D4 VEA 'check engine' light / EGR fault thread

[NigelDay]

So, as we suspect, V-Power probably makes no difference. I'll still keep buying it however !

[GuidoBrunetti]

Originally Posted by craigv60

Got my own V60 D4 booked in for Jan 5th for a replacement EGR cooler. This is my second cooler, the original was replaced in February 2015 at about 6,000 miles. The replacement managed 9,000 miles before throwing a Check Engine light (which has been intermittent this time around, last time it stayed lit).

I spoke at length to the service manager at Rybrook in Warrington - the units being supplied now are apparently the latest revisions following the Swedish engineers' visit to the UK in November. He could not say if it was a definitive fix, but he did comment that the workshop had done 15 cars in the past week.

I'm increasingly convinced this fault affects EVERY D4 VEA engine. While some teething faults are acceptable in a brand-new design, someone obviously made a p155-poor design job on the EGR system, as it's still not fixed after over a year of component revisions, upgrades and replacements.

In my opinion, Volvo is incredibly lucky that only a small percentage of cars go into limp mode with this problem, and the majority remain driveable. Yes, they are working hard to sort it out but this whole increasingly looks like a rookie design mistake, compounded by letting the first few thousand customers doing the quality control for them.

I will ask when my car goes in if the ECU is getting a new map at the same time, and will report back on driveability, etc.

It is a strange design approach that suggests you recycle dirty exhaust gases so that you can maintain a certain temperature range to avoid formation of NOx. Almost every other manufacturer has abandoned this approach presumably because the amount of EGR you need is too large to control satisfactorily. It is not beyond the boundaries of possibility that Volvo will be forced into a design change: to use AdBlue.

[craigv60]

Originally Posted by GuidoBrunetti

Almost every other manufacturer has abandoned this approach presumably because the amount of EGR you need is too large to control satisfactorily. It is not beyond the boundaries of possibility that Volvo will be forced into a design change: to use AdBlue.

Certainly Mercedes, BMW, and VAG have taken the AdBlue route, I'm not sure about Ford and the French manufacturers.

I can't imagine that Volvo could easily retro-fit AdBlue systems to existing cars, it would be ruinously expensive ... but at the moment, there is no long-term fix!

[NigelDay]

I'd love to see the sales and marketing 'sell' on this after all the hype about the new VEA engine. Might be quite amusing if it wasn't so serious for all existing VEA drivers. On the other hand, Volvo may yet 'solve' the problem. AdBlue is not the perfect solution either.

[GuidoBrunetti]

Originally Posted by NigelDay

AdBlue is not the perfect solution either.

No, an efficient modern (small capacity) petrol engine is though. Just like JLR, Volvo have been caught out by the ebb away from diesel engines turning into a flow as a result of the VW scandal. Apart from the calorific differences between petrol and diesel as raw fuels there is no reason why a modern petrol engine can't achieve close to diesel levels of economy. And petrol engines are MUCH cheaper to build for Euro 6 and US regs.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by GuidoBrunetti

It is a strange design approach that suggests you recycle dirty exhaust gases so that you can maintain a certain temperature range to avoid formation of NOx. Almost every other manufacturer has abandoned this approach presumably because the amount of EGR you need is too large to control satisfactorily. It is not beyond the boundaries of possibility that Volvo will be forced into a design change: to use AdBlue.

What has AdBlue to do with NOx emissions? DPF does not affect NOx emissions.

[londor]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

What has AdBlue to do with NOx emissions? DPF does not affect NOx emissions.

"AdBlue is used as a consumable in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) in order to lower NOx concentration in the diesel exhaust emissions from diesel engines."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_exhaust_fluid

[craigv60]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

What has AdBlue to do with NOx emissions? DPF does not affect NOx emissions.

It's a urea & water solution which is injected in small quantities into the exhaust gas to catalytically reduce NOx into water & nitrogen. Lots of diesel cars, and many diesel lorries, use it to meet Euro 6 standards. It's held in a separate tank and needs refilling every few thousand miles.

Diesel engines that don't use AdBlue to meet Euro 6 have to use a lot of EGR instead - hence the Volvo problem. The EGR cooler design isn't up to snuff.

[Marc01]

Originally Posted by craigv60

I spoke at length to the service manager at Rybrook in Warrington - the units being supplied now are apparently the latest revisions following the Swedish engineers' visit to the UK in November. He could not say if it was a definitive fix, but he did comment that the workshop had done 15 cars in the past week.

Mine has had the latest egr cooler fitted in November following the Swedish engineers visit in October.
This is my 3rd, the first lasted 12.5k the second 4K always used v-power or equivalent, always driven firmly, always over long miles.

And what is the deal with Swedish engineers coming to the UK, sounds like a some damage limitation bull.

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by Marc01

Mine has had the latest egr cooler fitted in November following the Swedish engineers visit in October.
This is my 3rd, the first lasted 12.5k the second 4K always used v-power or equivalent, always driven firmly, always over long miles.

And what is the deal with Swedish engineers coming to the UK, sounds like a some damage limitation bull.

Suspect they are doing some detailed problem analysis. Perhaps UK cars are more susceptible than certain other European markets ? Who knows ? We don't but Volvo certainly have all the statistics to start analysing for trends. Will we ever get to hear even a summary of this ? Probably not. Frustrating.