Back story: My girlfriend is driving home Thursday night on the highway when the engine just shuts off. From her retelling, it didn't sputter, lose power or anything; it just died and the CEL came on. She manages to get it to the side of the road where she tries to start it a few more times but can get it to stay running, so she calls AAA to get it towed to her house. Then she gets a ride from a co-worker to this function thing where I pick her up later. Once we get back to her house I start messing with the car as much as I can (It was dark and late). With the engine cold it starts fine but dies out within a few seconds. So I lay on the throttle a bit to keep the rpms up and let it warm up a bit. After a half minute I can stay off the throttle and it runs fine. No sputtering or any other erratic behavior (CEL is still on). I can shut it off and if I start it warm it starts and runs fine. The next day I pull and clear the following codes:

P0446 Evaporative emission (EVAP) system, vent control ā€“ circuit malfunction Wiring, EVAP canister purge valve, ECM

P0102 Mass air flow (MAF) sensor/volume air flow (VAF) sensor ā€“ low input Wiring short to ground, MAF/VAF sensor, ECM

P0113 Intake air temperature (IAT) sensor ā€“ high input Wiring open circuit/short to positive, ground wire defective,IAT sensor, ECM

I run through the little starting test again and it throws the same codes and has the same symptoms. I take it for a little 30 minute test drive/ ran some errands with no issues. Basically all side streets with a couple of warm starts. Ran fine.

Although Iā€™m not a mechanic by trade I know my way around cars just as good as if I were. I also know that every make and model has its own eccentricities (especially with electrical systems). Based off the symptoms, I'm thinking it's just a bad MAF that is causing all three of the codes but before I go replacing unnecessary (and expensive) sensors, I wanted to check with some people who are more familiar with these models.

So thoughts are def appreciated.....thanks

 

Car is an 03 sonata btw.......

 

Have not had this problem myself, have you taken it to the dealer yet?

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