The mass air flow (MAF) sensor on the 93, 94, 95 Nissan Quest Mini-van (3.0L V6) can be tested in three easy tests and without using an automotive scan tool. All you'll need, to use the info in this test article, is a simple multimeter.
This part of the tutorial includes some handy information you'll need to make testing the MAF on your Nissan Quest Mini-Van as easy and as head-ache free as possible.
Contents of this tutorial:
You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Prueba: Sensor de Flujo de Aire (MAF) 3.0L Nissan Quest (1993, 1994, 1995) (at: autotecnico-online.com).
NOTE: Here's a list of other Nissan MAF sensor test articles in this site:
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Test 3.3L Frontier, Quest, Pathfinder, XTerra (1999-2004).
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Test 2.4L Nissan D21 Hard Body (1990-1995).
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Test Nissan Sentra 1.6L (1995-1999).
- How To Test The 2000-2002 Nissan Sentra 1.8L MAF Sensor.
Symptoms Of A Bad Nissan Quest MAF Sensor
The most common symptom you'll experience, on your Nissan Quest when the MAF has gone bad, is a lack of power when you accelerate the mini-van. Here are a couple of others:
- MAF Codes that light up the check engine light (CEL) on your instrument cluster.
- Nissan vehicle specific Code 12 (Mass Air Flow Sensor Circuit).
- OBD II code P0100.
- MAF sensor malfunction that DOES NOT light up the check engine light (CEL).
- Lean and/or Rich code(s).
- OBD II code P0171.
- OBD II code P0172.
- A tremendous lack of power upon acceleration.
- Black smoke coming from the tail-pipe.
- Bad gas mileage.
- Vehicle may idle rough and stall.
What Tools Do I Need?
To use the test info in this article, you'll only need to use a multimeter. You can use a digital multimeter or an analog multimeter, either one will do the job.
I would also recommend using a wire-piercing probe to to test the signal of each wire (to see what this tool looks like, click here: Wire-Piercing Probe.
Circuit Descriptions Of The Quest MAF Sensor Connector
The mass air flow (MAF) sensor on your Nissan Quest Mini-Van is a three wire sensor. One feeds power (12 Volts), another supplies a path to Ground, and the last is the one that delivers the MAF signal, that the sensor creates, to the fuel injection computer.
In the photos that you'll be using through out the article, I have labeled the wires with the letters A thru' C. Below is a brief description of what each circuit does:
- Letter A:
- Power (12 V) Circuit
- Letter B:
- Ground Circuit.
- Letter C:
- MAF Signal output Circuit.
The power and Ground circuits can be tested with the MAF sensor's connector disconnected from the mass air flow sensor and testing the front of the connector. But this can be a risky move since the female terminal can get damaged. What I suggest you do, is to use a Wire Piercing Probe to get to the signal inside the wire. If you need to see what this tool looks like, click here: Wire-Piercing Probe. Independent of the method you use, be careful not to damage the wire(s). Take all safety precautions.
How Does The Nissan Quest MAF Sensor Work?
The mass air flow (MAF) sensor's role in the fuel injection system of your Nissan Quest, is to measure the amount of air that the engine is breathing and to turn this measurement into a DC voltage signal.
This MAF sensor signal is then sent to the fuel injection computer, which uses it to efficiently run the mini-van, whether it's just idling at a traffic-light or cruising down the road.
To be a little more specific:
- At higher RPM when the engine breathes in more air, the MAF sensor produces a higher voltage signal output.
- At lower RPM when the engine breathes in less air, the MAF sensor produces a lower voltage signal output.
So if the Quest's 3.0L V6 engine is revved up to 2,500 RPMs, the MAF sensor produces and sends a higher DC voltage signal to the computer than at idle RPM. Once the engine returns to idle RPM, the voltage signal (produced at 2,500 RPM) goes back to a lower voltage value, which the computer also receives.
When testing this DC voltage MAF signal with your multimeter, the important thing to know is not an actual Volts DC value at a specific RPM, but to confirm that the MAF voltage signal increases/decreases as engine RPM increases/decreases.
If the MAF sensor has failed, you'll see that its voltage signal output will stay stuck in one value regardless of engine RPM.
In the TEST 3 section of this article, I'll show how you just how to test this so that you can confirm that your Nissan Maxima's MAF sensor is bad or not.
TEST 1: Making Sure The MAF Sensor Has Power
The very first thing to check is to verify that the Quest's MAF sensor is getting power (10 to 12 Volts) with the key in the ON position.
If power isn't available to MAF sensor, it won't function.
If power is available, then the next step is making sure it's getting Ground.
OK, let's start:
- 1
Place your multimeter in Volts DC mode.
- 2
Probe the wire that's identified with the letter A in the photo with the red multimeter test lead.
- 3
Connect the black multimeter test lead to a good Ground point, preferably directly on the battery negative (-) terminal.
- 4
Turn the key on but don't crank or start the engine.
- 5
If all is good, then your multimeter should display 10 to 12 Volts DC.
Let's take a look at what your test results mean:
CASE 1: Your multimeter registered 10 to 12 Volts. This outcome confirms that the Quest's MAF sensor is getting juice (power). The next step is to test the Ground circuit, go to: TEST 2: Making Sure The MAF Sensor Has Ground.
CASE 2: Your multimeter DID NOT register 10 to 12 Volts. Recheck all of your multimeter connections and retest. If still no voltage, then the Quest's MAF sensor is not the cause of the MAF code or MAF issue, since without this voltage, the MAF sensor will not produce a signal to the computer.
Finding and repairing the source of this missing voltage will resolve the MAF sensor code or problem with your Nissan Quest.
