Engine light on Zafira

[junior25]

One of my dash lights on my zafira has started to come on its the one of a car with a spanner thru it, a first I thought it was a service light but I dont think its that. When it comes on I lose power sometimes it just stays on for seconds other times its longer, any ideas?

junior

 

[^neo^]

Will be one of the many sensors on the car. Only way to diagnose it is to get it plugged into a scanner to find it.
Probably something cheap or dodgy wiring on something, but unitl you plug it in you won't know

 

[junior25]

I took into a garage today and got it plugged into a scanner and garage says its the egr plug and they say because the problem is intermittent probaly best and cheaper just to clean the egr plug and stick it back in, what are all youre views on this idea, is it any good doing this or not.

junior

 

[DaveStewart]

Hi junior,

this should be fine! All the EGR (Exhaust Gasses Recirculation, or something like that!) is there for is to help warm the engine up! I know a lot of people who just blank them off entirely - no detrimental effect as such, except the car will take longer to reach temp!

HTH

Dave

 

[junior25]

Whats youre thoughts on the blanking plates on ebay for blanking out the egr valve. Would they fit and do for 2.0 diesel zafira without any problems.

junior

 

[davieboy]

re the above posts.

EGR has absolutely nothing to do with warming the car up. the recirculation ( or reburn) of exhaust gasses is solely to LOWER exhaust gas temperature, hence lower the output of NOx (oxides of nitrogen, the smog creating gas)

anyhow, lesson aside, you can blank the valve off. however this model (and most vauxhalls) have a valve position feedback sensor incorperated. if the valve is sticking, which i suspect yours is, (common fault), then blanking the valve off will still put on the check engine light.

replacement valve is, unfortunately, the only cure. what oil do you use in the car? this, believe it or not, is largely the thing that contributes to EGR valve failure.

in short, blank it off and live with the light, or replace the valve.

dave