P0404: Exhaust Gas Recirculation Circuit Range/Performance
Key takeaways
- P0404 means the engine computer commanded the EGR valve to a position and the valve's position sensor reported something different.
- Carbon buildup that makes the valve stick is the most common cause; a failed valve, its wiring and software come next.
- You can usually keep driving, but stalling at stops or engine knock under load means the valve is stuck and should be fixed soon.
- Nissan and Jeep have bulletins that fix P0404 with an engine computer update, so check for one before buying a valve.
- Most P0404 repairs at a US independent shop run $100–$700; a new EGR valve on a mainstream car is $250–$700.
What P0404 means
Your EGR valve isn’t moving to where the engine computer told it to go.
Scanners call it “Exhaust Gas Recirculation Circuit Range/Performance” (newer tools say “EGR ‘A’ Control Circuit Range/Performance”). The EGR valve feeds a little exhaust back into the intake to cool combustion and cut NOx. On most cars built in the last twenty years the valve is electric and has a position sensor inside it. The computer commands a position, reads the sensor back, and sets P0404 when the two don’t agree for long enough. The circuit itself is usually intact; the valve just isn’t doing what it’s told.
Is it safe to drive?
Yes, on most cars, for now. Many drivers notice nothing but the light.
What changes the answer is how the valve is stuck. Stuck open, it lets exhaust into the intake at idle, which shows up as a rough idle or the engine stalling at stops. Stuck shut, combustion runs hotter and you may hear pinging or knocking when you accelerate hard. Either symptom means drive gently and get it fixed within days, not months.
Causes, ranked
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon buildup making the valve stick | Scan data shows actual position lagging or stuck versus commanded; carbon visible on the pintle when the valve comes off | $150–$500 (clean valve and passages) |
| Software calibration on specific models | A manufacturer bulletin matches your car and code, often with no drivability complaint | Often $0 under warranty; $100–$200 otherwise |
| Failed EGR valve (motor or built-in position sensor) | Valve won’t follow a scan-tool command even when clean; sensor reading jumps or doesn’t change | $250–$700 |
| Wiring or connector at the valve | Check power, ground and the sensor signal at the plug; look for heat damage and corrosion | $100–$250 |
| Vacuum supply or control solenoid (older vacuum-operated valves) | Hand vacuum pump test; cracked hose or a solenoid that doesn’t switch | $50–$400 |
What to check first
- Read every stored code. P0404 with P0401 (insufficient flow) points at carbon; with P0405 or P0406 it points at the sensor or wiring.
- Check for a bulletin before buying parts. The pattern here is clear: Nissan has ECM reprogramming bulletins for P0404 on the Sentra, Altima (including a cold-weather version) and Rogue, and Jeep has PCM updates for the 2021 Wrangler and Gladiator. Hyundai has a bulletin for 2024 Sonata and Tucson EGR valves whose sensor may have been contaminated during manufacturing, and Jaguar and Land Rover cover their diesels.
- Watch commanded versus actual position on a scan tool. A good shop commands the valve open and closed and watches the sensor follow.
- Inspect the connector and wiring. The valve sits in a hot spot and connectors bake.
- Pull and clean the valve if it’s sluggish. Clean the passage too, or the carbon comes right back.
- Clear it and drive after the repair. The EGR monitor reruns during normal driving within a few days.
What it costs
The cheap outcome is a software update or a connector repair, free under warranty or $100–$250. The common outcome is cleaning a carbon-stuck valve and its passages at $150–$500. The expensive outcome is a new EGR valve at $250–$700; trucks, diesels and cooled-EGR systems run above that. A scan-tool test of the valve takes minutes and tells you whether cleaning will do. If you’re not sure where your car falls, describe it in the chat.
Related codes
P0404 often shows up with P0401 (insufficient flow) and P0402 (excessive flow), which are the flow side of the same carbon problem. P0405 and P0406 are the position sensor reading too low or too high, and P0403 is the valve’s control circuit.
What owners report to NHTSA
19 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0404, 8 of them since 2015, across 13 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:gas recirculation valve (egr valve).
Most-reported models
| Vehicle | Complaints | Model years reported |
|---|---|---|
| DODGE RAM 1500 | 5 | 2004, 2005, 2007 |
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0404
26 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0404, from 9 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- HYUNDAI SONATA (2024), bulletin 11008136: The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assembly in certain vehicles may contain a sensor that was contaminated with solder flux during manufacturing, which could potentially result in an electrical short. An electrica…
- HYUNDAI TUCSON (2024), bulletin 11008137: The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assembly in certain vehicles (listed below) may contain a sensor that was contaminated with solder flux during manufacturing, which could potentially result in an electrical shor…
- NISSAN SENTRA (2020, 2021, 2022), bulletin 10218654: MIL ON WITH DTC P0401 AND/OR P0404 STORED IN THE ECM IF YOU CONFIRM The MIL is ON and DTC P0401 (EGR A FLOW INSUFFICIENT) and/or P0404 (EGR A CONTROL) is stored in the ECM. AND There are no drivability concerns. ACTION 1…
- NISSAN ALTIMA (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), bulletin 10226132: DTC P0404 STORED IN THE ECM AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 32F IF YOU CONFIRM DTC P0404 (EGR A CONTROL) is stored in the ECM at temperatures below 32F. ACTION 1. Confirm the current ECM part number. 2. Reprogram the ECM, if appli…
- NISSAN ROGUE (2021), bulletin 10202272: MIL ON WITH DTC P0404 STORED IN THE ECM IF YOU CONFIRM The MIL is ON and DTC P0404 (EGR VOLUME CONTROL VALVE) is stored in the ECM, AND There are no drivability concerns. ACTION 1. Confirm the current ECM part number. 2.…
- JEEP WRANGLER (2021), bulletin 10222968: Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates This bulletin involves reprogramming the PCM with the latest available software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination. Upon further inves…
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just clean the EGR valve to fix P0404?
Often, yes, if carbon is the reason it sticks. Cleaning the valve and the passage it feeds costs less than a new valve. If the valve's motor or built-in position sensor has failed, cleaning won't help and the valve has to be replaced.
Can I drive with a P0404 code?
Usually, for now. Many cars drive normally with it. If the valve is stuck open you may get a rough idle or stalling at stops; if it's stuck shut you may hear knocking when you accelerate hard. Either one is a reason to book it in soon.
Will P0404 fail an emissions test?
Yes. Any stored powertrain code that turns on the check engine light fails an OBD-II plug-in inspection, and a stuck EGR valve can also raise NOx emissions.
How much does it cost to fix P0404?
At a US independent shop, a cleaning of the valve and passages runs $150–$500, a wiring repair $100–$250 and a new EGR valve $250–$700. Trucks and diesels cost more.