I have a 2002 Camry w/V6 and 40K miles. Been super car. Recently, car has begun to surge under light load, as if I'm stepping on gas pedal briefly and then removing my foot rapidly. This happens between 15 mph and 50 mph but only under very light load. Under heavier acceleration or over 50 mph, I never notice this. However, a lot of my driving is done in the 20 to 45 mph range. I spoke to dealer who told me they fixed something similar about 2 months ago. Apparently, a man with same model and about the same mileage reported same condition. After multiple attempts to fix, Toyota dealer replaced his EGR valve which was opening and closing but not the correct amount. Although no guarantee about cause of problem, my dealer wants about $350 to replace EGR and then wants to see what happens. Anyone had similar experience? Ideas? Thanks. -Paul
Camry V6 EGR Problem
Apr 27, 2006
5 Replies
I cannot say for sure if this is the cause in your car, but a malfunctioning EGR can cause surging.
If you're halfway mechanically inclined, you can replace it yourself, or you can try to convince the dealer to take the risk that the EGR may not solve the problem instead of you. As an experiment, you may be able to temporarily disable the EGR valve and see if the condition clears up. You will probably get a check engine light if you do this so be prepared to clear it.
That's exactly what I would do (and what a competent tech should do). Disabling a component or system that is suspected faulty is a basic diagnostic step, and should always come before part replacement (especially $350 to the customer!). In this case, you could take the valve out of play by pinching off the vacuum hose that opens & closes the valve. This might tell you if you have a problem with the control side of the EGR system. Your car should also have an EGR position sensor right on top of the valve, and if the surging condition can be duplicated easily the technician can observe the valves position in the data list to see if it coincides with the engines surging. Hope this helps.
You're welcome!
I am totally against the trial-and-error, hit-or-miss approach to vehicle service. Just about every part in the vehicle can be inspected, tested, or checked to see if it is working properly. All it takes is a little homework to find out what that method is.
Good luck!
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