The manifold absolute pressure sensor is one of the sensors used within the internal combustion engine’s electronic control system. The internal combustion engine is a heat engine in which the combustion of fuel occurs within an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. This MAP sensor plays a huge part of the engine’s system, therefore, it is crucial to know the cost of the MAP sensor price when purchasing a replacement or finding repairs for this part.
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What is the MAP Sensor?
Engines that use the MAP sensor are generally fuel injected. This means that these engines introduce fiel in the internal combustion engine by means of an injector. The manifold’s absolute pressure sensor, which analyzes the applied force by fluid on a surface, provides the manifold pressure info directly to the engine’s electronic control unit.
The electronic control unit is an embedded system in automotive electronics that controls multiple electrical systems and subsystems. The engine control unit controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure the best engine performance. It reads values from sensors, like the MAP sensor, and interprets the data using multidimensional performance maps, and adjusts the actuators.
A fuel-injected engine might also use a mass airflow sensor to determine the type of intake airflow and the pressure. The mass airflow sensor, or the MAF sensor, determines the mass flow rate of air that enters the fuel-injected internal combustion engine. The naturally aspirated engine uses one or the other.
A forced induction engine uses both sensors, utilizing the MAF and MAP sensors. The MAF sensor, which determines the mass airflow rate on the charge pipe, and the MAP sensor goes to the intake section.
MAP sensor data is converted into air mass data by utilizing technology from an IAT Sensor using the speed density method. This MAP sensor can be used in OBD-II applications to test the EGR valve for functionality.
What is the OBD-II?
The OBd II system is an on-board diagnostics system that refers to the self-diagnostic and self-reporting capability of a vehicle. The OBD systems give the vehicle access to the info and data of your vehicle by providing information on a computer.
This type of interface is improved in terms over the OBD-I in all ways, including the capabilities, functionalities, and standardization. This system can provide additional info about the MAP sensor and MAF sensor.
Signs of a Broken MAP Sensor
MAP sensors can fail for many reasons, with the most common being getting clogged, getting filled with debris, getting contaminated, or getting damaged. Sometimes, the engine heat can cause too much friction and generate too much heat for the electronic components of the MAP sensor or crack vacuum lines. If the MAP sensor becomes damaged or breaks down over time, the ECM can’t calculate the correct engine load. Without the ECM being able to determine this data, the air to fuel ratio will become too rich, meaning there is too much fuel, or too lean, meaning there is not enough fuel in terms of too much air.
So, what is the best way to know that your MAP sensor is going bad or becoming damaged? We have narrowed down the key problems to look out for.
Poor Fuel Economy – If your electronic control module is reading very low vacuum or no vacuum, then the ECM is guessing that the engine is at a high load, and ends up putting more fuel into the system and sparking the timing in too soon. This can lead to a higher consumption of fuel, which results in a lower fuel economy and possible multiple explosions or small detonations.
Lack of Power – If the electronic control module is reading that there is a high vacuum, the opposite problem of what we previously mentioned, then this assumes that the engine load is very low and prevents the spark timing. The fuel consumption will lower, which is good for the fuel economy, but this could backfire – if too little fuel is consumed, then the engine might not have enough power for the basic functions, like accelerating and passing.
Failed Emissions Inspection – Since the fuel injection does not directly relate to an engine load, the broken MAP sensor that needs replacing can lead to an increase in harmful emissions, generating higher hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions.
Rough Idle – Without enough fuel injection to provide the engine with oil, this can lead to rough idling and even cylinder misfiring.
Hard Starting – A very rich or a mixture that is too lean makes the engine difficult to start and fire up, causing the engine to only start when your foot is on the accelerator.
Hesitation or Stalling – When you start from a dead stop in your car or you try to accelerate in your vehicle, stepping on the gas might not provide the same amount of power as if you had a working MAP sensor.
Check Engine Light – Depending on how old your vehicle is, the make, the model, and the vehicle, the MAP sensor diagnostic codes might range from just simple faults to range faults, like correlation faults. A failing MAP sensor might give the ECM data that is incorrect or doesn’t make enough sense and turn on the check engine light.
Broken MAP sensor – Check These Parts First…
If you have finally figured out that the MAP sensor is a problem according to the previous symptoms, then you know that there is an issue that needs to be fixed. But where to start? Check these following components of the MAP sensor first to see where the problem originates…
Electrical – Start by checking the connector and wiring of the MAP sensor, making sure that the connector is secure, and the pins are clean and straight. Any signs of corrosion, debris, or damage that is in the connection can harm the sensor. Similarly, the wiring between the ECM and the MAP sensor should be secure and intact.
