Is the check engine light on and indicating a problem with the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system? You don’t likely need the EGR valve, but you do need to clean the EGR ports…..and do it the right way. In this article, we will talk about what it takes to clean the EGR system in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 Acura RL units correctly.

For over 10 years, Accurate Automotive has provided an oasis for the Honda and Acura owners, in Nashville, TN  and the surrounding counties of Middle Tennessee, who needed to keep their vehicles maintained without paying thru the nose in the franchised dealership car repair service departments. Because Accurate’s technical staff are former Honda and Acura dealership service technicians, their service customers get the best of both worlds; dealership quality maintenance and car repair on their Honda and Acura vehicles, but with lower business overhead which results in a direct cost savings to the customer. In response, some Honda and Acura franchised dealership service departments are attempting to match prices on car repair. Because a franchised dealership service department naturally has higher associated shop costs, to compete with Accurate Automotive’s prices, they have to short-cut many normal maintenance and service  procedures. Sadly, this usually results in sub-par maintenance and repair procedures on Honda and Acura vehicles.

One particular short-cut involves cleaning the EGR system on the 1997 thru 2004 Acura RL. Because the area that is to be cleaned is on the backside of the intake manifold, to clean this system properly, the intake manifold must be removed.At Accurate Automotive, removing the intake manifold  and cleaning the EGR system properly on a 1997 thru 2004 Acura RL currently costs approx. $400.00 plus tax. This same procedure at a franchised dealer would be several hundred dollars higher because of the extra time, and the costs of the gaskets & engine coolant required. For this reason, many franchised dealership’s shortcut involves removing the EGR tube and plate to clean the EGR area.  The shortcut method at the franchised dealership service departments will be slightly cheaper….but because of the limited space between the back of the intake and the firewall,  EGR system will not be cleaned thoroughly enough to prevent the system from clogging again within a few months.

The photos below show a recent EGR cleaning procedure that one of our technicians performed on a 2000 Acura RL. The EGR system was cleaned correctly and will not likely need to be cleaned again for at least 150,000 miles.

At Accurate Automotive, we are committed to being the best at the service and repair of Honda and Acura vehicles automobiles in the State of TN. Combined with the use of mostly Genuine Honda and OEM parts and decades of combined expertise with Honda and Acura vehicles, Accurate Automotive is the best choice for Honda and Acura car repair, whether you live in Nashville, Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, Franklin or anywhere else in the Middle Tennessee area. Come in and see why www.accuratecars.comis the best place to purchase and service Honda and Acura vehicles.