D4 VEA 'check engine' light / EGR fault thread

[007]

Originally Posted by Arianne

Except that I do know that, after one fix, she was outstanding and set the hairs of my neck on end (see earlier post 13 March). Now she pulls well, just not the girl I seem to remember from of old.
Arianne

That's interesting and I wonder if your former incarnation may have been the original map on mine as I just grinned like a blithering idiot every time I took it out, for the five months prior to it getting the 'EGR modification' and revised map

My car was supplied Oct 2014 and the bottom end torque was akin to a 3.5L V8 in pull and spontaneousity. Without being told otherwise the power delivery could not be characterized as a turbocharged car as there was no torque transition whatsoever and it just pulled from rest, climbing slow steep return bends round home in 2nd (often 3rd) gear and still pulling away from the bottom end - 3rd is out of the question now and I have to change down, even to 1st on occasions on the same bends, to get it over 2k so it will pick up.

[craigv60]

@007 - I wonder if you can get the dealer to roll back the latest update and re-install the previous software version? Might be worth escalating to HQ in Sweden if needed.

[007]

Originally Posted by craigv60

@007 - I wonder if you can get the dealer to roll back the latest update and re-install the previous software version? Might be worth escalating to HQ in Sweden if needed.

Cheers Craig have tried everything, dealer says it's 'impossible' to wind back the car to a prior version - I don't believe that for a minute! I even asked if it could be wound back for the purpose of proving my point (and to validate the car had no other issue) then re updating it before I took it away but they would not (or could not) do it.

I was also somewhat cynical there was only a brand new D4 to compare it to (with the same new software), having waited two weeks from it being booked in you would think it easy enough for a Volvo main dealer to have an unmodified D4 available to immediately prove my point, so in my mind clearly no one wanted to prove my point, but I remain 'optimistic and doubtful' as to my final 'Volvo' reply.

Volvo CSUK will not comment and will only deal through my dealer so they are handling it through their 'online system' back to Volvo technical.

I think the only definitive and comparable proof would be to Rolling Road a good one prior to the EGR mod then re run it after the update.

I will happily wait quietly and patiently if they would tell me it is a temporary situation but I'm inclined to think all this lack of information from them is pointing to the fact that this is their 'permanent fix' and they are hoping to sweep the 'briefly amazing performance' under the rug.

[apsel]

I have clocked just over 9000 miles in the 10 months I have had my V60 D4 and still no sign of the Turtle. I am due a service soon and wonder what will be done to avert the appearance on my dashboard! From previous reports I will get just get an EMU update as part of the expected software upgrade. That "upgrade" will likely downgrade the performance somewhat.

The unknown is of course how clogged up my EGR valve is and if and when it will clear itself out, if ever. Maybe Volvo have worked out a way of cleaning them out with replacing the valve and cooler?

I wonder if the reported engine remap is the reason that new D4 cars do not hit the magic 99 g /km mark any longer. Perhaps Volvo have forgone that target due to the problems with the EGR valve.

[007]

Originally Posted by apsel

I have clocked just over 9000 miles in the 10 months I have had my V60 D4 and still no sign of the Turtle. I am due a service soon and wonder what will be done to avert the appearance on my dashboard! From previous reports I will get just get an EMU update as part of the expected software upgrade. That "upgrade" will likely downgrade the performance somewhat.

The unknown is of course how clogged up my EGR valve is and if and when it will clear itself out, if ever. Maybe Volvo have worked out a way of cleaning them out with replacing the valve and cooler?

I wonder if the reported engine remap is the reason that new D4 cars do not hit the magic 99 g /km mark any longer. Perhaps Volvo have forgone that target due to the problems with the EGR valve.

Apologies if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs but EGR to an engine is the devils spawn, it is hot, dead, dirty gas they put in the clean side of the engine to meet NOX emissions. As your cooler (similar to a small intercooler) clogs your performance and economy will actually improve as it will run better with less EGR. So it being 'almost' clogged and no light is not a worry at all TBH.

They will without doubt put you the new map on. I would recommend you video your pick up from the bottom end beforehand and if funds and time allowed get a RR test done before the update, then only re run the RR test if you think there is a perf drop. My local place is £60 per run and i would pay for the 2nd test if you felt a perf drop. I'm on thin ice paying for the first as I have no idea of your current performance :-).

Or by all means you just get the mod done and see if you notice a difference (or it's just me that has the 'issue'), then at least we have two known cases and can maybe do more to convince others if you find exactly the same as me.

At least you are going into such with your eyes wide open!

oops meant to add - what's this about no longer 99g/km ??? Volvo website still quotes 99g/km for mine and not heard anything different - do tell

[wimorrison]

I think that you have the 181bhp version of this engine?

Surely it is a simple case - you quote £60 - to have your engine tested and see what the horse power is being delivered. If you are getting the figures quoted by Volvo then you should be happy, if not then you can take it up with some basis in fact.

I "think" my car is nippier some mornings, and there are others when it feels flat. Mostly it depends on how much sleep I have had and what the day is expected to bring.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

Surely it is a simple case - you quote £60 - to have your engine tested and see what the horse power is being delivered. If you are getting the figures quoted by Volvo then you should be happy, if not then you can take it up with some basis in fact.

It is not just a case of BHP though. the 'for' and 'after' map may both have the same BHP, but deliver it differently.

A person has a car, it drives a certain way they are happy with, then it goes into the garage and comes out a totally different animal.

Regards

[Flux]

My car went in for a new EGR valve and cooler at the same time as the service at year 1, circa 13,500 miles on the clock. They didn't replace the EGR as there was apparently nothing wrong with it but put in a new cooler. There was definitely a difference in the feel and performance afterwards and apparently it had the latest engine management software added at the same time.

I do feel that lately it has improved a little but maybe I'm getting used to it not being the same as it was.

Maybe the remap is an attempt to solve some of the ongoing issues with the EGR. So rather than fix the route cause of the problem, they change the telemetry of the engine to cheat it into thinking all is OK.

PS. My service was done mid March to give an idea of timescales.

[apsel]

Originally Posted by 007

...

oops meant to add - what's this about no longer 99g/km ??? Volvo website still quotes 99g/km for mine and not heard anything different - do tell

I was referring to the discussion in this thread

http:///www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=228761


Where the virtually all the new VEA engines are higher than the 99 g/km figure even those with lower power than the new D4 (now rated at 190PS)

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

It is not just a case of BHP though. the 'for' and 'after' map may both have the same BHP, but deliver it differently.

A person has a car, it drives a certain way they are happy with, then it goes into the garage and comes out a totally different animal.

Regards

Agreed, but getting it tested will show how the power is being delivered and enable comparison against the factory figures.

At the moment there is no objective measurement, merely subjective that can, and is often influenced by external factors such as individual perception which changes day to day.