EGR fault - code P0487,P0488
 

Hi all,
new to the site and im at my wits end with an on going fault.

As above, the fault code is P0487 and P0488. After googling for ever all i get is the generic EGR SYSTEM FAULT. i have a 2008 Outlander Warrior 2.2 DI-D. the car runs perfectly fine but the CEL is on permenantly. i have had the EGR valve changed - fault still there. today i took off the TPS which had seized but after freeing it and cleaning it it moved freely. cleared the fault code and went for a spin, all was well and no light. however, after turning the engine off then back on again.... bing! light on and same fault code back on:mad:

MOT time soon and i need to get to the bottom of this

can someone PLEASE give me a steer

The closest match I can find the 2011 service manual for my 3.0L Outie GT S-AWC (USA), is:

P0489 EGR valve (stepper motor) circuit malfunction (ground short).

I know it's a totally different engine but maybe it'll help you.

Krismartin001....did you ever solve this problem? My Outlander seems to have exactly the same issue....

nope still stumped:mad:

does anyone know where i can download a service manual for this car? looking for ages with no joy, even went to local dealer and still no joy

MOT time is getting ever closer and desperately need some HELP!

i did unship my TPS and when the accelerator was pressed the valve didnt move even though it was electrically still connected

Did you replace the EGR valve regulator? There was another thread on here with someone getting the same code, and they replaced both the valve and the regulator to get rid of it.

I also found this: Code No. P0487: Throttle Valve Too Open

I have replaced the EGR valve (the part with the vacuum capsule) is there a seperate regulator part?

According to that other thread, it appears there is. However, this is news to me.

Quite simply, the reason the code is being thrown is because the ECU is looking for a certain resistance value on that circuit and it's not getting it within the right parameters. So one of a few things may be happening. Either there's some corrosion on some contacts, the resistance of the wire has changed, or the there's an electrical fault within the circuit itself. Which makes this incredibly difficult to diagnose from my couch.

As far as i understand it (and i have a 2.0 DI-D Outlander), the EGR system consists of 2 parts and 2 valves.
There is a cooler on the back of the engine which cools the exhaust gases (or not) depending on if the valve there is open or shut. This depends on the engine water temperature being over 35 degrees as to if the valve is opened or shut. When shut the gases go via the cooler, when open they bypass the cooler.
The second part is the EGR valve itself which takes the exhaust gases and leaks them into the inlet manifold in a controlled way. I think this part is right on the front of the engine and from what i can tell, it has its own air intake (which i find odd - why doesnt it take filtered air from the filter box???)
Now because my car behaves completely normal except giving the P0487 error on startup occasionally....i THINK....the ECU operates the valves to full open and full closed during startup...i.e. testing the system. Now if the EGR is caked up with carbon, then it might be that the valve is slightly restricted and doesnt quite reach its full open/closed position which gives the fault...

So my suggestion (and this is what i will do) is clear out the EGR valve with some carborettor cleaner, put back together and see what happens!

I keep getting told that the vast majority of problems with EGR valves is they get caked up...

Anyway, give it a try on yours (post a pic if you can) and see what happens....

Matt

Just thought i would let you know.....i just cleaned out my EGR....was really gunged up!
Its not too hard to do, just a little fiddly....
You will need a T50 torx bit to remove the exhaust inlet from the side of the valve and then T30 torx key to remove the EGR and throttle body assembly from the engine. I suggest a T30 torx key rather than a socket bit because one of the bolts is tricky to get to with a pipe in the way
Anyway i cleaned the assembly with a can of carb cleaner and a small wire brush. Looks like new now!
Put it all back together and the car runs nice, maybe even more responsive than before!
Lets just hope my fault doesnt come back now.....

Fingers crossed for a cheap fix.

Bugger;....didnt work! Fault came back on this morning.
I dont regret cleaning the EGR and throttle assembly out because it needed doing anyway.

However i have noticed i only get the fault on startup and moreover, it seems to be when i start it before the heater lkigth has gone out. I am wondering if in my case i am not giving it long enough to complete all the self tests and thats why it throws an error?

But the Fault P0487 is EGR throttle control circuit A open. So the fault suggests it is not the EGR valve but the throttle control which is linked to it!!! But i cleaned it all up yesterday and checked it worked correctly then.....Im lost now!

thanks all for the messages,
i have had the EGR and TPS off and cleaned till they are gleaming and yeah they were really caked in carbon deposits. i even replaced the EGR valve on the front of the engine. starting to think it might be electrical so going to get a fluke on the TPS socket and check for a breakdown in the wire

will keep you all posted

wally.

