What Is an EGR Valve? (EGR Valve Service)
June 13, 2021
If you've ever felt your vehicle hesitate, go, then hesitate again, you might think there's something wrong with the transmission. After all, it's not moving smoothly down the road. But there are plenty of malfunctions that can cause those symptoms, one of them being something you may have never heard of: the EGR valve.
EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. It's a system that channels small amounts of exhaust back into the engine to cool down the cylinders and reduce polluting gases. Those include nitrogen oxides that can cause smog. The EGR valve regulates how much of the vehicle's exhaust gas is recirculated. After years and long distances traveled, that valve can get clogged or fail. Sometimes the EGR valve can stick open. When the EGR valve isn't working properly, your vehicle can start releasing those nitrogen oxides and pollute the air.
The symptoms of a malfunctioning EGR valve include:
- Engine losing power
- Engine idling roughly
- Pinging and knocking sounds in the engine
- Stalling and hesitation
- Fuel economy decreasing
- Check Engine light illuminated
Depending on its condition, the EGR valve can be cleaned or it may need to be replaced. Consult with your service advisor to see what options are recommended to you.
The EGR system is part of your vehicle's pollution and emissions control equipment. If you care about keeping our planet's atmosphere clean, you'll want to make sure it's doing its job—for everyone's benefit.
Auto Pro Troy
512 East Maple Rd.
Troy, Michigan 48083
248-270-3002
Need Service?
More articles from Auto Pro Troy Auto Repair
A Most Important Part (Serpentine Belt Replacement)
December 7, 2025
Your vehicles engine is an engineering work of wonder with many complex parts working in harmony to get you down the road. One of those simple but important components is called a serpentine belt. It is driven by a pulley on the engine and transfers that power to many of your engines most importa... More
Losing Your Cool (AC Condenser Replacement)
November 30, 2025
Its always more comfortable in your vehicle when you can control temperature and humidity in the cabin. Air conditioning, which is standard on most newer vehicles, is a vital part of that comfort, and a key component of that system is the condenser. The condenser converts the refrigerant gas into... More
A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)
November 23, 2025
Ever wonder how your vehicles engine is able to take the 12-volts from its battery and ramp that up to as high as the tens of thousands of volts it takes to fire its spark plugs? The secret is something called an ignition coil. Most newer vehicles have an ignition coil at each cylinder, but olde... More