Updated April 2026 · Diesel Automotive workshop notes
Short answer: no. Removing or disabling the EGR system on a vehicle that was originally fitted with one is illegal under UK emissions and vehicle construction law. We don't do EGR deletes for that reason — and neither should anyone else.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, together with the Type Approval rules a manufacturer met when the vehicle was first sold, require the vehicle's emissions equipment to remain functional. Modifying or removing emissions equipment such as EGR, DPF or AdBlue takes the vehicle out of compliance.
From 2014, MOT testers have been required to look for evidence of emissions tampering — and a deleted EGR is grounds for an automatic failure.
If a tester sees a blanking plate where the EGR valve should be, finds a software remap that has disabled the EGR, or sees emissions readings that suggest the system isn't working, the car will fail. The fix is to put the EGR back to standard before the test — at which point you've spent money to delete it and money to undo it.
Most insurance policies require the vehicle to be in a roadworthy and legal condition. An EGR delete may be considered an undisclosed modification — which can void cover. If you have an accident in a vehicle with deleted emissions equipment, your insurer may refuse to pay.
Sometimes an EGR delete masks a fault — typically a sticky valve, a carboned cooler, or a leaking pipe. The car runs better because the broken bit isn't in the loop any more. But you've still got the original fault, and you've added two more (illegality and MOT failure).
The proper fix is EGR cleaning or replacement. From £149 for a clean, from £299 for a valve, from £399 for a cooler. You keep the car legal, the MOT clean, and the fault actually fixed.
EGR fault on your car? Send your reg and any fault codes — we'll diagnose and fix it the legal way. EGR cleaning page · Contact.
The legal fix is usually cheaper than you think.