How to clean Mass Air Flow Sensor
Mass Air Flow Sensor should be cleaned every 50,000 miles. A Mass Air Flow Sensor measure the amount of air entering the intake manifold. The air that is brought in is often dirty and over time can make the MAF dirty. A dirty Mass Air Flow will generate false signal and can throw an engine air/fuel off. A symptom of a dirty MAF is the engine running lean. That means that there is too much air mixing with the fuel. Now you know the importance of cleaning the MAF as your maintenance. Whatever you do, do not use brake cleaner or carburetor cleaner on the MAF.
You will need a Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner. A brand i normally recommend is CRC. This product is cheap and normally cost around $5 dollars and can get the job done.
Step #1: remove the Mass Air Flow from the vehicle by disconnecting the connector and removing the bolt or torx.
Step #2: spray enough cleaner on the sensor but do not saturate it.
Step #3: allow the sensor to dry in open air for at least 30 minutes. This will ensure that the liquid will evaporate and not leave residue.
Step #4: install the Mass Air Flow Sensor