Same problem here...
 

I've got the same error code with the same procedures on my Grandis DI-D... Cleaned everything out changed the EGR valve (both parts) and erased error codes, but still after a restart the same code is there P0488.
Today I even took it to a Mitsubishi repair shop and the charged me an arm and a leg for the same procedure and told me to change the EGR valve...
Question 1. Is there a separate recycling gas sensor somewhere in this system? I can't find one.
Question 2. Can the problem be a fault in the vacuum control unit regulating the valve from the exhaust system? Hope not because that looks like a very expensive unit to buy...

The problem right now is that I can't get my car thru the annual checkup because no error codes are accepted... (in Finland). I have one month to clear the issue and the local repair shop is of no use.

Yesterday evening I tore apart all the cable covers from the EGR throttle housing all the way to the point where all cables go into a big bunch out of reach. There was nothing wrong with the cables at all. Then I picked apart the old EGR throttle control and found that the gears inside had seized and wouldn’t move. Then I started thinking that if there is an electric motor there should also be a fuse somewhere. In the engine compartment I found a burnt 10A fuse (marked with the engine symbol). I changed it, deleted the error codes and everything was fine. My wife is driving to the annual checkup as we speak.

I feel like an idiot but can't help to wonder how the Mitsubishi repair shop guy feels when I have a talk with him later today. The same guy that told me to change the EGR valve... again. I know I should have checked the fuses to begin with, but what is his excuse.

By the way. This here sounds alot like a burnt fuse or bad connection to me...

Hi could you say where the fuse was please - im looking to fix the same fault on a 2009 Ooutlander 2.0 D-ID . thanks

Sorry mate. Mine was a Grandis so the location of the fuse would not be the same anyway. I suggest you open the fuseboxes (most likely two in the engine compartment) ant test all fuses marked with the engine symbol. Most likely you will find it in the engine comparment and not the fuse box inside the car. Ofcourse you need to check the throttle housing first. If you can't move the trottle by hand it's siezed and broken...

What i find interesting here guys is that if the motor and geared assembly which controls the air intake flap was seized....how the hell did you manage to use the car? i.e. accelerator pedal wouldnt work!!

With my car now, i rarely get the P0487 fault....but it does appear occasionally and then self resets after a day or 2 once the engine has gone through all its various sequences.

What i am planning to do is blank off the EGR. i.e. remove the metal pipe between the exhaust side and the EGR valve....all it does is reduce emissions which is not part of the MOT as they do a smoke test (theory wont work on petrols). Blanking it off should improve engine response, improve emissions and also stop all that crap clogging up in there!

And to the vacuum question....i don't know what sensor would register a fault there so i doubt it.

Regards
Matt

Well Matt... Since mine is a turbo diesel the valve does not have anything to do with how fast the vehicle goes. It only creates a vacuum in the air intake when the vehicle is on idle thus sucking more of the recycled exhaust into the intake. When you press the accelerator pedal, the valve opens and allowes the compressed air to flow ( the EGR then shuts ofcourse).

For the VW made DID engine EGR system two separate modules are needed. The vacuum operated EGR valve and the trottle controll. If the EGR doesn't open because it is clogged up with carbon build ups the ECU doesn't even know it. The car just most likely idles poorly when it's cold and this because the valve is shut and there are no exhaust gases allowed in (eg. the engine chokes). Only if the trottle is broken the ECU gives the fault code.

On a diesel you need a mecanical vacuum pump since there isn't a vacuum made by an accelerator valve (trottle valve). The vacuum is controlled by an electronic switch with one main vacuum hose and many out going that open and shut when given the order by the ECU. One of these vacuum lines operates the vacuum in the EGR valve. If i wanted to circumvent the EGR system I would have to plug the vacuum hose and re-direct the incoming EGR metal pipe to the air filter housing so that the engine doesn't choke when cold and ofcourse plug the outgoing end in the exhaust. But I would not do it because in Finland they check such things in the annual check-up...

Very informative response Cashman.....you clearly know the system quite well! That sounds exactly like how my car works and i didnt consider the choking effect....

Given i do all my own car maintance, i could do the mod and get away with it quite easily...however it isnt so straight forward if one needs to start re-directing pipes.

Why do you need to plug the vacuum hose? Surely you could allow the electronic vacuum system to continue to operate as normal and actuate the valve....weather it was blanked off or re-directed to the air intake, it wouldnt matter would it?

