P0473 exhaust pressure sensor high

[A3car19tdi]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to Audi and my 2009 A3 19tdi with 110000miles  has an EML come on.  Can anyone advise me how or if I can check anything and what I could do to try to fix it ?

The above is what my bt OBD2 has told me.

Thank you for any help everyone.

[Stevey Y]

18 hours ago, A3car19tdi said:

Hello everyone.

I'm new to Audi and my 2009 A3 19tdi with 110000miles  has an EML come on.  Can anyone advise me how or if I can check anything and what I could do to try to fix it ?

The above is what my bt OBD2 has told me.

Thank you for any help everyone.

Hi, get yourself VCDS that will give you a definitive list of codes with the part number of which ever sensor etc is at fault, I have found through experience that most VAG built vehicles won't  put the light out even if you have replaced the offending part unless you physically delete the code after fitting, I have always been more of a fan of manufacturer specific diagnostic programs as the only generic readers that seem to work well are Snap on, or Bosch K series, but I don't know about you but most mere mortals don't have the two or three grand to spare on the unit, never mind the subscription fees per year.

Regards Steve.

[A3car19tdi]

Does anyone in bristol have this stuff??

And could offer a hand for some beers...

[Stevey Y]

Hi I am sure there must be an independent garage that has the ability to read your car and if it s the DPF pressure sensor they are cheap and easy enough to swap, try googling in German car specialist in your area I believe you will be surprised at how many come up

Regards Steve.

[A3car19tdi]

I could do. Il look and see

I could buy one. And swap it out. Just hope it's nothing else causing the sensor to trigger.

Could be the sensor could be what ever it's sensing I guess 

[cliffcoggin]

41 minutes ago, A3car19tdi said:

I could buy one. And swap it out. Just hope it's nothing else causing the sensor to trigger.

Why do you disbelieve the sensor? Maybe you genuinely do have a restriction in the exhaust system. To simply buy new parts at random in the hope that the warning will go away is foolhardy and wasteful.

[A3car19tdi]

No no, I don't.   I was just hoping to see if anyone had any common thoughts or ideas.  It could be anything.  It is pointless buying sensors on a whim. 

I'll have to take it somewhere probably.

 

[Stevey Y]

2 hours ago, cliffcoggin said:

Why do you disbelieve the sensor? Maybe you genuinely do have a restriction in the exhaust system. To simply buy new parts at random in the hope that the warning will go away is foolhardy and wasteful.

Hi, I think Dan was just thinking out loud and if as I suggested he gets a good independent garage to look at it, they may well be able to check soot/ash loadings to confirm if the DPF is blocked or one of the pipes to the sensor is compromised/collapsed, or even the sensor itself is finished, they all work on exactly the same principle and build, I had one apart once they have a high temperature plastic membrane stretched across the middle with a small PCB which has a reading strip attached to the membrane the exhaust pressure from the upstream and downstream either side of the DPF, if the membrane position remains fairly static that is deemed normal, if the membrane starts to deform on the upstream side i.e excess pressure it will register a code, in my case the membrane had ruptured allowing the upstream pressure unrestricted flow therefore registering a potential blockage in the DPF exhaust gas will always take the path of least resistance.

The pipes that serve the pressure sensor are made of a high grade silicone but considering they live in a hostile environment, exhaust gas and unburnt fuel, over time and milage they will at some point fail.

Steve

[A3car19tdi]

Ahh good points there.  

Can anyone recommend a decent indy in Weston / Bristol area. I'm new to Audi so will be a first visit hoping to not have a calamity 

[cliffcoggin]

3 hours ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi, I think Dan was just thinking out loud and if as I suggested he gets a good independent garage to look at it,

Perhaps, but that is not how it read to me. Nevertheless I agree with you that the problem should be investigated rather than simply dismissed as a faulty sensor.

[A3car19tdi]

So, is there an actual dpf light on the dash on these cars ? Indicating that it was blocked ? Might rule it out. Just wondered.

Or is it just eml 

I'm having it  looked at in a garage later.

 

[Stevey Y]

5 hours ago, A3car19tdi said:

So, is there an actual dpf light on the dash on these cars ? Indicating that it was blocked ? Might rule it out. Just wondered.

Or is it just eml 

I'm having it  looked at in a garage later.

 

Hi Dan good skills at least you will get an accurate idea of whats going on, BTW your name is on your profile. please inform us of the outcome.

Regards Steve.

[A3car19tdi]

Well they say it's the sensor....  I can hope.

Do I need to use an oem one on this do you know then I can tell him to order and program in

 

[Stevey Y]

10 hours ago, A3car19tdi said:

Well they say it's the sensor....  I can hope.

Do I need to use an oem one on this do you know then I can tell him to order and program in

 

What is OEM, most of the manufactures use who ever is the cheapest at the time, pierburg, denso, marelli, febi, they are all about the same and I am sure the garage can recommend a make that they use and trust, believe me when I tell you there are loads of them, just steer clear of the Chinese imports on eBay , at least if the garage supplies the part you have some come back if it fails again.

Regards Steve

[A3car19tdi]

I meant what ever Audi supply instead of a pattern part  And yes, I mean should I steer clear of a cheap parts. 

But anyway , it's fitted now at the trusted  garage  rather than an eBay special.

light extinguished. I shall drive it as see what happens. Fingers crossed 

Hopefully it stays off 🙂

 

 

 

[Stevey Y]

30 minutes ago, A3car19tdi said:

I meant what ever Audi supply instead of a pattern part  And yes, I mean should I steer clear of a cheap parts. 

But anyway , it's fitted now at the trusted  garage  rather than an eBay special.

light extinguished. I shall drive it as see what happens. Fingers crossed 

Hopefully it stays off 🙂

 

 

 

Wish you all the best with it, the only other thing I would be buying is an OBD Eleven set up which you can run on your phone so you can carry it in the car and find out what the EML is about any time you like they are about the cheapest diagnostic tool that will give you good solid information.

Steve.

[A3car19tdi]

Also,

The back osr door won't unlock on the key. 

Has to be opened from inside. Then you can use the handle as normal unless you lock it. 

 

But it will lock on the key. 

Any pointers before I tear into it ??