Engine Light - Exhaust Pressure Sensor

[IBA]

Have had my Golf MK5 1.9 Bluemotion for years now and its been a brilliant car.
Always serviced by VW direct.
Used for longer journeys - 30-40 mins of motorway driving to and from work, with some shorter stints in between. So its well used with just over 104k on the clock now!

Last service was 3 weeks ago (minor service) and yesterday for the first time ever the engine light has come on. Solid amber.

Took it to a local garage for a diagnostic and it had the following fault:

P0473 Exhaust Pressure Sensor 1 (G450), Signal too High

Being the first time the engine light has ever come on, I am keen to get this resolved asap!

Rang one VW dealer:
£65 for the part
1.5 hrs labour
TOTAL : £271

Rang the next VW dealer from me (part of the same group)
£125 for part
1 hr labour
Would do another diagnostic - £90
TOTAL : £370


Not sure how these guys get away with charging whatever they like!

Anyway, after some research I found the part - code 03G 906 051A.
It seems this has now been replaced by a newer part - code 076 906 051A

I have purchased a replacement part myself for £30 - just waiting for it to arrive.

I have the following questions:

1. Considering I do long journeys where the car always warms up nicely, is it still OK to drive for a few days while the part arrives?
2. It seems it could be an easy part to replace - any precautions that need to be taken during its replacement?
3. Once replaced, I read the warning light should go out after turning the ignition on and off 3 times - is this correct? Or will it go out after the car senses all is OK? Or do I need to get the fault code reset and cleared from the garage?

Thanking you in advance for your time.

[Crasher]

The part is £64.52 genuine, the second dealer had looked up the wrong part. I have stopped using the aftermarket sensors (these retail in the £30 area) as I had too many fail. Of course you have got the diagnostic equipment to be able to match the new sensor to the engine ECU?

[IBA]

The part is £64.52 genuine, the second dealer had looked up the wrong part. I have stopped using the aftermarket sensors (these retail in the £30 area) as I had too many fail. Of course you have got the diagnostic equipment to be able to match the new sensor to the engine ECU?

No I will need to take the part to a local garage and have them do it
As I have purchased the replacement already I'll give it a shot. If it happens again I'll go for the genuine one
Will be taking the car in on Thurs to have it done, although I still need to use it for now - probably 100 or so motorway miles at 60-70mph. At these constant speeds does the regen still occur with the sensor playing up or is it completely dependant on the sensor??

[Crasher]

I had an early DPF model 2007 170PS EOS in this PM with a failed G450, he elected to not have it done, I got the feeling he seemed to think the price was too high.

[rick vandal]

My 62 plate 2.0 just back after DPF issues. If it's my G450 I,m looking at (DPS10, 059906051) it only has one hose connected so it is sensing absolute not differential pressure. That seems odd?

[Crasher]

the later ones only have one hose to the DPF and the other port senses atmospheric pressure.

[rick vandal]

Just got my 62 plate 2.0 back after DPF issues. If pic shows my G450 then there is only one hose connected. Reading absolute not differential pressure?G450.jpg

[rick vandal]

the later ones only have one hose to the DPF and the other port senses atmospheric pressure.

So a potato up the exhaust will give strange results! FYI, there is a similar forum across the pond in Rabbit country where I found 'One little note for others with this same issue. The 2009 (CBEA) engine and the 2010+ (CJAA) seem to have these sensors backwards. The one marked as G450 is G451 on an'09 and the one marked a G505 is G450 of an '09. This is why many shops just change both sensors at the same time instead of risking changing the wrong one. I have seen several of these sensors fail and it is always the one right above the DPF that fails (no matter what it is called). I suspect that it the heat of repeated regenerations that kills this sensor. So far, I have never seen the one over the Aux Fuel Pump fail. Also remember that most '09s use the -A sensor whilst all 2010+ TDIs use the -B sensor. The -B sensor will work on both engines, but you must replace both sensors if you change from the -A to the -B sensor. You cannot have one of each in the same car.'

[Crasher]

I have had some problems with sensors from FAE so at the moment we stock the three main culprits genuine only, time is money and new parts giving me **** is not on... I fitted one tonight on an early DPF A6 and then VCDS let me down by having the coding value bubble missing and the car won't accept the usual 30605 so I was very knobed off!