There is no difference in function between air flow meter and air flow sensor.

Air flow sensor means a sensor or whole unit that is viewing intake air volume in an electric controlled fuel injection engine. It's sending signals to the engine computer to get correct fuel-air ratio.

Normally, it's located between air cleaner housing and intake air duct that goes to throttle body. Depending on the car, it's sometimes insered to the air cleaner box directly.

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If air flow sensor was getting damaged or stopped working, it causes the following.

1. the engine doesn't start or it doesn't start smoothly.

2. engine stalls.

3. unstable idle speed

4. the engine doesn't accelerate smoothly.

5. knocking in accelerating.

6. decreasing of torque.

7. the engine speed doesn't increase more than a certain speed (e.g. 4000rpm).

In short, whatever caused by wrong air-fuel ratio happens.

OK, then why air flow sensor gets damaged?

If the peripheral parts are not properly attached or fallen off during traveling, unexpected vibrations may be added to the air flow sensor and cause malfunction.

Another cause of failure is breakdown of the part of the element that measures the intake air flow of the airflow sensor.

Although there are various factors, when the element of the air cleaner is wet type (type impregnated with oil) as the cause of the failure experienced in the past, the oil content of the air cleaner element scatters and it adheres to the part of the element of the sensor, and it has stopped functioning of the air flow sensor.