The mass air flow sensor in a Volkswagen serves a very important function. It analyzes the amount of air that is being brought in through the air intake system and is being delivered into the engine. If the connector for the mass air flow sensor is bad, it cannot perform this task correctly, leading to decreased performance and poor fuel efficiency. In order to fix this, it is necessary to replace the connector.
Open the hood of the VW and disconnect the negative (black) cable from the car battery by loosening the screw on the end of the cable and pulling it off of the terminal.
Locate the air box in the upper-right corner of the engine compartment of the VW. There will be a tube leading out of it and a small plastic connector with several wires attached to it. Use a flat-head screwdriver to push down the tab on the connector and pull it out with your hand.
Use a terminal removal tool to pull the wires out of each of the pins in the connector and dispose of the connector.
Place the wires into the new pins for the new connector and use a crimper to secure them to the pins.
Slide the new pins into the appropriate place in the connector. Refer to the wiring diagram that came with the new connector for the exact positions.
Place the new connector into the slot on the tube leading out of the air box that the old connector was attached to. Then reattach the negative (black) wire to the battery terminal and tighten the screw to secure it.
