Need to pass inspection Help with 2000 camry CEL.

P0401 does not mean that the EGR valve is bad. P0401 means that insufficient EGR flow was detected.

After you replaced the EGR and cleaned the tube from the exhaust manifold to the EGR valve, did you clear the codes with an OBD II code scanner or disconnect the battery? If you cleared the codes and the check engine light came back on, then I would take a look at the factory service manual for the troubleshooting matrix for this trouble code. You can get online access to the U.S. spec factory service manual at techinfo.toyota.com for $10/day.

I would take a look at the vacuum switching valve that controls the EGR and at the EGR position sensor.

After cleaning the tube i disconnected the negative battery terminal for about 10 minuites.

I have a haynes manual. Would it be sufficient?

Thanks for the help

After you disconnected the battery terminal and hooked everything back up, did the check engine light stay off or did it come back on?

I can't say whether the Haynes manual is sufficient or not because I have not taken a look at one for a long time. If there is a section on OBD II trouble code diagnosis, then it should be sufficient.

Good luck!

The check engine light always comes back on.

I'll try to remember to do some studying tonight, otherwise, please re-post some time in the evening to remind me.

I think the problem is either witht he sensor which measure EGR position or with a VSV.

Thank you very very much. Im pretty broke so i would like to try to fix this myself.

Have you tried to Reset the light using the Scan Tool? Some CELs will turn off by themselves if one waits long enough, but others MUST be reset in order to get them to go off.

I'm a bit confused. Do you actually Reset the light and it comes back on, OR do you unplug the battery and plug it back in, andthe light has not turned off?

Have you actually pulled the codes to see what the engine thinks is wrong?

AutoZone stores in my area will allow me to check out a Scan Tool to pull the codes then reset the computer so that I know it is reset. The Autozone in your area may not allow you totake th etool home, but it's worth the effort to ask. They also run the scan tool for you for free in most states -- but not mine. They will pull the codes, let you write them down, then reset them. You can compare the recent codes with those that you have already written down, then you can check the ones that appear on both lists.

Lots of codes can trigger "sympathy" codes, and you need to isolate the sympathy pains from the real ones. By making a list of all codes, then resetting the computer, then writing a new list and comparing the contents of the latest list with the contents of the previous list. If the new list is written soon after the light comes on, odds are good that the sympathy codes will not have registered yet, and whichever code you have on both lists should be the system that is demanding attention.

Well this morning i went to autozone they scanned it. error (401) EGR. The guy also reset it for me. As far as I can tell Him resetting it with the tool seems to do the same thing that pulling the neg battery terminal does.

When i pull the neg from the battery the CEL will stay off until i drive about 15 miles.

Thanks for the input though.

That's okay. It tells us smething that the light comes back on after 20 minutes, vs. being on the next time the key is twisted.

Point of order, the code is P0401, there may be other codes with 401 in them, so we need the entire code.

Here is a list of codes and what they mean,

P0401 Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Insufficient Detected

This can be caused by the EGR failing to open properly, or by the sensor that sniffs this system to have failed. There is also a possibility that there is an electrical problem with the wiring, but I generally discount this sort of failure on a car that is less than 10 years old.

Okay, man. Try this. On the EGR valve itself there is a little vacuum port on top with a small hose coming off of it. You can determine where the fault lies by applying vacuum to this port. When you apply vacuum it opens the EGR valve. If you do this at idle the car should stall. This will tell you that the EGR valve itself is working normally, but it is not being turned on like it should by the other components in the system. If the car doesn't stall, then the EGR valve is stuck or the port is clogged. Try that and see what you get.

Ok earlier I tried taking the hose off of the top of the egr and putting my finger over it. It ran the same.

Is that the correct way to do it??

Thanks for the help.

I had this same error code with a Tercel. Cleaning all the vacuum lines cleared the error.

You have to apply vacuum (suction) to the EGR in the check that qslm suggested. The best way is with a Mighty Vac tester. If you do not have a tester, you may be able to get away with following the vacuum hose from the EGR to the next connection, which is probably a vacuum switching valve, unplugging the hose from the VSV, and sucking on the hose. This is pretty gross, you can also get a clean vacuum hose, hook it up to the EGR, and suck on the hose.

Mr. Morris: Be REALLY careful when removing or replacing the hoses from the ports on the Vacuum Switching Valves - those little plastic barbs can get brittle with age and break off easily, and the valves are not cheap. And on older cars, they're often discontinued... A

(Ask Hachiroku about that one - I heard that anguished scream all the way on the other side of the continent...) ;-)

Blow out all the hoses, squirt carb cleaner through, or push a pipe cleaner through to make sure they are clear. And if they show any signs of cracking or age checking, if they are stretched and come off the barbs too easily, replace the hose - a roll of bulk hose is dirt cheap. It could be a vacuum leak from a cracked hose not allowing the vacuum to arrive and open the EGR valve.

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Also, remove and replace only 1 vacuum hose at a time!

Thanks for all the help guys. Im gonna mess with it again today after work. i will post my results.

Ok i applied vacuum to the port on top of the egr. The car wanted to die. This is a good thing right??

Yes. Next follow the procedure in the book for checking the vacuum switching valve that controls the EGR.