Regards
Matt

Well actually one could get away with just removing the actual valve from the trottle housing and just leave the valve housing and empty axle. The vacuum hose needs to be plugged so that the EGR doesn't open unnecessarily (i.e. only plug the hose to the EGR valve not the whole system). Actually even I could get away with that...

hey guys, changed the throttle body on thursday cleared the code and took it for a drive. car drives fine and even a little more responsive but light is still on. after reseting the CEL it remains off until the second cycle of the ignition.
when i was looking for a new part on ebay one seller said that a replacement throttle body would have to be coded to my engine, is this true ? if so how do i do that?
also do i have to run the engine in certain parameters before the ecu will no longer detect the fault if it was the throttle body that was the issue?
i have now changed the EGR valve and throttle body cost to date £250

I strongly doudt that any parts specific coding exists. If the spare part item number matches the old one it will work. His trying to pull a fast one on you. They told me that the error codes could only be deleted by a Mitsubishi decoder. This was also bulls..t. Once I found the burnt fuse I deleted the error codes with my Bluetooth OBDII tester and mobile phone app.

And by the way. There might not be anything wrong with the old EGR valve. Test the vacuum and if it works you can get some money back when you sell it on Ebay.

I removed the EGR and Throttlebody to find they were both full of black sludge, ive cleaned both and reassembled then reset the mil light. First 2 starts of the car were fine, then on the 3rd the light came back on , and this continues to be the case . Actual running of the car seems fine no drop in performance or increased fuel consupmtion etc - very occassionally on start up it revs a little higher than normal for the first 30 seconds or so . I guess until it actually starts doing anything else Im not inclined to start spending £250 on parts that may not make any difference - ? Maybe I can find somebody locally in Warwickshire with a working car and test swop the parts !!

I know you posted this a couple of years ago but I just wanted to thank Cashman for sharing the information about replacing a fuse. I had an issue with my EGR throttle body and had to replace it but no matter what I tried I couldn't get the engine management light off. I stumbled across this thread and did what Cashman said. I checked the fuses in the engine compartment and low and behold - a dead 10A fuse! It was in bay 3 of the engine fuse box. I replaced the fuse, cleared the code and it has stayed off since. Thanks a million!!! :)

Happy I could help.

Fuse was replaced but still not solved
 

Hi, I found the blown fuse on my Grandis Di-D and replaced it. However, it has blown again. The engine management light is still on. It would be helpful to understand what the fuse is actually protecting. Any clues? Replacing the EGR valve alone seems to be an unlikely solution. I suspect replacing the TPS (underneath?) may do the trick but I'd appreciate some guidance before I chase down a blind ally. Any clues/suggestions?

Hello evybody.. i did also had the error P0488
 

I had the error p0488
Problem was shortcut in the "boitier papillon" whithout loosing power.
The same as you guys ;( i did replace it and put it on the computer again. I did reset the error but it came back again.
I did try to check all the fuses but they where all good... so i decide to visit a mitsubishi garage this morning.
I was suprise they did fing somewhere in the engine side a burned fuse... pretty sure that they where all good but maube there is other fuses in another place... they also did an upgrate ... i did drive for around 150km an it sounds good....

Hi I have a mitibushi grandis DDI VW ENGINE the E M L kept coming up with fault code was p0487 every time I tried to clear it still kept comeing & saying emission & gases then I noticed the motor on the the throttle was making a whining noise Longer than it should. I then call the RAC out he pointed out the problem is the Motor on the throttle he said the gogs on the motor are seized . I then replaced a second hand motor from the Vw breakers because my engine is Vw 2.0 diesel. The motor was out of a 2008 it Sharon as soon I put the motor in the Engine management light went off automatically never came back on

Hi Guys cashman
 

I have been told I have egr valve problem on outlander 2013/2014 model diesel. Engine has no power.
mechanics have forced auto cleaning of filter, this worked for only short time. 2nd mechanic suggested removal and clean but discovered the whole engine wud have to be removed fist......labour thousands.
Do you have any other cleaning options for this model
Waiting patiently thanks in advancePorsche

Its a long time since i looked at this problem.....but have you cleaned out the throttle body where the EGR valve lets exhaust gases back in? If that valve is somehow stuck in the open position thereby letting too much exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold, you will loose power. From what i remember, its easy to remove and clean with a solvent and should only take an hour or so.

Hi there did you ever get your 487 fault code sorted? And can you advise how you managed it? Cheers

I got it so it rarely came up. But the vehicle has long since been sold now.