Error PO401 EGR Insufficient Flow

[Martin T6 Kameo]

So I've done around 100 miles in my van since I got it the other week, and my engine management light came on yesterday! Not the best start!!

I had a look on here and bought a Carista and ran the check today. It says Error PO401 Exhaust Gas Recirculation Insufficient Flow. So it seems to be a fault with the EGR.

However I've gone through the previous owners service receipts and the EGR Cooler and Valve was replaced with part 04L131512CF in Sept 2023 at 92348 miles.

It's now on 100300 miles which is only 8000 miles and 18 months since this was replaced and there seems to be a problem with it. It seems strange that a fairly new part would be faulty already. Or is that possible? Maybe there's an underlying problem?

Any advice? I don't really want to be forking out £1k on this in my first month!

The van is a T6 EU6 102ps. Thanks

 

[Dellmassive]

Are you using any oil between services?

 

[Martin T6 Kameo]

Are you using any oil between services?

I've only had the van for a couple of weeks so too early for me to tell and I don't know about previous owners. Looking at it's history it had a minor oil leak advisory in the last MOT, then about 9 months until that was repaired. The oil sump was removed and resealed. I've been a bit worried it could have been low on oil in that period. I don't think it was used much then either so probably not many long runs which could be another issue. Prior to that it's been serviced every 10k except in 2020.

 

[whodat]

Minor oil leak MIGHT be a tiny patch of oil on the sump (as in a single drop that has diffused into the dust and could have been from when the oil was last changed) up to anything smaller than an actual drip.
I had one on my last van that one MOT garage would pick up on, but a couple of others over the years didn't - never did anything about it as it seemed to be a foible of that particular garage.
Unlikely it was run low on oil if they were good on the servicing - but you never know.
Private or trade purchase?

It might just need a good run if it has been sitting around waiting for a new owner.

The above is glass half full. I won't do the glass half empty spiel to you.

 

[Dellmassive]

I was asking, as if the engine was burning oil that will end up going through the EGR valve and could possibly start clogging it prematurely.

 

[Martin T6 Kameo]

Minor oil leak MIGHT be a tiny patch of oil on the sump (as in a single drop that has diffused into the dust and could have been from when the oil was last changed) up to anything smaller than an actual drip.
I had one on my last van that one MOT garage would pick up on, but a couple of others over the years didn't - never did anything about it as it seemed to be a foible of that particular garage.
Unlikely it was run low on oil if they were good on the servicing - but you never know.
Private or trade purchase?

It might just need a good run if it has been sitting around waiting for a new owner.

The above is glass half full. I won't do the glass half empty spiel to you.

Thanks. I appreciate the glass half full as I'm thinking up enough glass half empty versions of my own!!!

The light came on after I gave it a good motorway run as I thought it might need that.

I got it from a trade place with 6 months warranty. Contacted them today and they said contact the warranty company directly as it's like a separate policy and take it to any vat registered garage. Trouble is the policy specifically excluded exhaust, DPF and EGR stuff which I didn't realise until now.

 

[Martin T6 Kameo]

I was asking, as if the engine was burning oil that will end up going through the EGR valve and could possibly start clogging it prematurely.

Thanks. That makes sense. Its quite possible I guess given it's done quite a lot of miles.

 

[Martin T6 Kameo]

Anyone got any advice about consumer rights? I took the van back to the dealership as the PO401 code came back on. They took it in and told me they replaced the EGR valve. I got it back and had a look today. The old EGR valve is still in place with the 2022 sticker still on it! I've plugged it in to a Carista and it says PO401 pending. So they've clearly done nothing and just cleared the fault codes to turn the engine light off.
Any advice? I've had it about 2 months.
Feel like I need to go elsewhere to get the EGR replaced. Have I got any comeback on them if I do that?

 

[Howzat]

Did you pay any part of the price using a credit card?

If you use your credit card to buy something costing more than £100 and up to £30,000, you're covered by 'section 75' of the Consumer Credit Act

 

[Martin T6 Kameo]

No unfortunately not. Debit card deposit and bank transfer for the rest.