I haven't managed to find the answer to this on a search. The car is used mainly for town driving with no probs. On the occasional 50+ Mile motorway journey, the engine management light comes on at the end or the day after. It goes off again after a couple of days town driving. In the absence of VAG COM, I have assumed that the EGR system is blocked or not functioning correctly. If it was O2 sensors I assume the light would stay on. I understand that the ECU 'samples' EGR flow rates on a steady throttle opening, hence town driving masks the fault.

Nearly there....

I'm going to remove, clean/inspect EGR valve and pipe, if I disconnect or renew the EGR valve, do I need VAG COM to reset it to the car???? I think I do.

Finished :)

ps what is the price of a new valve??

I'm sure that someone with more knowledge will answer later or tomorrow, but for now, if you are only removing a cleaning a complete assembly, ie don't totally strip it down, and don't try to run the engine etc while you have this assembly out, then there is not a problem.

It could be the heater in the front lambda sensor. That happened with mine. The heater is only required when the engine is cold and the car did not run right for the first couple of miles until the probe reached its operating temperature. The engine management light would go off after a couple of hot starts, but return after a cold one.

How does your car run from cold?

The car runs perfectly, light on or off, hot or cold. The light has only come on twice after a long run, then goes off after a couple of days town driving. If it is EGR flow, I think it is only just out of spec, hence the initial attempt at cleaning (and it costs nowt). My deeper thoughts are that it could be the valve, but I don't know exactly how it works, or when it's supposed to open. Is it on/off or proportional?? I know it definitely isn't working when the engine is idling, but maybe that's right. I understand it can be checked on VAG COM, but I ain't got it. I did think of sensors as the car has done 76k miles, before I go down that road I will get it checked on VAG COM. Trying the easy stuff first.

I think that you are probably better off finding someone local to you with VAG COM and getting it scanned for fault codes, or buy one of the cheap hand held code readers off Ebay. It'll be cheaper than changing sensors that may or not be faulty.

Thanks fellas, I might just leave for now (apart from clean it), the car does a long run once or twice a year so it's not that big a deal. I'm going to get VAG COM at some point anyway.

Please correct me if im wrong, but th 1.4 16v doesnt have an EGR valve does it? I thought only turbocharged engines had EGR valves, being as they are exhaust gas recirculation valves, a non turbo'd engine wont need to recirculate exhaust gas will it. The 1.4 doesnt have a turbo does it.

The EGR is intended to reduce emissions and unfortunately, most modern engines have them whether turbo charged or not. The 1.4 16v certainly does have one.

Ah well, consider me told, cheers.

EGR faults on 1.4 16v!!??? i've changed countless amounts of these they do have a real problem, as for cleaning it i dunno how well that will work but by all means give it a go, off the top of my head ima not sure about the price of new ones think around th £100 mark for genuine and for needing vag com to turn off the light, it will reset itself automatically after it senses the flow rate is ok or so many ignition on off cycles, i wouldn't worry about resettin it after a replacement tbh mate

Either way assuming something isnt a good way to diagnose anything. Get it on VAG COM and verifiy the fault first.

If it is EGR is could just be a blocked pipe.

Either way assuming something isnt a good way to diagnose anything. Get it on VAG COM and verifiy the fault first.

If it is EGR is could just be a blocked pipe.

I know, I know, I'm waiting for the dollar to drop again so I can get a VAG COM lead from Ross Tech!!! Although I had made the assumption from reading plenty of threads on the subject of engine management light. As the light has gone out and the car isn't affected at all, I guess I'm being a bit lazy.