Check Engine Light Caused by Bug(insect) in sensor

my_little_pwny · Apr 10, 2008

Howdy,

Has this happened to anyone else and what would you do if it did?

I took my 2007GT in to the dealer for a service and to have to passenger side air bag recall thing corrected. When I got my car back the check engine light came on after driving about an hour.

I took my car back to Ford assuming they did something wrong while correcting the airbag sensor but when they called me I got a different story.

They claim a bug was stuck to the sensor in the mass air meter and that triggered the check engine light. I now owe them $115 bucks for scraping the bug of my sensor and resetting the code. I would have no problem paying even though that seems a little high but I am worried they may not be on the up an up and could be making this up.

Thanks for any help and/or advice.

PS sense I am posting instead of lurking I will get some pictures up asap

gashog · Apr 10, 2008

I would have had them show me the bug before they charged me any money... what a rip off!

my_little_pwny · Apr 10, 2008

gashog said:
I would have had them show me the bug before they charged me any money... what a rip off!

I am at work and will not be able to pick up my precious till tomorrow.

Thats good advice I am going to ask to see the bug and where it was stuck to just to be a dick if for no other reason.

Thanks

67&05STANGS · Apr 10, 2008

It's a 2007, I would think it would be covered under the warranty. You didn't modify anything in the area that they found the bug?

homebrewer · Apr 10, 2008

Assuming that you still have an air filter in your car, they're full of crap. No way could a bug make it that far past an undamaged air filter.

First I'd raise hell about that because it is rediculous. If they don't do anything about it, be sure to never visit them again.

I'm just glad that my local dealer doesn't pull this kind of stuff. They'll even find discounts when I really need something (like a new tire).

my_little_pwny · Apr 10, 2008

67&05STANGS said:
It's a 2007, I would think it would be covered under the warranty. You didn't modify anything in the area that they found the bug?

I drive anywhere from 115-160 miles a day ( for work). I got the car last July and I am nearing 40k. No mods, she is all stock but an after market spoiler that was dealer installed

my_little_pwny · Apr 10, 2008

homebrewer said:
Assuming that you still have an air filter in your car, they're full of crap. No way could a bug make it that far past an undamaged air filter.

First I'd raise hell about that because it is rediculous. If they don't do anything about it, be sure to never visit them again.

I'm just glad that my local dealer doesn't pull this kind of stuff. They'll even find discounts when I really need something (like a new tire).

All stock, if there was no air filter then they forgot to replace it during the service.

There service department has been lacking at best. I bought the car there because they have a sales guy who has been good to my family.

If this proves to be bull**** they are going to lose a but ton of business from me. I have bought the stang and a new F150 from them in less then a year and I plan on turning over the truck in a year.

belzebub2u · Apr 10, 2008

yeah, a "bug" is a load of crap. if that happens, the air filter they put in there is faulty, or they did something really wierd. i wouldn't pay for something like that. there is absolutly NO way a bug gets past your air filter if its in working order. . . ever. that is its only job. if your filter was bad, they would have told you about it when they did the service. it sounds very fishy to me. and even if by some chance (ya right) that happens. . $115 BUCKS???? holy crap.

Az Pete · Apr 10, 2008

I had that happen on an E-350 15 passenger, 5.4 van. A moth did a spread eagle across the MAF and killed my engine. Would start but not run above an idle. Then no start. Had 12 passengers 15 miles from anywhere. Had it towed and the problem was that my boss had installed a cheap air filter that came apart and allowed the moth to slip through. That was the one and only time he skimped on the parts due to selling the business.

Art161 · Apr 10, 2008

Talk to the sales guy. He can talk to the sales manager and the sales manager can talk to the service department manager.

sonnier · Apr 11, 2008

Same thing happened to my mother's G35 except it wouldn't even start or run. I was kind of puzzled on that one. I guess it's possible for a bug to burrow through the filter.

my_little_pwny · Apr 11, 2008

I talked to my sales guy and he said he had all ready grilled the service department about it. Service claimed the bug burrowed its way in there and that they have seen it happen before.

I was upset but the only service person there at 7:30am was the poor cashier girl. My time was not worth waiting so I paid like a jack ass and left two nice long streaks of Pirelli rubber from the service department to the front gate.

I suspect that while they were changing the air filter a bug fell below it and was subsequently sucked into the mass air meter.

I am now debating weather to give them another chance or to take the hint and go else where from now on.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

10HoleLX · Apr 12, 2008

Guys and Gals,Bugs stuck in the MAF happens. I've pulled many insects out myself. When i need to diagnose a check engine light on with a MAF code, that's the first thing I suspect...A dirty MAF due to an aftermarket air filter, collapsed air filter, bug on sensor-usually i find the wings stuck on them...

BLKNED · Apr 12, 2008

my_little_pwny said:
I am now debating weather to give them another chance or to take the hint and go else where from now on.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

OK, I'll bite on what 10Holelx said but $115?! There would be no second chance from me!

my_little_pwny · Apr 14, 2008

10HoleLX said:
Guys and Gals,Bugs stuck in the MAF happens. I've pulled many insects out myself. When i need to diagnose a check engine light on with a MAF code, that's the first thing I suspect...A dirty MAF due to an aftermarket air filter, collapsed air filter, bug on sensor-usually i find the wings stuck on them...

Thanks for the info

I still feel burned by the service department but I guess if it is legit then they have to charge for it. I have all my services done every 5k like clock work at the dealer, so I still stand by the fact if a bug got through there it was a faulty ford air filter, faulty or careless install, or just one determined little critter.

I was planing on upgrading to the ford factory cold air kit soon. Do you encounter bugs on the MAF more or less on this type of set up (when properly installed)?

I do not like the idea of bug bits flying into my upper manifold

stanmckinney · Apr 14, 2008

A dealer won't the name would not charge you for this. They have ways of getting their money from Ford under warranty.

Check Engine Light Caused by Bug(insect) in sensor

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