Audi MAF Sensor Issues Killing Performance & MPG

I faced similar issues with my 2013 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI last year. As someone with moderate experience working on cars, the symptoms you describe strongly align with mass air flow sensor problems I encountered. My car showed identical issues, poor air-fuel ratio leading to performance decline, higher consumption, and that telltale smoke. I initially tried cleaning the sensor and air filter, but the problems persisted. The workshop diagnostic confirmed MAF sensor failure. Total repair cost was 365 Euro including parts and labor. The difference after replacement was immediate, smoother idle, better response, and normal fuel consumption returned. Before committing to repairs, could you share: Current mileage on your A3, When you last changed the air filter, Any diagnostic codes shown, Whether symptoms appear more during cold or warm engine This information would help determine if your case matches what I experienced and whether you might need additional checks beyond the MAF sensor. Keeping the air filter clean and scheduled maintenance helps prevent sensor issues, but these components do eventually wear out, affecting engine performance. A proper diagnosis is worth the initial cost to avoid replacing parts unnecessarily.

Last service was done at 138000km, and since these issues started, I had the air filter replaced thinking it might help. Running multiple diagnostic scans showed P0101 and P0102 codes consistently pointing to air flow measurement problems. The check engine light pattern during warm-up and the inconsistent air-fuel ratio readings make me believe its more than just a dirty sensor. Tried the basic cleaning procedure but saw no improvement in performance or fuel economy. Good point about the immediate difference you noticed. My current symptoms are most noticeable when the engine is fully warm, which from what I understand is another typical sign of sensor failure rather than just contamination.

Thanks for the additional details. Those diagnostic codes P0101 and P0102 match exactly what I saw with my A4, and the fact that cleaning didn't help mirrors my experience completely. The symptoms occurring mainly at operating temperature, combined with the air-fuel ratio issues and those specific codes, practically confirms what we suspected. The mass air flow sensor has likely failed, not just dirty. In my case, the air intake system had been properly maintained, but the MAF sensor still failed around 140000km. Its quite common for these sensors to need replacement around this mileage, even with regular maintenance. Since youve already tried cleaning and replaced the air filter without improvement, and given the matching diagnostic codes, Id recommend going ahead with the MAF sensor replacement. The engine stalling and smoke issues should clear up immediately like they did on my A4. One tip from my repair experience: make sure to get an OEM sensor. I initially considered aftermarket options to save money, but the workshop advised against it due to calibration sensitivity on these engines. The extra cost was worth the reliability. The total repair should be in a similar range to what I paid (365 Euro), assuming no other issues are found during installation.

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. Based on all the matching symptoms, error codes, and especially the experience shared about the immediate improvement after replacement, I'm going to proceed with getting a new MAF sensor installed. The fact that my symptoms, particularly the air-fuel ratio issues and check engine warnings, match so closely with what others experienced gives me confidence this is the right path forward. Will definitely follow the advice about going with an OEM sensor despite the higher cost. Getting it sorted next week and expecting to pay around 350-400 Euro for the complete repair. The fuel economy issues and performance problems have gotten annoying enough that its worth fixing properly rather than trying more temporary solutions. Will update once the repair is done to confirm if it resolved all the symptoms. Thanks again for helping confirm what I suspected about the mass air flow sensor being the root cause.