HID Lights ruined Mass Air flow sensor
08-19-2015 | 12:17 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 50
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E350
HID Lights ruined Mass Air flow sensor
Did this happen to anyone else? Long time ago when I had my HID lights installed the check engine light went on right after. Now my car failed the smog test.
08-19-2015 | 04:29 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 50
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E350
08-20-2015 | 06:58 AM
#5
Super Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 673
Likes: 27
From: Frederick
2000 ML320, 2005 E320 CDI
It sounds as thought they saw your ballasts and immediately blamed that lol. Unless someone ties directly in to a line connected to the MAF, I cannot understand how the two are related. Many of us use HIDs and haven't had issues. I would try to clean the MAF and see if the light goes out. If it does, replace the sensor, not the entire unit.
08-21-2015 | 12:02 AM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 271
Likes: 17
From: NYC and LI
2004 Mercedes E500, 2008 Mercedes ML350
No, because our dealers aren't BS-ing us.
And for God's sake don't by the MAF at the dealer. Get a nice Bosch one at Amazon (but not from EBay, where the quality is garbage and/or the product is a fake), or, if you're up to it, replace just the little sensor component, but you can easily DIY replacing the whole unit.
My MAF, for example, brand new from Bosch via Amazon as opposed to a marketplace seller: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-02802178...es-benz%3Ae500
Oh, and one other clue. The "smog test" is no longer done by analyzing what comes out of your tailpipe using an external machine. Your CAR tells the computer whether it is failing. With the Check Engine light on (apparently for a long time), it by definition will fail the test. Check Engine light on = fail.
And for God's sake don't by the MAF at the dealer. Get a nice Bosch one at Amazon (but not from EBay, where the quality is garbage and/or the product is a fake), or, if you're up to it, replace just the little sensor component, but you can easily DIY replacing the whole unit.
My MAF, for example, brand new from Bosch via Amazon as opposed to a marketplace seller: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-02802178...es-benz%3Ae500
Oh, and one other clue. The "smog test" is no longer done by analyzing what comes out of your tailpipe using an external machine. Your CAR tells the computer whether it is failing. With the Check Engine light on (apparently for a long time), it by definition will fail the test. Check Engine light on = fail.
Last edited by wjcandee; 08-21-2015 at 12:11 AM.
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08-23-2015 | 04:10 AM
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,184
Likes: 16
From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
They're not related, former friend of mine screwed up the install of my HIDs on my car back when I was scared to work on it, and it didn't do anything of the sort. The MAF is bad, but no idea how HIDs are related
08-23-2015 | 05:52 AM
#9
SPONSOR/MBworld Guru
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: California
MB W204/W212, BMW E66, Porsche 958, VW MK6 TDI, Maserati Ghibli SQ4
You're not the first we've heard dealer blame MAF sensor (for that matter any number of other internal failure) on HIDs. It's a convenient excuse for them to blame fault on the first aftermarket item they see when they pop the hood. It's unrelated so don't believe the lazy service tech.