Hose – Some MAP sensors are connected to the intake manifold by a hose. Ensure that this house is connected, doesn’t contain any holes or leaks, and is intact.
Sensor – If the sensor is not connected in the right way or securely enough, both electrically and the intake manifold, use a scan tool or a meter to check the MAP sensor output. Check these output data against the measured voltage to see if your car is at full vacuum or no vacuum. If the MAP sensor data does not match the chart, then it is easy to determine that the sensor needs to be replaced.
By checking these parts of the MAP sensor first, you can make sure that you know where exactly the problem is originating from. This can make the problem easier to diagnose, and help you determine where you need to fix the issue so that the MAP sensor can continue working in the correct way.
MAP Sensor Replacement
If you know that you have to change out the MAP sensor, then you won’t have to set aside a lot of money for this repair job. Fortunately for this piece of your car, it is a relatively fast and simple replacement that won’t break the bank or take up too much time from your day.
This entire replacement process of the MAP sensor might only take up an hour from start to finish if you are using a mechanic. However, if you decide to postpone this fix, then this can cause a lot more problems in the future for you and your car. The longer you wait, the more expensive the replacement will be, since it will affect other parts negatively. If you leave the MAP sensor for too long, then you will have to fix other components of your engine.
Benefits of MAP Sensor Replacement
After you have the MAP sensor fixed or replaced from your local mechanic, you can also feel like you can drive your car more comfortably and safely without having to worry about the drive quality or the diagnostics on your car’s computer.
In addition to being able to rely on your car’s computer information, you can also not have to worry about the check engine light appearing once again in your car. Even though you may have determined that the cause of this check engine light is the MAP sensor, if it comes back on again, you will know that this is for a different problem.
There are so many issues and long term problems that you can avoid if you get this MAP sensor problem fixed, that you will save a lot of heartache and money for a new and safe car!
When to get MAP Sensor Replacement?
The most common sign and symptom that the MAP sensor is not working is that check engine light will be on in your car. Although this can happen for many reasons, it is crucial to figure out the real reason behind the check engine light being on.
The other reasons that the check engine light might turn on besides the MAP sensor is a faulty oxygen sensor, loose gas cap, faulty catalytic converter, faulty ignition coil, bad spark plug, bad mass airflow sensor, non-compatible aftermarket alarm, and leaky vacuum hose on the evap system.
Besides the check engine light from coming on you might also notice that the black smoke is coming out of the exhaust because the neigne is overheating, working too hard, causing friction, and burning too much fuel. This may cause the engine to misfire, stall, and stop – which can be very dangerous while you are driving on the road.
How to save money on the MAP sensor replacement
We know that everyone is looking to cut costs in their life. You're dining out less ,cancelling subscriptions, adn finding ways to spend less money on the everyday items. Here, you can do just that. Those looking for a way to save money might want to try repairing this issue themselves instead of bringing it to a mechanic, which can get costly over time. In most cases, this replacement of the MAP sensor is not very complicated and can be done with some knowledge and tools.
Just make sure that before you try embarking on this repair or replacement at your home or yuor office that you don’t mistakenly replace the incorrect part, which might be in working order, or miss a serious and severe issue that needs to be fixed.
If doing the work yourself does not sound like you or you do not have the right experience, then you can also find another way to save money. You can compare rates among your local mechanics that are near to your house to prevent any extra driving or towing costs, and make sure that you find one with a reputable review.
Sample MAP Sensor Replacement Costs
In order to figure out how much you might pay for the MAP Sensor replacement for your specific vehicle, we have added a few of the most common and popular vehicles on the market today and the sampe prices so you can get a feel for how much you might spend if you did end up taking your car to the local mechanic’s office. Let’s check it out.
On the lower end of the price spectrum, the Ford Fusion and the Ford Focus are the two least expensive options in terms of MAP sensor replacement. With labor costing between just $26 and $34, and the parts only costing around $93-$181, the total cost ranges from $119-$215 – which is not very expensive at all compared to more extensive and heavy duty repairs like the engine and the transmission.
On the higher end of the price range, we have the Toyota cars – the Camry, Corolla, and the Nissan Altima. Although this is more expensive, it is only a total of $8 more on the low end. This means that no matter what kind of car you own, the MAP Sensor replacement will be a low-cost fix that will take very little time.