My Camry Failed Inspextion. Code O0401

How many miles are on the car? With the engine idling, apply vacuum to the EGR valve and see if the engine starts to idle roughly or start to die. If that happens, check the EGR position sensor. If the engine does not start to die, check the EGR tube for blockage. Most likely, the EGR tube is blocked with carbon buildup. If that is the case, you can try to dig out some of the carbon or replace the EGR valve and tube.

did they not tell you what you needed to have done?

Follow Ray's advice and check the EGR, but also, I had a Tercel with this same problem and had to replace a couple hoses...

The car has 130,000 miles. Is the EGR tube the metal tube?

I think it was the emissions inspectors who told him there is a problem, not the dealer or repair shop.

inspectors should be able to tell him what the prob usually is

In some states, the inspectors are independent organizations that are not allowed to make repairs (they only do inspections). In that case, the inspector probably would not know, nor would he/she be allowed to give such information to the consumer even if they did know.

If the inspection was done in a garage where they can also fix the problems, then they probably would have already told him what it takes to do the repairs.

its that way here... and when my 93 failed... they told me exactly what i have to have done, gave me papers that said what i needed and then told me to find a place

At 130,000 miles, there is a fairly good possibility that the EGR tube is blocked, especially if the car has mostly city miles. The EGR tube is the metal tube that is attached to the EGR valve.

"Don't Taze Me, Bro!" ...

In New Jersey, for one example, it is as Mark says exactly. Tomes

I am in Texas. The inspection report failed, because of code P0401. And, the 'Check Engine Light' has been on for some time. I should not have taken the car for inspection before taking care of the Engine Light. How is the tube detached in order to clean it? Are they other parts to clean? If it is a blocked tube, how deep down do I need to go, while clearing it? Thanks.

How is the tube detached in order to clean it? Are they other parts to clean? If it is a blocked tube, how deep down do I need to go, while clearing it? Thanks.

In most states, if your check engine light is on, they will not pass your vehicle. You are lucky that they even bothered to check the code.

You did not mention whether you have the 4 or 6 cylinder engine, but the EGR valve looks like this:

The EGR valve for the 4 cylinder is pictured but the one for the 6 will look pretty much the same. The EGR valve is attached with 4 bolts - 2 on the inlet and 2 on the outlet. Remove the EGR valve and the metal tube attached to it, and dig out the carbon buildup from inside the EGR and tube with a an old screwdriver or awl. Get out as much as you can and shake out the crumbs. If that doesn't work, replace the EGR valve and tube if they are clogged.

Look at Figure 13 of Autozone''s free online repair guide, if you have

5SFE (4cyl): Look at Figure 21-25 if you have 1MZFE (6cyl). They didn't mention a whole lot about the EGR valve itself other than to remove it for cleaning if stuffed with carbon, but if you click on the figure you can view a larger one. Just remove the nuts/bolts holding the egr valve in place.

If the tube from the exhaust pipe is blocked, as many owners had reported, you can use a discarded electrical cord on a power drill to make your own power rooter. Also blow clean the vacuum modulator's filter under it's top cap, they don't sell the filter pad by itself, so don't damage it. Your local parts store will carry Haynes repair manual if you need it.

Use throttle body cleaner like:

don't subject the rubber diaphragm to the solvent for too long.

True, MIL light means "fail" in many states. So you know that going in.

You can clear the MIL light by pulling the ECU fuse (5amp? in the engine bay, driver side fuse box) for a minute after you clean the parts. But don't take it in for inspections right afterwards because in some states you cannot pass the inspection if some on-board diagnostics monitors didn't complete their runs (the diagnostics monitors also do the inspections for the inspectors). Autozon'e free OBD-II reader service should tell you if these are all completed.

On Feb 24, 7:56 am, "Talal Itani" wrote:> I am in Texas. The inspection report failed, because of code P0401. And,

"Mark A" ...

Heh, Heh... I tried to get over on the NJ inspection this way and it did not work. I pulled the EFT (? - if I am remembering it correctly) fuse to reset the codes and then pulled it right in. I had a code and was trying to fake out the system by having it run through before the code reset itself and the inspection picked that up. It failed solely because the system "was not ready". I ended up faking myself out. Tomes

ECU Fuse according to another post here.....

While cleaning the tube, won't the crumbs come down into the tube? I assumed that I remove detach the tube from the valve, right?