Exhaust damper actuator for a motor vehicle

Exhaust valve drive (2) for a motor vehicle with a drive motor (32) for an exhaust flap (8) of the motor vehicle, wherein the drive motor (32) having an engine output shaft (34) directly or indirectly with an exhaust valve shaft (10) for actuating the exhaust flap (8) operatively connected and in the drive train between the drive motor (32) and the exhaust gas flap (8) a coupling element (48) is connected, wherein the coupling element (48) as a stressed torsion spring (50, 52) is formed and with a rotationally fixed to the exhaust valve shaft (10) connected to the receptacle after assembly is permanently at least in form-locking engagement, characterized in that the coupling element (48) has a spring elasticity at least in the axial direction of the spring axis and is subjected to pressure, so that the coupling element (48) after completion the assembly is under axial prestress.