Engine magement light
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Roger Haworth
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Your engine management light coming on may well be indicative of a problem with the EGR valve.
I had this problem on my Fiat Ducato Van conversion. The engine management light came on consistently for a month or two at a time then went off only to reappear a few months later. This started to happen in 2011.
Eventually, in July 2015 the light came on, the van suddenly lost power and ground to a halt just outside of Stranraer in SW Scotland (I live in Devon).
Our rescue service towed us into Stranraer to Edinburgh Hill Autos who let us sleep in the van on their forecourt overnight and who next day replaced the EGR valve which has completely solved the problem. It's a nasty job to replace this valve and a mechanic spent more or less all day on it. They charged us very moderately for the repair. I highly recommend this garage.
I had this problem on my Fiat Ducato Van conversion. The engine management light came on consistently for a month or two at a time then went off only to reappear a few months later. This started to happen in 2011.
Eventually, in July 2015 the light came on, the van suddenly lost power and ground to a halt just outside of Stranraer in SW Scotland (I live in Devon).
Our rescue service towed us into Stranraer to Edinburgh Hill Autos who let us sleep in the van on their forecourt overnight and who next day replaced the EGR valve which has completely solved the problem. It's a nasty job to replace this valve and a mechanic spent more or less all day on it. They charged us very moderately for the repair. I highly recommend this garage.
hextal
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:lol-053:
Yes, it's sometimes too easy to get caught up in 'the next problem' and miss out on the bigger picture. Something I'm trying to work on.
stonedaddy
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Zaphira
I had this problem with my Vauxhall Zaphira. I used it for a while with no problems then it just lost all its power, even though the engine would still keep running. I took it in a garage nearby and they tried the EGR valve and thought it was OK. They then took the exhaust manifold off and everything was blocked up and it took them yonks to clean it all out. It was OK then for a couple of years when it did it again. I was told by Baz an ex police mechanic to take it on the motorway and do 70 -75 mph, but not in sixth gear but in fourth. This I did for about ten minutes but the light stayed on. Next time I went out to go somewhere in it, it started and the light went straight out and has been fine for the last 15 months. So weather it works or not it will cost nothing to give it a try and could save you a fortune if it works. (no not had a fire yet but I believe I'm overdue and its on the recall waiting list).
.... Tom ....
I had this problem with my Vauxhall Zaphira. I used it for a while with no problems then it just lost all its power, even though the engine would still keep running. I took it in a garage nearby and they tried the EGR valve and thought it was OK. They then took the exhaust manifold off and everything was blocked up and it took them yonks to clean it all out. It was OK then for a couple of years when it did it again. I was told by Baz an ex police mechanic to take it on the motorway and do 70 -75 mph, but not in sixth gear but in fourth. This I did for about ten minutes but the light stayed on. Next time I went out to go somewhere in it, it started and the light went straight out and has been fine for the last 15 months. So weather it works or not it will cost nothing to give it a try and could save you a fortune if it works. (no not had a fire yet but I believe I'm overdue and its on the recall waiting list).
.... Tom ....
richardstubbs
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You can't assume that it's the EGR valve. It could be, but...
There are an enormous number of possible faults, a significant proportion of which can cause the light to be illuminated. Common ones are things like airflow, temperature, manifold pressure, CAN communication errors, engine temperature implausible (too high or low) or any number of faulty or disconnected sensors. Look at the list a bit down this page:
Complete List of OBD Codes: Generic OBD2 (OBDII) & Manufacturer | Car OBD Diagnostics, ECU Chip Tuning & Auto Repair Support (it's OBDII not EOBD but basically the same).
The only way to know for sure is to get the codes read. But for now I'd just drive it. If it's an intermittent problem (frequently the case) and it goes away, then the light will go out after it's been started and driven far enough three times.
There are an enormous number of possible faults, a significant proportion of which can cause the light to be illuminated. Common ones are things like airflow, temperature, manifold pressure, CAN communication errors, engine temperature implausible (too high or low) or any number of faulty or disconnected sensors. Look at the list a bit down this page:
Complete List of OBD Codes: Generic OBD2 (OBDII) & Manufacturer | Car OBD Diagnostics, ECU Chip Tuning & Auto Repair Support (it's OBDII not EOBD but basically the same).
