My check engine light is on in my 1999 Toyota Camry XLE...I went to autozone and they told me it was my egr valve BUT they did not tell me if it need to be cleaned or replaced. How can I tell if it needs to be cleaned or replaced
Just go a head and replace it its not much and its going to fix the car and the ck engine light will go out .
its not an expensive part a new one will help mpg
Flag is right. You should of got the code from AutoZone and posted it here. A trouble code can have several meanings and the salesperson just gave you his best interpretation with his limited knowledge. You either had a P0420, P1410, P1411, P1661 or P1662 code. More than likely it's EGR Valve Position sensor or EGR Vacuum Solenoid depending on the code. It also can be the wires or connectors that plug into them or one of the vacuum hoses to them. About a $40-$70 fix if you do it yourself. You can pull the EGR valve off to inspect it but you need to replace the $1 gasket under it when you are done. On old poorly maintained engines they can clog up with carbon deposits or the vacuum diaphragm can rupture. You can apply vacuum to the valve manually and see if it opens while you have it off. If you have good lungs you can do it with a piece of hose. :) If it works then it's not getting vacuum and most likely it's the EGR Vacuum Solenoid that opens and supplies vacuum to it. The EGR Valve Position Sensor tells the Vacuum Solenoid to open via the ECM. See if you can't get the code and post it.
EGR valves are replaced much more often than they need to be. Most of the time the problem is not in the valve itself but in the EGR passages. The actual trouble code would verify that (I am expecting a P0401: Insufficient EGR Flow). The most effective approach is to remove the EGR valve, examine it for really bad deposits, then clean it with carburetor cleaner or replace it depending on whether it looks like it can be cleaned. In any case, clean out all the exhaust side passages. The second source has the usual vague ehow instructions while the third source has a more detailed but vertiginous video. EGR valves are pricey enough (typically $150) to make it worth cleaning before replacing. I personally have never had to replace an EGR valve.
