People all over the world know Porsche for its stylish and high-performance sports cars. Less known is the fact that the company had relatively humble beginnings in Germany with consulting and designing, but not making cars for its own brand. The company was integral in the creation of Volkswagen’s first car: the Beetle. It has certainly come a long way from there. Looking toward the future of automobiles, Porsche is unambiguous about the goals of tomorrow, stating its 2025 strategy as: “Shaping the future of the sportscar.”
For all this impressive history and pedigree, it is still a car with its own unique upkeep requirements. One small part that is easy to overlook is called the Mass Airflow (MAF) Sensor. The tricky part of this problem is that your car will keep functioning, but in a very suboptimal way that will be felt as the miles tick by.
What does the MAF do?
For the engine to function properly, it needs to constantly respond to demands with the correct ratio of air to fuel being pumped. Many additional parts go into this operation, but the mass airflow sensor is the part that sends messages to the car’s computer chip telling it when adjustments to this ratio need to be made. Typically, this small part is intended to survive the entire life of the vehicle, but in practice this is not always the case. It is important if your vehicle is experiencing any of the following symptoms that a professional technician take a look, as the MAF is difficult to troubleshoot and replace.
Signs your MAF may be failing or need repair
With the number of moving parts involved, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what can be causing an issue while driving, but these are some common symptoms that may mean your MAF sensor is ready to be replaced:
- Engine Stalling: When the correct engine needs are not being communicated back to the computer chip, the fuel-air ratio can fluctuate far from optimal levels. If your engine is beginning to stall there is a good chance the intake is not being adjusted from high performance driving back to idling at a stoplight, and this can cause the engine to stall.
- Decreased Performance: One of the woes of having such a high performance vehicle, is that a drop in this performance can be crushing. You bought a Porsche to open up on the highway and experience a true driving machine. If the engine is getting out of sorts, you will notice an immediate change in performance, such as strange sounds at the top end and decreased fuel economy.
- Decreased Power Output: After driving your vehicle for a time, it will be very obvious when the engine starts to lose power output. This will be most obvious when really putting the pedal down, but a loss of power will also be noticeable at critical times like gear shifts and first starting to accelerate, both signs that your engine should be examined by a certified mechanic.
- Strange Sounding/Rough Idling: Changes in firing in the engine’s pistons come from the incorrect proportion of air and fuel being injected. If your MAF sensor is no longer operating properly, you will notice right away with the car’s idle becoming rough, or sounding different than it normally does.
Hagan’s Motor Pool is Here for You and your Porsche
The joy of hitting the open road in a stylish Porsche 
sports car is rivaled only by the feeling of doing so with the vehicle running at its absolute optimal levels. At Hagan’s Motor Pool, we have you covered to make sure your Porsche keeps running the way it was designed. We specialize in European makes and are focused on the specific and unique needs these brands have. You cannot and should not trust your Porsche to just any shop that services all makes and models, since they won’t have the specialized knowledge and tools to properly care for your car.
We serve the clients of the communities in and around Alton, Barrington, Berwick, Dover, or Rochester NH. We look forward to speaking with you today and showing you why we are the best shop for your Porsche’s needs.