What would you advise running my car to avoid EGR failure after the emissions fix?

I own a Volkswagen Golf Estate Mk6 1.6 TDI. I bought it a year ago as a family estate and I like the car a lot. Recently the EGR valve failed, luckily under main dealer warranty. At the same time as this was replaced, I had the emissions fix done. I have heard that after the fix, the EGR valve is more likely to fail again. The main dealer has suggested, therefore, that I run the car at least monthly for 20 miles at 3500rpm and I have read your advice to rev to 4500 through the gears (which sounds a lot easier to do). I do a short local work commute (about 7 - 15 miles each way) and general family, dog stuff and occasional holiday journey (roughly 10,000 miles a year). We have no local motorway and, although the recommended 20 mile blast is possible, I find it ludicrous that I have to do this. Do I simply own a car with a poor engine and/or, could you again offer your sensible advice on running the car to try and avoid future EGR failure?

Asked on 1 April 2017 by simon moorcroft

Answered by Honest John
EGRs failing after the NOx emissions fix are usually because they were close to failing anyway, but this has been a very common failure on the EA189 1.6 TDI. The fix involves reducing NOx at the expense of producing more soot, so you will find that the system actively regenerates more frequently than you are used to. What you have to avoid is repeated short runs from cold in which you select high gears early. You need to run in third or fourth rather then fifth or sixth to keep the revs over 2000 and help the system to passively regenerate. Only put it into sixth on longer runs.
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