I have a 99 beetle 2.0 having mass air flow sensor problems. ive replaced it 3 time and i have the correct voltage for the correct wires but every time i plug it in the car dies. With the MAF unplugged the car runs and idles great. Ive check for air leaks but couldnt find any... Does anyone have suggestions??

If you've replaced the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor three times and it still keeps coming up as bad, there could be a few other issues at play:

1. **Wiring or Connector Problems**: Check the wiring harness and connector for any signs of damage or corrosion. Poor connections can cause erroneous readings and trigger the MAF sensor code.

2. **Air Intake System**: Inspect the air intake system for leaks, cracks, or loose connections. Any unmetered air entering the engine can disrupt the MAF sensor's readings.

3. **Vacuum Leaks**: Vacuum leaks in the engine can affect the MAF sensor's performance. Inspect vacuum hoses and connections for leaks or damage.

4. **Faulty PCM (Powertrain Control Module)**: In rare cases, the issue could be with the vehicle's computer. A malfunctioning PCM may not be interpreting the MAF sensor data correctly.

5. **Other Sensor Issues**: Problems with other sensors such as the oxygen sensor or throttle position sensor can sometimes trigger MAF sensor-related codes.

Consider having a professional diagnostic done if you're unable to identify the issue yourself, as they can use specialized tools to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem.

Have to look up the specs

In general you need about 16 oz (Volume) in 15 to 20 seconds

Disconnect for the Battery for about 15 minutes to reset the computer, disconnect the Mass Air Flow Sensor, the M,A,S is on the air filter to the fuel injector there should be two wires on the M,A,S go to the Auto Parts store and buy Mass Air Flow Sensor cleaner read the directions on the can, spray, put back together plug the two lines back in connect the battery and away you go.

did you replace to top intake gasket you removed when you replaced the back spark plugs ,and do you torque it down right

Hi there:
Check the Negative and Positive hook ups from the car. First try to tighten it. It may be loose. If rusted, you can replace them with better ones. The brake light and anti lock will stay on in the process of a charging or battery problem due to anti lock pump failure cause by the low battery voltage. this vehicle has a battery with a dead cell or you have charging system problems, I would take the battery to have it check some ware else, unless you have a very bad short pulling your battery voltage to ground very fast. and we can check that but you need a test light.

If you have access to a dc voltmeter, measure the battery voltage and it should read 13.0 to 16.8 VDC when running. If not your alternator or regulator needs to be replaced. It might have an inline fuse that needs to be replaced.

Now, about shutoff condition, you might want to change the fuel filter, it may have been clogged by sediment picked up from the tank when it was ran low on fuel.

Also, you could have a bad mass air flow sensor or the snorkel from the mass air flow sensor to the throttle body could be ripped. Both are very common and can cause you vehicle to loose power along with many other drive ability issues.

First look for cracks or rips or anywhere air can enter the engine that is not accounted for by the mass air flow sensor. Next comes the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. This is a very important sensor input to the computer. It uses a hot wire sensing element to measure the amount of air entering the engine. The MAF sensor then outputs an analog voltage signal to the PCM proportional to the intake air mass. The PCM calculates the required fuel injector pulse width in order to provide the desired air/fuel ratio. If the sensor is bad than this air/fuel ratio will be off causing severe performance issues. In extreme cases, I have seen these two problems cause a no start condition. This input can also be used in determining transmission Electronic Pressure Control, shift and torque converter clutch scheduling.

Hope this helps; also keep in mind that your feedback is important and I will appreciate your time and consideration if you leave some testimonial comment about this answer.

Thank you for using FixYa, have a nice day.

Cat is usually damaged from vehicle misfiring, Those codes you posted are a MAF, idle control, and 02 sensor codes. The MAF sensor could be reading incorectly causing the car to run rich or lean, and giving the 02 sensors bad readings, i would deffinetly look into the MASS Air Flow sensor, which is located on the intake tuping near the airbox

You can also try cleaning it with MAF sensor cleaner

1. At the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor connector, backprobe the Gray (GY) wire at terminal #6 with the key on and the MAF sensor connected. Typical voltage will be about 2-3.5v depending on temperature.

2. If the voltage is above 4.5v (which is what the code P0113 indicates) check the voltage on the Gray/Red (GY/RD) wire at terminal #1 of the MAF sensor connector. The voltage on the GY/RD should be less than about 0.1v.

3. If the GY/RD wire shows less than 0.1v and the voltage on the GY wire is above 4.5v, inspect the connections at the MAF sensor connector. If OK, replace the MAF sensor for the open Intake Air Temperature (IAT) Sensor.

4. If the voltage on the GY/RD wire shows above 0.1v, locate and repair the high resistance between the MAF sensor and pin #91 of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) connector.

5. If the voltage on the GY wire is not above 4.5v but the scanner shows -40 F on the data stream, check the voltage at pin 39 of the PCM. If the voltage at the PCM is above 4.5v, locate and repair the high resistance or open circuit in the GY wire between the PCM and MAF sensor connector

. Check the Mass Air Flow Sensor voltages. Verify good battery voltage to the Mass Air Flow Sensor on the White/Black wire. Verify good grounds for the Mass Air Flow Sensor on the two Black wires - look for 0.05 volts or less to be ok. Check the output voltage from the Mass Air Flow Sensor on the White wire - specification is less than 0.5 volts key on engine off and 1.0 - 1.3 volts at warm idle. The Green/Orange wire at the Mass Air Flow Sensor is not used. The Mass Air Flow Sensor can test good and still be defective.

2. Make sure the timing belt is not off a tooth. Can check ignition timing to see if one bank is on. May need to get into compression on each bank but a timing belt off a tooth or two will idle poorly but can run better at higher RPM.

I would have the charging system checked for over-voltage and AC ripple. There maybe a hidden wire harness problem if the charging system is okay. Wiggle test the wire harness while the engine is running to help locate the problem area. That is way to many parts replaced.

The code you have P0102 is an indication that the mass air flow sensor is not operating properly. Two choices: 1 Disconnect maf. and run car to see if it runs better,not perfect just better. If o/k replace maf. 2 Check to see if the voltages are correct on the connector from the computer. You will need wiring scheme and voltmeter. If input voltage is low,it will more than likly be a broken wire. Good luck Moe