Engine Warning Light on..1st time in 13 years...

[Tony W]

This happened just before Christmas a couple of days before we were due to go on holiday to Anglesey for Christmas Week. No sign of anything wrong with the car prior to this which seemed to be running perfectly. My U480 code reader identified DTC P0170 as did the 2 pedal test. Did a 15 mile run to see if it went out - it didn't yet the car seemed to running without any issues associated with this code. Reset the DTC with the U 480 - light extinguished. After the same run of 15 miles no engine warning light. Filled tank up with petrol after treating the car to a dose of Wynn's injector cleaner for petrol engines as I do a couple of times a year before a motoring holiday & off we went..4 of us & a boot full of luggage. Car ran seemingly perfectly without any issues via Buxton/Macclesfield/Knutsford/M56 & onwards to Anglesey. 2 pedal test when we arrived identified the DTC P0170. On our return the car ran perfectly without any apparent issues returning 40.8 average MPG over the holiday. What to do??
New Maf - Siemens 5WK 9606 in this case costing several 10's of £'s, 2nd hand one - discounted as I could be buying the same problem, Cheap aftermarket MAF definitely not recommended by various forums despite being 100's if not 1000's apparently happy customers or cleaning the MAF, again mixed views of various forums. the likes of WD 40 or similardefinitely a NO!NO! Electrical Contact Cleaner was deemed by some as OK. I had a can of Comma Contact Cleaner in the garage for an electrical cleaning job last year so decided to clean the MAF with it which I removed carefully. Sprayed the MAF filaments liberally from both ends making sure the nozzle was at least 50mm from them. Dried it outside in fresh air for a 1/2 hour or so finishing it off on our kitchen radiator for another 1/2 hour or so, then refitted it. Engine started first turn of the key..blipped the accelerator several times - no warning light & no fault codes registered with the 2 pedal test. Covered about 200 miles since I cleaned it and to date NO warning light AND NO DTC's by the 2 pedal test. Interestingly the engine seems a touch more responsive since I cleaned the MAF. S looks like this was a success - no doubt time will tell but as of right now Tony is a Happy Chappy

[Woody]

Sounds like a dirty MAF sensor that cleaned up ok

[Tony W]

Hi Woody...yep it does yet the car is serviced in line with the Service book by me generally or others every year using GM 5W/30 LL Dexos 2 engine oil, Fram Filters as required : Oil yearly, Air every 3-4 years, Pollen every 1-2 years & Fuel every 4 years. Plugs are NGK - used 'em for the last 9 years as I worked part time at a local Motor Factors - now fully retired - and they stocked NGK stuff. As I said everything seems good right now & time will tell eh? Cheers