desperate! please help-mass airflow sensor

[luvieluvmybmdub]

Yesterday the check engine light came on in my 1995 540i while I was driving on the freeway. My car started driving poorly then lost power. I was able to restart it, got off the road and pulled the fault codes. I got a 1215, mass airflow sensor, and read as much as I could find on these forums. I unplugged the sensor and it seems to drive fine. I am 350 miles from home and don't have the $$ to purchase a new part. Will I damage my car if I try to drive home with the sensor unplugged? Will the car make it home this way? I'd appreciate any advice, please help!!

[Interceptor]

Yesterday the check engine light came on in my 1995 540i while I was driving on the freeway. My car started driving poorly then lost power. I was able to restart it, got off the road and pulled the fault codes. I got a 1215, mass airflow sensor, and read as much as I could find on these forums. I unplugged the sensor and it seems to drive fine. I am 350 miles from home and don't have the $$ to purchase a new part. Will I damage my car if I try to drive home with the sensor unplugged? Will the car make it home this way? I'd appreciate any advice, please help!!
It's safer to drive with the MAF unplugged than with a faulty one! When the engine management senses that there's no input from the MAF it switches back to preprogrammed fuel maps. Sure, power and consumption will suck, but hey, at least you'll be able to drive back home.

[luvieluvmybmdub]

Thanks for your answer, I was afraid of getting stranded. On a scale of 1-10, how difficult would it be to replace the MAF myself? It doesn't look too complicated, but I've never done any repairs myself before. I bought the car in March '05, and since then I've had the dealer replace two O2 sensors, a throttle body valve?, both catalytic converters, the fuel pump, fuel line, and coolant hose which set me back over $5000 just for the repairs. Should I invest in a service manual or cd's?

[632 Regal]

WOW...I'll take a stab and say it needs intake gaskets or a PCV plate. Not something I would want to pay a dealer to do especially if thats the problem the whole time and their milking you along. Bets say that your MAF is good and you have intake leaks/gasket/PCV.


Thanks for your answer, I was afraid of getting stranded. On a scale of 1-10, how difficult would it be to replace the MAF myself? It doesn't look too complicated, but I've never done any repairs myself before. I bought the car in March '05, and since then I've had the dealer replace two O2 sensors, a throttle body valve?, both catalytic converters, the fuel pump, fuel line, and coolant hose which set me back over $5000 just for the repairs. Should I invest in a service manual or cd's?

[citti2004]

just popped on a new cone filter, i know it wont do anything for performance at all, its just for the sound, anyway the standard mass air flow sensor (http://www.thepartsbin.com/brands/standard/standard_mass_air_flow_sensor.html) has just kinda been left dangling there's no where for it to go, what do i do?. all my friends have the same prob, they run petrols there cars run fine, but it is bothering me about what to do with it.