Don't know why my engine light won't shut off

SONIANDR

MEMBER
1996 LEXUS ES 300
225,500 MILES

I took my car to autozone and had them scan my car to see why my engine light was one. They gave me the code po401 and said it was my egr valve.
I had my egr valve fixed afterwords and my engine light came on 20 miles later. I took it into autozone and the same code po401 came up on their scanner. I took the car to a different mechanic today and asked them to look at the egr valve and tell me why it is still saying that it needs to be fixed. They said to not worry about it and everything looked fine and the light is on just because it is an old car. I am not comfortable driving around with my engine light on, but also don't feel like taking it to another mechanic and wasting money. What do I do?

8 Replies

SATURNTECH9

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30,869 POSTS

Its on because its a old car where did you take it that they would give you a ridiculous answer like that?

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 9:48 PM

SATURNTECH9

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So is this something you want to fix yourself now?If so your goin to have to get a multimeter and some tools. We have to do some testing. Also did anyone ever check if the egr port was clogged when they were changing the egr valve?

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 9:54 PM

SONIANDR

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4 POSTS

The place was called joes auto service. I am just so tired of going around from mechanic to mechanic and not getting this engine light off for at least more then a week. A year ago I took it to tuffy and I told them fix whatever they need to but just get the engine light off. Well 1,000 dollars later they said they fixed it but the engine light came on the next day and I have been trying to get this light off since.

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 9:54 PM

SONIANDR

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The place I took it to today said they cleaned it out for me again but the engine light wouldn't go off. If I can fix it I will. What will I need to test?

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 9:56 PM

SATURNTECH9

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The first thing I would do is remove the egr valve start the engine it should race and you should hear a loud exhaust leak. You have a lot of miles on the car so the port could be clogged.

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 10:08 PM

KHLOW2008

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The EGR system consists of the EGR valve, VSV solenoid, vacuum lines and exhaust passage. Control is via the engine computer and any of these can be the cause of the trouble codes.

You mentione having the valve fixed, which valve was that and was it replaced or cleaned?
Was the exhaust passage under the EGR cleaned as well?
Check the vacuum hose to the VSV and EGR for proper connection, vacuum and clogging and ensure they are not leaking.
Ensure VSV works correctly.

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 10:09 PM

SONIANDR

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I got the egr valve replaced and I don't know if they cleaned it when they fixed it but the mechanic today said he cleaned it for me. I will look and see if anything is leaking. Will it be obvious if it is leaking?

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 10:14 PM

SATURNTECH9

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If the hose is off it will be obvious as far as cleaning the passage way I would make sure you check that your self. Thats usually over looked when the egr valves are replaced.

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Thursday, October 4th, 2012 AT 10:22 PM