The only way to know for sure is to get the codes read. But for now I'd just drive it. If it's an intermittent problem (frequently the case) and it goes away, then the light will go out after it's been started and driven far enough three times.
The laird
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If you go on a decent road or motorway as previously said fourth gear revs up for 10/15 mins it's called regeneration and you are cleansing out the system and purging.town driving or dawdling about can cause this,the cat and particulate filters etc choke up good luck but I'd try this first
sparrks
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When my EGR valve decided to play up on my old van which only happened after a longish highish revving drive ie if after a good few miles on the motorway and then suddenly hitting traffic it would go into 'limp' mode which made getting to the hard shoulder difficult. Switching off the engine for around 5 minutes seem to cure the problem. Several garages couldn't diagnose the fault with any confidence (I think it was throwing up 3 different codes) so I bought an OBDII reader and the Torque app for my phone for around £15 this meant by pulling over and switching of the engine I could reset the ECU within about 60s and continue my journey. After many months of this I bit the bullet and took a gamble and had the EGR replaced - problem solved.
rugbyreddragon
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The same thing has just happened to me. After travelling 2800 miles in France all at moderate speed, when arriving back in the UK and driving up the M40 after The Tunnel in Folkestone at a steady 60mph in 6th gear the engine management light came on. I had the motorhome already booked in for it's 1st MOT on next Tuesday so I spoke to the garage when the light came on to see if OK to continue driving it. Advised OK to continue the journey and that they would look at it on Tuesday. Reading other people's replies it is very interesting and I will try in the meantime giving it a blast in 4th gear as suggested.
Wooie1958
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That`s what gave me all the problems i had with a brand new Vauxhall Zafira diesel automatic :mad2:
It had a 6 speed auto box so it very rarely went above 2,250 revs and when it did it was only for a very short period.
The only time it did well was on a run from Preston to London and back.
I thrashed the bullocks off it, i put it in manual mode and held 4th or even 3rd gear with my foot almost to the floor and it loved it.
I`d never heard run so sweet before and it returned a very healthy 54 MPG instead of the usual 20-22 MPG.
The dealers answer to all the problems i was having with it was to drive it like that more often :idea-007:
Deleted member 775
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worst thing you can do with a modern diesel is tootle about at 30 or 40 mph every day ,they get all choked up and then cause all sorts of problems . i have a seat alhambra 1.9 diesel six speed manual and the majority of time its used for school runs ,shopping trips and days out here and there .never going over 30 or 40 mph very rare it goes over 2thousand rpm . so once a month it gets a dam good thrashing on the a19 i have hit over 100 mph on a few occasions and belive me that engine loves it ,clears the soot and spiders out and saves a lot of problems with poor running on the egr inlet manif and the turbo ,cleans everything out .
Fazerloz
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I don't tend to tootle around so don't think the van needs a good thrashing. We have decided to stay where we are for today so I just started the engine and the light as gone off. The wonders of modern transport.
We will now go and contemplate some more.
We will now go and contemplate some more.
harrow
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Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
I think these modern motors are too complicated for their own good, you may get a few more mpg but they make things so demanding as they get older, good luck.
sparrks
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Whilst true, the places you will be able to take an older diesel will become less and less as tighter emission restrictions come into force..
harrow
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Oh yes very true I live in London's low emission zone so I can't own an old diesel camper even if I would only do a couple of thousand miles a year.
It looks like that very soon only euro6 cars will be allowed into London.
Fazerloz
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A few years ago I used to own a Cadillac that had a belt driven compressor under the bonnet whose sole purpose was to blow air into the exhaust system to dilute the exhaust emissions for California. Anybody come across anything like that on a Euro car.
sparrks
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Sounds like a fraud as it is not really reducing emissions just diluting them.
Fazerloz
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That's exactly what it was but it produced the readings required by Cadillac so they didn't pay the penalties at that time.