the air pipes, no apparent holes or anything, and we still get the MAF sensor error code. Any idea? It's not the brake lights either.

 

Thank you."

[bryanb]

Hi Eddie, Had the same light flashing intermittently, ours turned out to be the exhaust gas temp sensor, It's the one right up behind the DPF. Our code was Bank 1 Sensor 3 EGT sensor. Sensor cost around £130

[dieselV6]

If the code still clearly says MAF sensor, it could be that the wiring to the sensor is damaged, rather than the MAF sensor itself.

[eddie3000]

Thank you. My mechanic told me the error code was a MAF error code (there are a few, he did not specify). I'm taking him the car again this afternoon, he's going to try and send the MAF sensor back for a refund (doubt he'll get it though), and he's going to check all the air intake system (don't know why he didn't do that first). I have read quite a bit around the internet, and it could be a whole lot of things (bad air filter, air leaks, bad connections, cracked pipes, faulty turbo, .....). In my case it is not the MAF, it would be a huge coincidence that both MAF sensors were bad. I'll keep you informed as time goes on. If somebody else has any idea about what could be going wrong, we would love to hear it.

Thank you very much.

[grafitti]

If the Skoda dealer is too far away for convenience, is there not a local independent VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda mechanic nearby who should be more familiar and able to diagnose the problem?

[rwbaldwin]

Ask them what the fault code was and post it here.

[eddie3000]

Hello, and thank you all for your support.

 

Apparently my local mechanic has finally fixed it. The original MAF sensor was faulty, it was just bad luck it happened to me. And because my Roomster is a fairly new model (2012), it required a different procedure my mechanic was not familiar with. I asked him what error code it was, and all he said was a MAF sensor error code, no number. I didn't insist. On the other hand, as he did have a bit of trouble fixing it, and it took him a couple of days to figure it out, he did not charge me the extra time. He now knows how it's done on the new models too, so we are both happy. According to him, on older cars you just changed the sensor, reset the fault codes, and that's it. The tolerances were much broader. But in newer cars you have to do a calibration process by driving the car with a computer plugged in, and according to some parameters you have to adjust some other parameters. Due to new european emision regulations, tolerances are so tight that you have to perform a vehicle per vehicle calibration to meet these new standards. If you don't, you'll keep getting an engine error code in the dash board. There's really  nothing wrong with the car, it'll work fine, it just isn't as efficient as the new laws require.

 

I hope my Roomster does not fail again. Thank you again for your help.