D4 VEA 'check engine' light / EGR fault thread

[V70Gavin]

Originally Posted by Dave Can

Hi,
I thought I'd share my recent experiences with you:
I've owned Ford Sierras and Ford Mondeos for the majority of my 30 year driving life so when my wife suggested something different as our next car, I very reluctantly agreed. We agreed to look for a Volvo V70 as we felt this car would meet our needs.
We found one that looked good in an independent car sales garage in Somerset. I traded in our slightly ropy but very reliable, 13 year old, 200K mile Mondeo (the engine was still running beautifully) for £250 and bought a 4 year old V70 SE Lux D4.
We have never known such luxury - and so many toys to play with!!!
The car came with a (non-volvo) service history though I had to chase the garage up for evidence of the most recent service. I only noticed that this was missing when I returned home 100 miles away. In the end, I received evidence (non-itemised) though I wasn't entirely sure that the service was actually genuine. I asked my local mechanic (very honest, very reliable) to give the car the once over. He found no real faults but the air filter was filthy and replaced and I had an oil and filter change to put my mind at ease. I didn't fancy getting into a legal battle with the garage that sold the car with no real proof, just a feeling - and the garage was 100 miles away.
Initial thoughts were - lovely car, safe, clean - would hopefully give us fairly trouble free motoring for the next 10+ years. I was a little disappointed with what I thought was a lack of power. The 13 year old Mondeo engine seemed to pull better in higher gears.
The car came with a 3 month warranty.
Soon after the warranty had elapsed, the dreaded engine light came on. At about this time, I also had a letter from Volvo recalling the car for an update to the software and a rerouting of hoses to prevent an unlikely but potential fire to the engine bay.
Back to my mechanic who diagnosed the engine light as a faulty EGR valve which he did a temporary fix on (clean?) and the engine light was turned off.
I also showed him the Volvo recall letter as I was slightly concerned that this might be a ploy to get cars back into a dealership to find loads of faults to fix at great expense to myself. He thought that the letter seemed genuine enough, but to be honest, with the light off, the car running well, I forgot all about it.
Then Lo and behold, a few months later, the engine light came back on. That is when I joined this forum. I spent a morning reading this thread pretty much from beginning to end and watched a few You Tube videos on what the valve does. I now consider myself a bit of an expert!!! (I'm not - any time I try any mechanics myself it always costs more money because I have to take the car back to the garage to undo my mistakes and then put the problem right - so I don't bother doing anything now!!)
I remembered the letter and contacted the dealership mentioned to book the car in for recall work. I mentioned the engine light. I asked them to take a look while doing the recall work in order for them to give me a quote on replacing the valve and the cooler which I would compare to a quote that I would ask my trusted mechanic for.
The garage Volvo dealership said that they would take a look, but there might be a chance that Volvo would agree for the work to be done at their expense!!!
So:
I took the car in yesterday.
They ran their diagnostic checks.
The problem was indeed the EGR valve and cooler.
The dealership contacted Volvo who agreed to do all of the work free of charge!
I am delighted.
The car is booked in to get everything sorted!
No dealership service history and they agree to do all of this work. It really has changed my opinion of the car industry (Volvo at least).
I will continue to get my car serviced by my regular mechanic who has been our regular mechanic for many years and has kept our Fords running mainly trouble free clocking up big miles.

Dave,

I am impressed and surprising you got the whole bill paid for by Volvo.

Care to name the dealer?

Thanks,

Gavin

[Dave Can]

Hi Gavin,
No problem- Truro, Cornwall.
Dave

[Dave Can]

Hi Gavin,
No problem- Truro, Cornwall.
Dave

[V70Gavin]

So to conclude my episode (I hope):

I was offered 30% by my local main dealer garage. This, I have now learnt, was from the computer generated/automatic goodwill system.

When I called Volvo UK they were very helpful and knowledgeable about the EGR problem. They also made it clear that it is not the subject of a recall...even if we think it should be.

The lady said that by calling they would now take my issue to a second stage review and that she expected I would be given more goodwill but that I would be called by my local garage.

That has now happened and I have been offered 50% off parts & labour. The car is booked in for Monday.

The moral is...whatever your local dealer offers as goodwill, call Volvo UK as you might well get more.

[Dash300]

Originally Posted by Dave Can

Hi Gavin,
No problem- Truro, Cornwall.
Dave

Volvo Taunton part of same group. Never had a problem with them.

[ayrix]

Hi guys, first of all, sorry for my english since I'm a user from germany.

I just would like to describe the situation I am in right now.

Two weeks ago I also went to the Volvo dealer to perform the recall R29950 in order to change the ECM Software which should reduce the soot coming from the EGR to not make carbon deposit build on the intake valves. In this case the intake valves would not close properly and the combusted mixture could be blown back to the intake manifold which could melt or deform the intake manifold.

Once the service was done and the new software was flashed, I took my car and went back home. Next time I sat in the car, the engine light turned on and the injection in the 2nd cylinder was cut. Engine was not running round anymore.

So I went back to the car dealer and he checked the engine. After a while he came back and told me that they got to remove the cylinder head to clean the intake valves and and the seats since they are leaking.
So I asked him how he does know that they are leaking after 10min checking the engine without doing a compression or leak down check. Then he told me that they did a electrical compression test to check if the intake valves are leaking. I asked him if he knows how that works because I only know about compression checks which can tell you that there is compression issue in generall without telling you if the intake valve, exhaust valve, glow plugs, injectors or the pistons are leaking.
His answer was that he also doesn't know how that works.

I took my keys and went to another car dealer to to seek a second oppinion.
The other car dealer made the same diagnostic and told me that this is actually Volvo's fault since the original (previous) ECM-Software was producing too much soot which built carbon deposits on your intake valves why I have a leak on that cylinders now.
He told me that the new software should avoid the carbon deposit creation but I was too late already.

After I asked why the older software did not recognize that, he told me that in the new ECM software it's implemented a new diagnostic function what makes possible to detect leakage in the intake valves.

Now I contacted Volvo Costumer service and waiting for an answer how we will proceed now. The car has only 30.000km and has already this issue - unfortunately no warranty anymore but let's see what Volvo will say.

What do you think guys? Who should pay the repair? does anyone has similar issues?

[Discombobulated]

Originally Posted by ayrix

What do you think guys? Who should pay the repair? does anyone has similar issues?

How old is the car and does it have a Volvo service history?
Over here I think Volvo have been good at sorting out EGR problems. I wonder if they say that they won’t pay for the repairs whether the Seafoam carbon remover type things would work? I think I’d try it before removing the cylinder head.

Good luck, Luke

[ayrix]

Originally Posted by Discombobulated

How old is the car and does it have a Volvo service history?
Over here I think Volvo have been good at sorting out EGR problems. I wonder if they say that they won’t pay for the repairs whether the Seafoam carbon remover type things would work? I think I’d try it before removing the cylinder head.

Good luck, Luke

Thank you Luke, the car was built end of 2015. I bought the car used and the pre owner didn’t drive the car much which might also one of the reason for the carbon deposits but still there is an issue with the software in my opinion. Service was always done at Volvo (last service may 2019).

I didn’t want to try the carbon remover before talking to Volvo and see what they say. Depending on that I will try to find a solution to fix that issue

Thanks

[Aptref]

I'm having the same issue. Did you find out what the fault was and how to fix it?

[Aptref]

Originally Posted by smudgers

just bringing this post to the front to see if anyone could enlighten me

Having the same message and code(P00BC00) on my 2014 D4. Did you find out what was the problem was and how to fix?