Hi everyone. I will take you up on the invitation to post my series of failed attempts to deal with EGR issues. Brief summary, I got my 2012 LTZ Captiva used, and the guy evidently got me fooled. The check engine started lighting soon thereafter, and then the car began to go into Limp mode (luckily, allowing me to keep driving on the freeway, as opposed to slowing me down to 30 KMH). I have been dealing with this mess for over 8 months, now. Got a quote from a non-opel/chevy shop for 2.300 EUR, for the replacement of the Throttle Body, Inlet Manifold and EGR valve.
I figured "Nah, it sounds like something I can do myself", and began my research. I was actually able to secure a copy of the Workshop manual, and thought I had struck gold! I tried just doing what Victor is trying to do, just removing the valve by unscrewing those three torx screws (35s, I think they are) and pulling upwards... it will not work... That thing has a gasket/seal, that makes it nearly impossible (for me) to remove. I have tried banging softly on the aluminum part with a rubber mallet, tried spraying it with that screw shock rewmover.... nothing.
So, I decided I would follow the instructions to remove the whole intercooler, so I could gain access to the Throttle Body itself and, since I'd already be there, take down the inlet manifold and give it a thorough wash....
The manual shows these wonderfully easy schematics, where everything makes sense, so I had my hopes all the way through the roof. What the f*cking manual does NOT tell you, is that everything you need to do to take down the intercooler, and all the rest, happens in a nearly inaccessible place, at the BACK of the engine, where you are always cramming your fingers between the engine and the firewall.
Also, the stupid intercooler is held in place by two (or maybe just one, I couldn't really figure it out in the end) where you cannot fit a wrench, without having to unscrew the injectors...
I literally took down the battery, the fuse box (left side of the car, facing forward), the ECU unit, the engine coolant tank, just to try and get access to the places I needed to get to. On top of the engine you need to take down the fuel rail system, that fuel line that Victor was talking about (for which I think I damaged the clamping mechanism a bit, need to make sure no leaks come out when I restart the engine), and a bunch of weirdly positioned hoses.
I am not a mechanic by trade, but I am also not entirely inept at it (what took me about 4 hours to take appart, I was able to rebuild in about 1,5 Hours...) but I finally had to give up (with the hardest, strongest and deepest feeling of frustration I have ever experienced in my time as a DIY mechanic) and had to call a different workshop that recently helped a friend of mine, and seems to be a bit cheaper than the one that provided the quote.
IN SUMMARY: 1) Taking out the EGR valve alone, is very hard. I have read more posts here and reviews elsewhere saying that they were NOT able to pull it out, than any ever saying that they did... (Victor, I hope this is not your case, I'd love to be vicariously happy for you); 2) Trying to take out the EGR intercooler is incredibly tough; 3) Anything that has to do with cleaning the throttle body, inlet manifold etc, on this car, will have to be done by taking it nearly all apart... don't even think about those cleaners with the long hoses and nozzles that you can spray into the TB and Inlet Man. while the car is running, because there is no way your car will be able to run if you have access to that section.
There, that is my sob story. Hope it helps someone. I still feel I was so close to being successful I could almost taste victory, and that only fuels my frustration even more...
Have a great day, all of you. And may everyone on Earth be super happy (except for the team of engineers who came up with that engine design... onto them, I wish nothing short of the seven plagues of Egypt...)