warranty enhancement; P0401 EGR Valve

I just received my letter in the mail today for the Warranty Enhancement Notification - ZF3 for the sticking EGR valve. Just like the one attached to the OP's first post.

It lists my VIN # specifically and nothing concerning VIN's between certain numbers.

 

I just received this notice. Not sure of the diplomatic way to say this, but my car is going to develop a sudden transmission rattle on cold start before the warranty expires. I think I'll report it when I take it in to have the airbag glitch fixed. Whenever that'll be...

 

The EGR "pipe" is just a small part of the circuit: it connects to the EGR valve, which bolts onto a longish rectangular component containing a radiator with coolant lines (nicknamed the cooler), which bolts to the exhaust manifold. The cooler seems to be clogging, a lot, and is nigh impossible to clear, simpler to replace, together with the EGR valve.

Or will they say: no code, no repair?

 

When I read my "warranty enhancement" it seemed to be no code no repair. If you can get the code to appear on demand at the dealer that sounds like a pretty neat party trick .

 

Haven't heard anything in Canada. Hope it happens though, ie: Toyota Canada sends out a similar notice.

 

And I will say, "The Warranty Extension notice from Toyota says that the P401 code *MAY* appear. It doesn't say MUST appear.

 

In the "warranty enhancement" it says "if the condition is verified". You can argue the semantics of may and must with the dealer, but I am sure they will harken back to the next sentence on the document. I have a feeling on this they will be from the state of Missouri (show me).

 

It takes at least 50 miles after a battery disconnect for a car to be ready for testing - same with a code reset. This is because the disconnect will clear the codes and the state wants to see if they reappear over a reasonable drive.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Dealer changed the EGR a few weeks back now. On the work order I am trying to remember if they reprogrammed the computer as well. Since the update my MPG has went from 42 to 39... The inverter cooling update brought it from 45 to 42. I wonder if I just have a few cells dying within the battery. Anyone else notice any MPG changes after the warranty repair?

 

I can't state their policy, but the dealership agent said the car must give the P0401 code before they would do the replacement. When he looked at my dash, he saw that the "check engine" light was on and said he was pretty confident with everything I told him about the P0401 code coming up and that if it all checked out as described, they will fix the problem. They fixed the problem.

There might be a different issue if you don't get the P0401 code. Will you then ask Toyota to do a full diagnostic on the car?

Mike

 

Did any of you have success with warranty coverage beyond just replacement of the EGR? My dealership told me the warranty covers replacement, which they did, but a week later the code came back and they said the intake would need to be cleaned as well as the egr pipe and cooler and that issue has nothing to do with the warranty . . .

 

What was the quote to perform the above work?

 

That's not surprising, but doesn't seem fair, considering they don't admit cleaning all that stuff is routine maintenance.

My two ZF-3 letters showed up today.

 

$529 to clean intake manifold and egr pipe.

 

I'm suspecting they're not touching the EGR valve or cooler. Especially if there's no mention of coolant.

 

Wow! Save yourself $529 and DIY!

The jobs proposed took me 2 hours with time spent investigating other areas since removing the intake manifold doesn't happen that often.

If you are mechanically inclined and have the proper tools, this is something that is not too challenging but can yield good results.

Keep us posted and good luck

 

Here is the thing I did not like. I got the notice, took my car in because my light was on. I had it coded free at o'reilley and they said it was an EGR code, but did not confirm the code number. I had all the symptoms so I took it to the dealer. They told me that if it was not the correct code, I had to pay 100.00 for the check. What a rip. Luckily i had the correct code. They don't have the parts and said it may be two days, two weeks or two months. Not a very good estimation of when they would have the parts as I am sure they can look it up in their system to see where the part is in stock. Oh well, waiting on the part now.

 

Well the codes have returned... I did clean out the intake manifold and EGR pipe. The dealer replaced the valve but the cooler portion of the assembly does not appear to have been changed. I was a bit surprised by the EGR Cooler not being changed as the price for parts on the work order was what I have seen for the whole assembly from Toyota.

 

Did you clean the manifold and pipe prior to the dealer replacing the valve? How much build up was in the small passages that lead from the egr to the manifold? How did you clean the manifold? Do the PCV valve while the intake manifold was off?

For the warranty enhancement as I read it, the only thing the dealer was going to do was replace the egr valve, nothing else.

As someone who has done the cooler replacement, I am not surprised you have the same cooler. It is rather involved and something the dealer will not do "pro bono".

 

They should be the ones to take on that. I agree, not a lot of fun.