Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent $118–$393 · Dealer $133–$438 (the headline above) · Specialty $156–$506. Each figure applies that shop type's hourly labor rate (market estimates, shown above) to the calculator's own hours and parts assumptions. It is modeled, not a quote.
Check a quote against these ranges
This sets your number beside published ranges and owner-written bills. It is not a verdict: ask the shop what the quote includes (parts grade, labor hours, fees, tax). It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
How serious did it get for owners?
6% of the 118 complaints report a tow, the most common serious outcome; the other outcomes counted below are rarer, and an owner can file without mentioning one.
Outcomes owners reported in complaints about this part. Towed: 7; Crash reported: 2.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 50,000-100,000 (59%), against 29% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 3-5 years (48%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 3 years old: 14% against 40%.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
118 owner complaints name this part.
Owners most often describe "warning light", in 41% of these complaints.
Which trouble codes do owners report?
P0101 Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance is the largest group at 15, out of 118 complaints.
Trouble codes owners quote in complaints about this part. P0101: Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance: 15 complaints (13%).
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster is the largest group at 36%, out of 64 complaints.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
2015 is the most common model year in 118 complaints naming this part (24%); 3 model years account for 54%.
What it shows: 2015 is the largest at 28 (24%), followed by 2016 at 13 (11%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 2 (2%).
Is this repair covered by an emissions warranty?
Federal rules require carmakers to cover the catalytic converter, the emissions computer and the onboard diagnostic system for 8 years or 80,000 miles, and any part whose failure fails an emissions test for 2 years or 24,000 miles; California requires 3 years or 50,000 miles on every emission part.
| Warranty | Covers | Length |
|---|---|---|
| California, all emission parts | All emissions-related parts | 3 years or 50,000 miles |
| California, high-cost parts | Specific high-cost emission parts listed in the owner manual | 7 years or 70,000 miles |
| Federal, basic | Any part that causes an emissions failure | 2 years or 24,000 miles |
| Federal, extended | Catalytic converters, electronic emissions control unit (ECU), onboard emissions diagnostic device or computer (OBD) | 8 years or 80,000 miles |
What do emissions repairs cost?
Among 46,033 California vehicles repaired to pass a Smog Check in 2025, 39.1% cost over $650 to fix and the average bill was $757.
What it shows: Over $650 is the largest at 39.1%, followed by $1 to $100 at 13.1%; the smallest shown is $501 to $650 at 8.4%.
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new electrical and electronic engine equipment parts rose 57.0% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
Prices of new electrical and electronic engine equipment parts, as shops buy them from makers, since December 2019, against consumer prices for motor vehicle repair. New electrical and electronic engine equipment parts: +57.0%; All motor vehicle parts: +17.4%; Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together: +55.2%.
Which fuel delivery does a car of my age have?
EPA's Automotive Trends data show direct fuel injection (which spares the intake valves a fuel wash and can build carbon deposits) in 79.5% of new cars in model year 2024 against 8.3% in 2010 (sales-weighted national shares).
| Model year | Port injection | Direct injection | Dual direct and port injection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 99.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2010 | 91.0% | 8.3% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 60.9% | 37.4% | 0.4% |
| 2018 | 37.7% | 50.2% | 10.3% |
| 2021 | 23.6% | 53.4% | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 12.5% | 56.2% | 23.3% |
Has the maker published a fix?
A bulletin is a repair procedure a maker sends its dealers, not a safety defect: if your maker is listed, ask the dealer whether one covers your car and quote its number.
| Maker | Vehicles | Bulletin number | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet | Trailblazer 2021–2022 | 22-NA-008 | May 25, 2022 | This bulletin provides a procedure to locate a possible short in the wiring harness near the MAF sensor. |
| Nissan | Versa 2020–2021; Kicks 2018–2021 | NTB21-049 | Jun 8, 2021 | Mil on with dtc P0101 AND/OR P0507 stored in the ecm if you confirm The MIL is ON and DTC P0101 (MAF SENSOR) and/or P0507 (ISC SYSTEM) is stored in the ECM. |
What do owners say?
2 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
I cleaned the throttle body and maf sensor with a $10 two pack of spray cleaner.
Dealer replaced air filter and mass airflow sensor and charged $500+ for the repair.
Check your car
Mass airflow sensor replacement costs $133–$438 in our default estimate: an aftermarket sensor installed at a dealer billing $130 an hour for 0.5 to 1.5 hours. The part grade moves the total most, and the shop's hourly rate comes second.
What does the estimate cover?
The estimate is one sensor plus 0.5 to 1.5 hours of labor at the shop's hourly rate. It assumes the sensor plugs into the intake tube, which is how most are built. Diagnosis time, an air filter, and any other part the shop finds are separate lines.
How much do part grade and shop type change the price?
Part grade swings the total more than anything else, because labor on this job is short. Shop type is the second lever.
| Option | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Aftermarket sensor, dealer (default) | $133–$438 |
| Remanufactured sensor, dealer | $173–$533 |
| OEM (dealer-grade) sensor, dealer | $335–$1,005 |
| Aftermarket sensor, independent shop ($100/hr) | $118–$393 |
| Aftermarket sensor, specialty shop ($175/hr) | $156–$506 |
| Aftermarket sensor, domestic vehicle, dealer | $115–$375 |
Ask which grade the quote assumes. A line that says only "MAF sensor" can hide the gap between aftermarket and OEM.
What does the estimate leave out?
It leaves out diagnosis fees, an air filter, sensor housing or intake tube damage, and fixes for whatever caused the bad readings. Taxes and shop fees vary by location. Your vehicle type also shifts the number: a domestic car runs lower in our estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I clean a mass airflow sensor instead of replacing it?
Sometimes. Dirt on the sensing wire causes many bad readings, and a dedicated cleaner is cheap. If symptoms return within weeks, the sensor itself is likely failing.
Does an aftermarket sensor work as well as OEM?
Quality varies by brand. Remanufactured units cost between the two in our estimate. Ask the shop what warranty covers the part.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA service bulletin file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 85.2103, and the California Air Resources Board warranty fact sheet downloaded 2026-10-05
- California Bureau of Automotive Repair, Smog Check Executive Summary Report 2025 data from 2025
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU1412051424); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row downloaded August 2026
- U.S. EPA, The 2025 EPA Automotive Trends Report (EPA-420-R-26-001) downloaded 2026-10
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against RepairPal's range ($274–$381) on 2026-10-10: our default's midpoint is 13% below the middle of that range. Price evidence grade C: one outside published range; the hours and parts prices behind the estimate are CalcScrape assumptions and have not been checked against repair invoices. Methodology