Another EGR Related Question

[steamship]

Firstly, apologies for yet another EGR related question. I've spent the last five days looking into this for my brother, and I'm as confused as ever. Details are as follows:

Car is a 2011 Passat 2.0TDi Bluemotion estate.
It has just passed 80,000 miles. The car had two VW services at 21k and 56k. The last two have been independents at 76k and 79k.
He had occasionally got flashing glow plug light over the last couple of months. His garage said they couldn't find anything wrong.
He drove over from Yorkshire to Northern Ireland, and during the trip, he got the flashing glow plug and also the Engine Management Light on. He also reported what seemed like a lack of power on uphill sections.
When he got here, I scanned it with VCDS (which I use on my petrol Audi), and it threw up the following errors:

4891 - EGR Valve (N18)
P0403 00 [096] - Malfunction
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:


4892 - EGR Valve (N18)
P0403 00 [096] - Malfunction
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 129045 km
Date: 2016.03.15
Time: 16:42:37

I cleared them, but they have since come back.

I've spent hours reading various forums, and the consensus seems to be that the EGR valve is clogged up. However, this is where I get lost.

I've done umpteen searches on EGR valves for a 2001 2.0 TDi Bluemotion Passat, and various combinations of that, in order to find out whereabouts it is located in the engine bay, and what it looks like. However, I can't find any definitive answer, as some posts say it's located at the back of the engine, down the back, whilst others say it's at the front. Now, I've been under the car, and can find what looks like an EGR valve (going by the pictures on Google), wrapped in some heat shielding, but I also find a valve attached to the intake manifold at the front of the engine (again going by the pictures on Google).

Now, I'm happy enough to do the work myself replacing them, but just want clarification on which one is the correct one to replace (that is throwing the error). I might even get the part, but give the existing one a good clean to see if it at least helps.

I'm more familiar with my petrol engine, so any help I can get on this diesel engine would be much appreciated.

Not sure what other details you might need, but from the service book, the engine code is CFFB, 103kW.

[daveo138]

Good question.

I've had the 'check engine light' on intermittently for the last couple of weeks. I did a scan and it gave me a P0403 EGR valve fault.
I only have a cheap scanner, not VCDS, so no more info.
According to a web search, it could just be a bad connection - but where?

[steamship]

According to a web search, it could just be a bad connection - but where?

I think 'bad connection' is always given as a possible option for any sort of sensor or electronic valve. I still suspect that with my brothers car, the EGR valve is clogged, as the majority of his trips are less than 5 miles long (to and from work), so the engine isn't getting hot enough to burn this crud off. He's back in England now, and planning to book it in.

[daveo138]

I thought the bad connection scenario was a possibility, as the fault comes and goes.

I drive 1000+ miles per week, so mine hardly gets a chance to cool down

[steamship]

I thought the bad connection scenario was a possibility, as the fault comes and goes.

I drive 1000+ miles per week, so mine hardly gets a chance to cool down

I think yours just wants a rest!

[gunner786]

Had same issue on my 2011 2.0 passat today. Egr valve cost £330 and labour will find out later on.

Called VW who werent much help.
Full service history wth 80k miles.

Lets hope it solves the problem. Was intermittent last few months but since yesterday its been permanemt

[gunner786]

Problem.solved it was the egr valve

[jon0881]

Did you have to replace it? The whole thing including the cooler?

I got the same problem. It was very rare but now much more common especially on longer journeys when you slow down to town driving. Is it accecible to check the connections without stripping loads of stuff off?