I have been dealing with code P0410 Secondary air injection system malfunction for a long time now. There are numerous posts for this and they are all the problems with no solutions. Here is what cured my problems.

First-checked that air pump came on when car was started. You can hear it turn on. If it turns on then the relay is also good. If it does not turn on check the relay. It is located on the drivers side (american left) compartment by the firewall in the fuse box. Check your owners manual for the exact relay.

Second-replaced the shut-off valve. I believe this was where my problem was. It was rusty and the rubber gasket inside it was blocking alot of the outlet. Here is my BIG mistake. I put black silicone on the gasket between the valve and the metal air tube. the silicone was too much and hardened into the area where the tube met the valve. While the valve was my original problem, when i applied the silicone this blocked the new valve air.

Third-With the code still pulling my check engine light, i took apart the entire secondary air injection system. I took the valve off (thats when i saw the silicone blocking 50% of the tube), took off the two metal tubes (one connects from the engine block to the valve, the other from the air pump to the valve), two rubber tubes (one from metal tube to air pump, other from valve to metal tube), and took off vacum line that activates the valve from the electronic vacum control (under the plastic front cover of the engine). The electronic vacum control should be ok. If you start the car and pull the small vacum line off you should be able to feel the slight suction with your finger. There is also a small check valve between the line and control. If no suction is felt check the valve and electronic control. This was not my problem so not much more here.

Fourth-Cleaned out the metal tubes with parts cleaner (from advanced auto parts) and pipe cleaners (got them at ac moore crafts) and my air compressor.

Fifth-Added Sea Foam (from advance auto parts) to my gas tank at 1/4 tank left. This was posted on here and cured it so i figured i'd give it a try. Bought another bottle for my oil crankcase but its full so I don't want to put it in until an oil change is done.

Sixth-Replaced my post cat oxygen sensor. This is a NO NO!!! Do not replace the sensor if you are getting a P0410 code. It is NOT your oxygen sensor. It is a blockage somewhere. The air is not getting through correctly. I replaced the oxygen sensor and now i am getting a bad oxygen sensor code P0136 (oxygen sensor malfunction bank 1 sensor 2) and P0133 (oxygen sensor slow response bank 1 sensor 1). This is probably due to the fact that I bought a universal bosch replacement off Ebay and should have just spent the $115 for the OEM. I am getting a new one sent to me and hopefully that will work. Now I have to pray I can get the existing Oxygen sensor out.

However, I reinstall all the cleaned tubes back, took off the silicone and put the valve back with just the gasket between it and the tube and wah lah no more P0410 code. The secondary air injection system is working fine. Now to fix that oxygen sensor.

 

Well its back. After replacing the O2 sensor and cleaning out my secondary air injection system, the P0410 code from hell is back. My first O2 Sensor was defective so i had to replace it a 2nd time. so far no other codes come up but the P0410 is still coming up. I cleaned the entire system as posted on the original post. Only thing it could be now is the heads have to be removed and the chambers in the engine cleaned as they could be clogged.

Any other ideas folks?

Thanks.

 

FINALLY! I HAVE SOLVED MY P0410 SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTION CODE!! If you have read my posts above you will know that I have been tried to solve my P0410 code forever. Well today, I have finally cracked the code. My air pump is/was seized!!! Yup you heard it right volks. The water vapor caused rusted to build up in the air chambers and flake off into my air pump. It in turn wet the motor and seized the motor brushes rusted shut. So how about that. I took off the air pump and disassembled it, but it is dead. Most sell for $600-700 but a company called CJV sell reman's for $444 on www.partsgeek.com and many other sub sites.

I encourage all of you who have this problem. There is only a few components to the system. There are the air pump, rubber hoses, steel tubes, check valve, and oxygen sensor before the cat. There are also air chambers inside the engine block but I have read that only the 111 engine ( i believe old e series?) has a major problem with them getting clogged.

I eliminated this option as I removed the rubber hose attached to the activation check valve and started my car. The exhaust was blowing back air out of the hose which told me they couldn't be clogged.

As said in prev post, I took all the hoses and steel tubes out and cleaned them. I also replaced the check valve as it was inexpensive and rotted.

