Honda Accord MAP Sensor Symptoms (9 Things To Be Aware Of)

The MAP sensor, or the manifold absolute pressure sensor, is an essential component of the engine management system in the Honda Accord.

Also, a MAP sensor is found in fuel-injected vehicles, and its primary function is to provide information about intake manifold pressure to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM/ECM).

Discover what I found out about faulty MAP sensors in this post!

Honda Accord Map Sensor Symptoms

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1. Check Engine Light Activation

While driving, the engine control unit continuously monitors your Honda Accord’s sensors.

So, if the value of one of these sensors is outside the set range, the check engine light will display.

As a result, if your MAP sensor sends incorrect data to the engine control unit, the check engine light will illuminate your dashboard.

2. Lean Fuel-Air Mixture

The primary function of the MAP sensor is to determine the air pressure in your vehicle’s intake manifold to calculate the proper fuel-air mixture for your engine.

So, if the sensor fails, your engine may experience an excessively lean fuel-air mixture.

That said, a lean fuel mixture could also cause various nonspecific symptoms in your Honda Accord’s engine, detailed further down this page.

3. Rich Fuel-Air Mixture

The same holds the other way around. If the MAP sensor fails, it can send a defective signal to your Honda Accord engine’s control unit, causing it to penetrate fuel into your engine excessively.

As a result, a rich fuel-air mixture will increase your fuel usage while also causing performance issues.

4. Rough Idling Or Engine Stalling

If your air-fuel mixture is too lean due to a faulty MAP sensor, you may experience issues with the engine’s idle.

Because the engine is susceptible when running at idle, you may first discover a faulty air-fuel combination at idle.

Also, many other defective parts can end up causing this, so it needs to be officially diagnosed before replacing the MAP sensor.

5. Misfiring

Misfires happen whenever the combustion process within the engine cylinder screws up. For example, it can occur due to an incorrect air-fuel mixture or a faulty spark.

Additionally, a MAP sensor can genuinely affect the air mixture to deteriorate to the point where misfires occur.

So, listening to your Honda Accord engine can help you detect misfires. Misfires may be to blame if you hear small bumps or don’t sound like it usually does.

6. Increased Emission Level

Suppose your Honda Accord’s manifold absolute pressure sensor or MAP is damaged.

In that case, it may send a false signal to your PCM powertrain control module, indicating either a low or high engine load.

Of course, your car’s air-fuel mixture must be perfect to have a low emission level. Even a minor MAP sensor error can cause the fuel mixture to disrupt the emission levels.

7. Backfires

Backfires occur when the fuel in your engine is not perfectly combusted. The fuel may end up in the exhaust pipe if it is not heated up in the combustion process.

As you might expect, the exhaust pipe gets extremely hot, which can ignite the fuel-air mixture inside.

Therefore, this will result in loud bangs from the exhaust pipe, which may lead your mufflers, and others, to explode.

If you’re unlucky, it can also end up causing your Honda Accord to catch fire.

8. Difficulty Starting The Engine

A malfunctioning MAP sensor can also cause issues with starting the car. Before starting your Honda Accord, the trip computer checks the air pressure with the MAP sensor.

Because the engine is quite sensitive to the proper fuel-air mixture at startup, a faulty reading could also result in too little fuel being forwarded to the machine, and as an outcome, the engine might not even start at all.

9. Excessive Fuel Consumption

A MAP sensor that detects high intake manifold pressure alerts the PCM to a high engine load. As a result, it increases fuel flow into your Honda Accord’s engine.

As a result, the overall fuel economy suffers. It also raises your vehicle’s carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions into the environment. Smog’s chemical components include carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.

To know more, you can also read our posts on Honda Accord ignition coil symptoms, Honda bad alternator symptoms, and Harley fuel filter symptoms.

Conclusion

Don’t worry too much if you can verify that your MAP sensor is defective by the above symptoms.

If detected early, it can still be replaced and avoid further damage to your vehicle.

Further, the replacement MAP sensors can be purchased online or by bringing your Honda Accord to a certified technician.