Lexus IS Diesel EGR Valve Issue

I'm having trouble with my 2007 Lexus IS diesel, which has 125537 km. I've noticed reduced engine power, the check engine light is on, and there's visible smoke when I accelerate. The engine runs rough, fuel consumption is up, and it jerks when accelerating. Worst of all, there's a loud hissing sound when I accelerate. I suspect a defective EGR valve. Could a jammed EGR valve explain these symptoms?

4 comment(s)

Hey, I had something similar happen on my IS. I've got the same model, though not sure about the year. Reduced power and the check engine light were the first things I noticed, but I never saw any smoke. A hissing sound could point to a vacuum leak somewhere, potentially related to the EGR system. It's all tied into emissions, so that would explain the light. Does it feel like it's struggling, especially uphill?

Thanks for the quick response. Yes, the car's performance is noticeably worse when going uphill. Did your symptoms exactly match mine? Did you fix it by replacing the EGR valve?

Yeah, sounds very similar. It was the EGR valve on mine. The mechanic said they get clogged up over time, especially with diesel engines. Honestly, I wouldn't mess with it too much yourself. Get it to a workshop, they'll diagnose it properly and can replace the valve. It's a bit of a pain to get to, from what I saw. Save yourself the headache.

Thank you for the advice. I took it to a workshop, and they confirmed it's a defective EGR valve that needs replacing. The repair will cost 355€.

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