Advice Needed

[9AA]

Just recently bought a 2005 Smart Car.Car went into Limp mode after first fuel fill up.Read all the forum notes on here and tried everything.EGR is clean, Turbo turns freely, tried reset, tried battery off for a night, reset all error codes. Checked solenoid on EGR not sure if it works, or not, seems to we took it apart and check inside all seems to work fine. Reassembled it and put it back Only error code 403 comes on. Still limp mode.Bought all the part to make an emulator, but have not tackled that yet. Not sure if we are looking at the right area anymore. Dealer wants more to look at the car then it is worth. So question is any ideas? Anyone have an emulator in the Kelowna are we could try on this car to see if in fact that is the problem?Any advice much appreciated.HD

[bilgladstone]

P0403 (if that's the TC you mean) is definitely an EGR circuit malfunction. I suggest you don't mess about with an emulator until the EGR has been rectified and you know the mix valve is resting in the open position. There are several really good how-to's in here describing how to remove, clean, and test your EGR device.Sending PM re emulator test.Bil

[Huronlad]

If you can take the car back and get your money back that is what I would do.

[bilgladstone]

+1 Huronlad. HD, the dealer sold you a non-working car and can't fix it. Not sure if the solenoid works?? Didn't they give you some kind of warranty? They should simply replace the EGR for you n/c. Or maybe you didn't buy it from MB; is that the problem here?B

[Leadwing]

Adding your location might help in sending you in the right direction for help if you can't return the car and get your money back.

[MikeT]

Our sign-up form (when it was still working - it has been broken for over a week now) had a broken button/label for location so it's not the member's fault that location says "hank". He's in Kelowna, evidently.

[Alex]

Doesn't matter where you bought it, any used car dealer should supply you with a car in good running order or clearly state that it's not and what it needs. No, you don't get a one year warranty, but 30 days is reasonable! (Yes, I know how the real world works, and how much many used car dealers fall short of that.) Try anyway.P0403 is a general EGR trouble code, the computer doesn't know exactly what's wrong. Likely wiring or connections, not the valve itself, so an emulator or new valve may not fix it. May not, I suspect a failed feedback linear potentiometer would give that code, but is not too likely.To help diagnostics, remove the solenoid from the valve, start the engine and use a broom stick to punch the throttle while watching the solenoid plunger. It should move. The valve itself should push in with smooth spring resistance, and return out by itself. Bill is mostly right, except that the rest state of the EGR is in the closed position, plunger out and flow blocked. The solenoid pushes it in to open flow, monitors the position via the feedback circuit and adjusts the voltage to attain the correct position. If it moves too easily or too hard, or doesn't move at all, a more specific code is generated. Note that our cars don't monitor the actual gas flow, only the solenoid position. The codes refer to excessive and insufficient flow, but really it's just solenoid position.

[bilgladstone]

Thank you for your correction, Alex. That makes sense.