Can you clean egr

Yes, you absolutely can clean your EGR. Many times, a dirty EGR will cause a check engine light to come on, and many auto repair shops and especially dealer service centers will advise you to replace the EGR instead of cleaning it. There is no way to harm the EGR during the cleaning process, and usually it's very easy to get to and remove so there is not much to lose here by trying it.

To clean the EGR, first remove it from your vehicle and then get yourself a can of brake cleaner from any auto parts store or Walmart (around $2-$3). Spray inside the EGR with the brake clean and if you have any type of cleaning utensil, such as a small brush or pipe cleaner, start scrubbing what you can inside it. Make sure that the little pintle on the bottom of the EGR moves freely as well. Often times the pintle will not move due to excessive carbon deposits and this can throw a code as well.

It can be tricky getting inside the EGR with a little brush to clean it, but just remember, it doesn't have to shine. Just do the best you can and reinstall it. Often times you can reuse your EGR gasket as well. Disconnect the battery for around 10 minutes to reset your codes if you don' have access to a scanner. Autozone, Advance auto, and O'rielly will scan and erase your codes for free if you need to go that route.