My VX popped a P1404 (and another code I don't remember) a week after my trip to North Carolina in September. I cleared the codes thinking it may be due to the constant rain on the drive home. Nope. After only 5 or so miles the P1404 returned.

I stopped by Autozone and bought a can of carb clear to prepare for the first attempt at resolving the issue. But, when I pulled the EGR valve off, if was completely clear. No build up in either the EGR tube or the pintle. Hmmm. I cleared the code again and it didn't return for a few weeks.

Yesterday I finally took a drive to the grocery store and the code returned. I came home, did some research, and chose the NAPA EGR (CRB226154) as my replacement candidate. Sure, it was more expensive, but it looked like really good build quality, it was in stock, and it wasn't Autozone, Pep Boys or Advance Auto Parts! I bought the EGR and five minutes later I was back on the road.

I decided to duplicate my previous trip to see if the code would return. Sure enough, I pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot, read the codes and found a P1404 (pending) code. Damn! I didn't even stop. I drove back to NAPA, explained the situation, and asked if I would be stuck with this EGR. The nice lady told me to bring it back later in the week ("It would look bad if you returned it today") and she would refund my money.

So, I left NAPA, with the scanner still connected, and tried to clear the codes while sitting as a red light. "Confirm key one, engine off". Can't clear the codes while driving. Two minutes later I was home, hit the Read Errors button, and NOTHING! No more codes. I retraced my steps AGAIN, even stopping to shop at Wal-Mart, and codes did not return. Apparently, there were some old fault readings still in the buffer from the old EGR, and the system just had to clear them out before giving a clean bill of health. My VX is back whole again!!

To make a long story short... If you replace your EGR make sure you give it plenty of miles to clear the old fault readings before you read the codes.