I replaced the after cat oxygen sensor (dummy me). I read afterward it is the before cat oxygen sensor that is the monitor of the exhaust air after the secondary air injection system is activated. I bought a volt meter to check my before cat oxygen sensor but never got to it because I found the air pump seized.

When checking the chambers inside the block for exhaust air I noticed no air was coming out from the other end which should have been from the air pump. I then took the rubber hose off the air pump and no air. I then connected two wires from the battery (one pos one neg) and ran them directly to the air pump. the #1 position (top if under the car) is the positive (has red stripe wire) and #2 position (brown) which is on the bottom of the pump. Nothing.

When I took the pump off I unscrewed the 3 torx screws to open the electrical connection (someone on prev post said they had a broken connection and soldered it to save $$) no luck for me. I then retried to start the pump. no luck. took off the torx screws holding the housing together. Loads of rust particles in between teh fins. Motor was seized.

I am buying a new pump from partsgeek and will add to post when installed and check engine light cleared to see if they hex is gone forever.

Thank you to all who contribute. You have all helped me understand this system! Hope I help someone out there someday.

 

well i replaced my air pump and it is still not working. the reman pump works if i put direct voltage to it however on the car it does not. i found out that the relay to this is not in the relay box with the other relays/fuses but to the left on the firewall in a box that looks like a battery box. to my surpirse there is a 40amp fuse in that box that was blown. i replaced it but still no voltage is going to the pump. i traced the wires from the harness (red w/black stripe and brown both bigger than usual gauge) and they trace back to a computer in that same box the fuse is in. does anyone know what that strip is. it is completely electronic and when i test for voltage i get nothing both at the air pump harness end and where it goes into the electronic strip computer. could it be an ecm or some sort. im lost. the only thing i can think of is the car was warm when i put the fuse in so maybe the system did not activate. i am waiting for the car to cool to see it it comes on. fingers crossed. i have put alot of time and effort and $$ into this P0410 code. its killing me.

 

Hello Thomas.. Did you manage to sort the P0410 out??

Got the same come up on mine

Cheers

G

 

so far so good. if you are following my post youll see i was waiting until morning to see if the pump turned on and so far its turned on every morning and when the car is cold. it sounds like a hair dryer when it is running. i cleared my cel and so far it hasn't returned. there is a 40 amp orange fuse under the hood that controls the air pump and the relay is right next to it. HOWEVER it is NOT in the fuse compartment where all the fuses are (standing in front of the car to the right). It is in the box on the firewall on the pass (right side sitting in the car). you have to unscrew it and you will see it. mine was blown because my air pump was corroded with water (from condensation over time) and blew the fuse. I replaced my air pump from partsgeek.com and the fuse and its been good ever since.

 

I got the same P0410 issue, were is the air pump and what does it look like?

 

The air pump is black and is plastic. Standing in front of the car with the hood up, it is on the very front of the engine on the left side. It is easier if you get under the car and take off the plastic shroud underneath. Under the car if you look at the very front right side of the engine you will see a round black plasitc altenator looking type device. That is the air pump. It has a single 2 prong harness and a short rubber hose going into it with a metal hose attached to the other side of the rubber hose. If you follow that metal pipe you will see it goes to the air pump check valve.

Your air pump will only come on when the car is cold. Unless you have a mercedes type computer to activate the system youll never get it to come on. It sounds like a hair dryer. You can't mistake it. When I finally got mine working I could hear it while sitting inside with the radio on low. If you don't hear it on check the main fuse for it in the box that says battery in trunk.

Hope this helps. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

 

I forgot to say it is located on the BOTTOM of the engine which is why it makes it easier if you are underneath the car rather than looking for it under the hood. Get underneath and you can't miss it.

 

Hello everybody, I have a 1998 Mercedes S320 secondary air injection pump not ready.
I need to smog my car I checked everything is reading ready except the secondary air pump. I changed the purge valve and tps already because the check engine light was coming on now that's fixed but the still not ready to take to smog.
1- The air pump works fine I jump started it and it works fine. I also felt it working when I started the car in the morning but once I disconnected the large hose from the air pump it stopped working.
2- the relay is fine too I replaced it as well. When car is worm and running I get no readings from the pump connector what so ever but the relay is fine.
3- all fuses are fine I cheked them one at the time. What else it could be I wonder any help will be appreciated.