Technical Sporadic EGR valve error and engine management light

[andreab]

Hello,

I would like some help with my Multipla 56 reg 1.9l diesel, please. My engine management light came on last week and when I took it to my local garage it was the EGR valve which was sticky - the diagnostic computer reports a SPORADIC fault (valve stuck in the open position type error). They cleaned the valve (approx cost 180 pounds, haven't paid yet) but the light came on again after just 2 short trips. Back to the garage, same fault.

I stood with them at the diagnostic computer and watched them open and close the valve via that computer and it showed it open to 100% and close to 4%, nice and fast. They cleaned the valve again (no extra charge) - they seem to do that with some high pressure "thing" and cleaner. But light is back on again, same 4%-100% opening and closing with the diagnostic computer.

The car drives very well, much better then before the initial cleaning and even with the light on the performance is unchanged. The mechanics at the garage don't really want to change the valve because (a) it's expensive (b) it's hard to get to and most importantly (c) they think it works just fine.

Any ideas, please? Do I need to have it changed? And any idea what a reasonable price might be for that? I have read something about a software update in a different thread, is there really such a thing?

Any help is much appreciated, I really love my Multipla and would very much like to enjoy it again and not worry about this.

Thank you very much, Andrea

 

[widemouthfrog]

Hi. Welcome to the forum.

Firstly, £180 to clean an EGR seems pretty steep to me, especially as it sounds as though they didn't remove it. They're not time consuming to remove (a bit fiddly, but a decent mechanic could remove and replace inside 30 mins). Worse still, you can buy a new one for less than you've been charged:

http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Details&ProdID=3084&SKU=7569

If it actually feels better to drive, I wouldn't get too hung up about the management light just yet. Sometimes they take a while to settle back down even though the fault has been fixed. The EGR isn't a critical part of the engines' function. Several people on here actually blank them off, which is in effect the same as removing them completely. You won't damage anything by driving around with a partially functional EGR.

Ask to have the diagnostic reset, drive it for a few days and see what happens before parting with any more cash.

 

[andreab]

Thank you very much for your info and help! I had it reset on Tuesday, light came back on after 3 trips and I've been driving it around with the light on since - the performance is just fine. Will drive a little more and then have it reset again - not sure the light goes out by itself. And cross my fingers.

I have had a quote from another garage for replacing the valve for £262 (and a bit), will see what my current garage says if it still doesn't work next week. I live in a village and there aren't all that many garages around here, so I am still hoping they are treating me right, though I agree that the price for cleaning it is steep. And I am getting slight doubts since I was told that the valve isn't easy to get to to replace.

I was also told that, when the engine management light comes on, the car will use more diesel than normal just in case - on the basis that more diesel won't do any harm but too little will.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[sirias]

get the valve blocked off temp ? then get the light reset if it dont come back on job done ?