5 Symptoms of a Bad MAP Sensor
The MAP sensor, also known as the manifold pressure sensor, is a necessary part of your vehicle’s fuel injection system. You’ll notice if your MAP is broken. As you may know, the intake manifold is responsible for distributing the air-fuel mixture from the combustion chambers to each cylinder.
The MAP sensor helps the Engine Control Module (PCM) determine how much mixture to inject into these cylinders. This way, your engine’s performance will continue to run smoothly without causing any issues or setbacks. MAP sensors are found on most injected engines made today. These are engines that pump gasoline at high pressure to vaporize it.
The MAP sensor helps the engine determine what it needs for the best possible combustion. It does this by calculating how much air is going into the engine, how many revolutions per minute the engine is making, and what the air temperature is. The 5 Most Common Symptoms of a Bad MAP Sensor
MAP sensors should continue to function for a very long time. However, there will come a time when a MAP sensor will no longer function due to damage or wear. When this happens, you will experience one or more noticeable symptoms that may surprise you. If you don’t replace your MAP sensor promptly, the symptoms will only get worse, leaving you with a bigger problem that could end up costing you even more to fix. Here are the 5 most common symptoms of a bad MAP sensor that are easy to identify:
1) Low fuel economy
When your MAP sensor goes bad, you’ll end up using more gas than usual, which means you’ll have to drive to the gas station and fill up more frequently. As a result, you end up spending more money on gas than ever before.
2) High Emissions (Failed Emissions Tests)
When too much fuel is injected into the cylinders, more hydrocarbons are released through the exhaust and into the environment. You may not even realize this until you take your car for an emissions test.
Many states require vehicle owners to have an emissions test every 1-2 years. If your vehicle fails an emissions test, have a mechanic check it out to determine if the MAP sensor is to blame.
3) Poor Engine Performance (Ticking)
A bad MAP sensor can cause a variety of strange symptoms. Poor fuel economy is one of these symptoms, and in some cases improved fuel economy is another. However, the engine will be significantly weaker.
The engine is less powerful. At the same time, you are putting more demands on the engine than it can handle.
4) Strong fuel odor (burning smell)
When the MAP sensor fails, an incorrect amount of fuel and air is mixed in the combustion chamber. Sometimes there is too much fuel mixed in, and sometimes there is too little fuel mixed in. This rich fuel mixture will cause the inside (and outside) of your car to smell like gasoline, which should be noticeable after the engine has been running for a few minutes.
5) Jerking/Hesitation When Accelerating
When you are driving your car and step on the accelerator, you may notice that your car jerks or hesitates when accelerating, or simply refuses to accelerate. In more severe cases, continuing to accelerate in this situation will cause the vehicle to stall out completely.
If you notice this kind of jerk or hesitation, it is best to take your vehicle to a repair shop immediately. You don’t want to risk making the symptoms worse as it could result in engine damage or leaving you stranded in an uncomfortable place.