That sure sounds like a problem!

You can carefully bend the 3 metal crimps out of the way and open up the controller. Then you can clean all the little bits out of it. Then I would replace that sponge with something like a piece of dust mask. It is only there to keep crud from the air from getting into the valve.

While you are at it, I would replace the vacuum tubing because it likely has little crumbs of open-cell foam in it. Take photos every step of the way on disassembly! You don't want to have to replace it or reassemble it 5 times to get it right.

I had a LOT of issues with an EGR code that resulted in buying a sensor that cost quite a lot of money. That's what it took to fix it. You can search my old posts about it if you wind up going down that rabbit hole.

Is the 2-4-1 EGR flow too low? Basically, the sensor is not detecting a change in temperature that it expects to see, if that's what the code is.


The car stumbling when vacuum is applied to the hose means the EGR tubing is clear (enough) and the valve is moving and not sticking in the range where you're moving it.

Good luck!