P2142: Exhaust Gas Recirculation Throttle Control Circuit A High
What to do
The car will probably drive normally and fail an emissions test. Worth repairing on that basis, and worth asking for the throttle to be checked for carbon while the circuit is being tested.
What this code means
The EGR throttle control circuit reads above its valid range — an open circuit or a short to supply, which the module cannot separate. The mechanism this throttle serves is set out under P2141.
The practical distinction from the low variant is which way the plate ends up. Losing drive generally leaves it spring-returned to fully open, which is the safe direction: the engine breathes normally and simply cannot recirculate. That is why this fault usually costs emissions compliance rather than driveability, and why it is often found at a test rather than by the driver.
Likely causes
Start here
- Open circuit in actuator wiring · moderate
- Faulty EGR throttle valve · moderate
- Corroded or loose connector · easy
Less common
- Carbon-coated EGR throttle valve · moderate
- Wiring shorted to voltage · moderate
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
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Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
Community experience
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What makes one worth reading:
- The car — make, model, year and engine. The same fault behaves differently on each.
- What you measured, not only what you replaced.
- What actually fixed it — or that nothing did, which is worth knowing too.
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