First we need to understand how this sensor works.
MAP Sensor measures the pressure generated in the engine to help the computer calculate how much air goes into the motor.
This sensor works alongside:
IAT: Air temperature sensor
ECT: Engine coolant temperature sensor
MAF: Air flow sensor
TPS: Acceleration position sensor
Now then, how to know if the MAP sensor is failing
1 Engine takes time to get started
When the sensor fails the computer cannot calculate how much fuel must be injected into the engine for proper functioning, the engine takes time to start and once done you can perceive a gas smell in the exhaust pipe.
2 Black smoke and gas smell
Once you finally start the engine this one’s going to emit lots of black smoke, and you’ll immediately sense gas oil. This is a clear sign of a TPS failure.
3 Power loss
If you abruptly accelerate while driving and the engine doesn’t respond, it may be the failing TPS sending a false sign to the ECT. Accelerating this way will be accompanied by the same black smoke aforementioned causing your car to lose a lot of power and start pulling.
4 Plugs filled with soot
If you feel you’re losing power, you check on your plugs, they’re burned and no matter how much you clean them they keep getting burned, this could be caused by the TPS sending too much gas impeding it’s appropriate burning causing a lot of problems with the engine’s performance
5 Notable consumption of gasoline
If you notice fuel doesn’t last long and you have to constantly refill, it may be caused by a malfunction with the MAP sensor, since the erroneous sign makes the injector push more gas than it should, increasing it’s consumption notably.
Multimeter test
When it comes to the electric system, we check the wiring. These sensors carry 3 connections, a line voltage of either 5 or 12 volts, a land line and the line sending the sign that the sensor emits to the computer.
It’s important to check all 3 lines, if the sensor doesn’t receive the supply by false contact or it’s short in any of it’s lines the reading coming from the sensor will be erroneous
And we’ve come to an end! If you liked the video and have a failure on your car, let me know in the comments below and subscribe, so we keep on uploading content and making the mechanic community grow.
