Hello everyone,
I have an 05 Dodge Ram 1500 4.7 HEMI

About a year ago I was getting code P0406, so I replaced the egr valve. Recently I have been getting the same code again. What are the chances the valve is bad again, and if so could something be causing them to go bad?

I do have an issue where I can feel vibrating that comes and goes and at the same time I can hear it as well, I hear it just in the cab. I can be in park and it happens, idle doesn't change when it happens. I'm not sure if the issue is related to the egr, still had this problem after replaced the egr a year ago.

Any idea whats going on?
Thanks,
Mark

 

Anything is possible. That (knock on wood) is really the only part that has ever failed under my hood, other than a washer fluid pump. And it was several years ago. I was driving and felt the engine stammer for a few seconds and the cel came on. I reset it and a week later it happened again. Replaced the part and it has not happened again. Did you replace it yourself or physically see it replaced? I hear they can sometimes be cleaned out and reused and they will last a while longer. You may want to take some time and clean things out in there. I am over 100k and havent done that myself yet.

 

Mines went out at about 80K miles. I got a replacement from autozone (duralast) and I got 90K miles on that one with no problems yet.

 

Mine went just under 50K but it was about 8 years old already so more about corrosion than anything. For the price of a new one I wouldn't waste my time cleaning it out when the code comes up. But if you just changed it, it could be the electrical connection that's the problem. These things are pretty finicky so you may have a bad contact. Make sure to use dialic grease and that the connectors are not damaged.

 

I had a problem similar with my wife's Ford. EGR's rarely go bad. They can and do become carbon deposited. What I did was to disconnect the EGR. The EGR tube that goes from the valve to the throttle body could most likely be caked with carbon deposits. Disconnet the tube from the throttle body. Get SeaFoam and a long brush (WalMart has one in the kitchen section about $4). Spray the Sea Foam into the tube and start cleaning. I also cleaned out the throttle body as well. Sprayed the heck out of ot and used a toothbrush to clean the walls, etc. Used a CLEAN t-shirt to absorb the remainder of the SeaFoam from the TB. When you are certain all of the tube and TB is clean, put it all back together and start the vehicle - OUTSIDE, not in a garage. You can apply the gas, and you will see a large anmount of thick, white smoke. Don't freak - its just the SeaFoam burning off. It will not hurt the engine at all. Reset your codes and drive as you normally would to reset the computer/let it recognize all of the systems. Takes a few driving rounds - 50 miles or so. Good luck.
John

 

Mark,

Sorry to hear about your ongoing concerns. As 04HemiGreg said, anything is possible. Do you have any aftermarket parts on the Ram, that may be causing the vibration or the ongoing EGR issue?

It is difficult to determine problems with the vehicle without being able to see it and take all factors into consideration. I would recommend having a Dodge dealer diagnose the concern. They will be able to find the root cause of your issue and resolve it, to save you time and money in the long run.

If you have any questions or would like assistance setting up an appointment feel free to PM me.