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Step 1
Look at your tachometer to see if it's holding steady when your car is idling. One of the first signs that an EGR valve needs to be replaced is the onset of a rough idle. In severe cases, you will be able to feel the engine idling unevenly when the car is not in motion.
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Step 2
Test for hesitation. When you press the gas pedal, the car should accelerate smoothly. If there seem to be interruptions in the power delivery or if the engine sputters at higher RPMs, the EGR valve could be bad. In some cases, this may manifest itself as a loss of power at or above certain RPMs.
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Step 3
Investigate any stalling. If your vehicle begins stalling when not motion, such as when you are stoplights and stop signs, this usually means that the EGR valve is starting to fail. In cases where the EGR valve is the cause of the problem, a rough idle will usually accompany the stalling.
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Step 4
Listen for a gentle knocking or tapping coming from the engine compartment when the car is at idle, which increases as your gain speed. Knocking can be a sign of a bad EGR valve, especially if it is accompanied by one or more of the above symptoms.
