EPC light on bur car running fine (having just been to garage)... What to check?

[Hawthorn654]

Hi all

 

I had problem a few days back whereby my Fabia lost power whilst driving.  There were no warning lights on on the dash.  I called out the RAC and they thought it was either a problem with the fuel filter or possibly the fuel pump.  He dropped it off at a garage.  First they changed the fuel filter which they said improved the situation but it still wasn't right.  They suggested also changing the spark plugs, as it looked as if they had not been changed for some time.  

 

I've got the car back and it seems to be running fine.  However, the EPC light is now on any time I drive it.  I've asked the garage about it and he thinks it is something to do with steering and is not connected the work they've done and the original problem.  But I've just had a quick read about EPC faults and it seems it could be a whole load of different things.  Ironically, none of them about steering though!   

 

Knowing nothing about cars, it would be good to hear what you guys think to help me decide whether to go back to the garage again.

 

Any ideas?  

 

Many thanks for reading and hope I chose the right forum.

[TMB]

Are the brake lights working?

[Hawthorn654]

Hi TMB

 

I did check that but unfortunately not.  Shame, cos it would have been nice and easy if it was!

 

Cheers

[TMB]

Ah OK.

[sepulchrave]

2 hours ago, Hawthorn654 said:

Hi all

 

I had problem a few days back whereby my Fabia lost power whilst driving.  There were no warning lights on on the dash.  I called out the RAC and they thought it was either a problem with the fuel filter or possibly the fuel pump.  He dropped it off at a garage.  First they changed the fuel filter which they said improved the situation but it still wasn't right.  They suggested also changing the spark plugs, as it looked as if they had not been changed for some time.  

 

I've got the car back and it seems to be running fine.  However, the EPC light is now on any time I drive it.  I've asked the garage about it and he thinks it is something to do with steering and is not connected the work they've done and the original problem.  But I've just had a quick read about EPC faults and it seems it could be a whole load of different things.  Ironically, none of them about steering though!   

 

Knowing nothing about cars, it would be good to hear what you guys think to help me decide whether to go back to the garage again.

 

Any ideas?  

 

Many thanks for reading and hope I chose the right forum.

 

It would be ideal if you could share the secret about what engine we're trying to fix here, I promise I won't tell anyone else ok.

 

I get that it's a petrol Fabia, but which one, there are just so many to choose from...

[Hawthorn654]

My apologies, I didn't think of that.  

 

Well - between you and me - it's a Fabia Comfort 1.2 HTP 64.  Is that what's needed?  Let me know if not and I'll come back with more...

 

Many thanks

[Breezy_Pete]

Scan with handheld scan tool or VCDS. I wouldn't rule out brake light switch yet, it might be intermittent. 

[Hawthorn654]

Hi Wino

 

10 minutes ago, Wino said:

Scan with handheld scan tool or VCDS. 

 

Someone once gave me one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Version-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Multi-Language-12Kinds/dp/B0136BJ0XC

 

Would that be any good?  

 

10 minutes ago, Wino said:

I wouldn't rule out brake light switch yet, it might be intermittent. 

 

I had my partner stand behind the car to check the brakes light and they were working fine with EPC still lit up on the dash.  Just in case that helps or changes anything.  As for the brake light switch is there a way to check that?  Also, is that something the mechanic might have accidentally damaged while changing the fuel filter and spark plugs?  

 

Many thanks for the help.

[aldthephoneman]

Hi,

 I have a fabia 1.4.  the battery died, replaced it, the epc light came  on and also the battery warning light. Alternator not charging battery, so went to a friends garage, replaced alternator with second hand one £25, put it on, the battery light went out, epc still on. he connected his diagnostic thing, a very expensive one, put in car details, result was something about alternator sensor wire. he reset the whatever with his diagnostic tool, the epc light went off, and all was well.......for 15 minutes. epc is back on, so will be phoning him this morning to see what the next move is, although he did mention something about there being two signal wires on the alternator, and one could possibly be removed to stop it sending signals to the epc light. I will keep you informed of the outcome. 

[Hawthorn654]

Thanks, I appreciate that.

 

It does seem that this EPC thing can relate to a whole load of different varied things!

[Breezy_Pete]

1 hour ago, Hawthorn654 said:

Someone once gave me one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Version-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Multi-Language-12Kinds/dp/B0136BJ0XC

 

Would that be any good?  

 

Dunno, try it and see.

 

1 hour ago, Hawthorn654 said:

As for the brake light switch is there a way to check that

 

If a scan has fault codes for brake light switch...

 

1 hour ago, Hawthorn654 said:

Also, is that something the mechanic might have accidentally damaged while changing the fuel filter and spark plugs?  

 

No, unless he has incredibly long and flexible arms.  The brake light switch is near the top of the brake pedal.

[aldthephoneman]

Hi,

 just spoken to John in the garage, yesterdays reading said that it was something to do with the steering pump, which he then assumed was related to the low voltage from the alternator before he changed it, ( the steering pump switched of while I was driving to the garage, had a terrible job to steer the car, but switched off the ignition and back on and it was o.k. again, )  but he now assumes that it could be any  one of many things that cause the light to come on, such as oxygen sensor etc. the car is going back in tomorrow morning, He said that as we cleared the fault signal yesterday, it should now show the  only the reason why it came back on again, but as everyone seems to say, it appears that it could be one of many things. I will report back on the outcome and remedy and whether  it is possible to disengage the epc light, which just seems more of a nuisance  to the driver and a money spinner for the garages.    

[rum4mo]

I use a completely different approach to "disengaging the EPC light", I always plan to find out what is causing the problem and then fix it, that has worked well for me for years.

 

Switching off the ability to display faults if it were possible, is only going to have you either blocking the road for everyone else, or causing inconvenience for others as they slow down to pass you lying at the side of the road, sounds like no one need bother about how it affects you though!

 

Edit:- on the positive side, it does sound like your car, if allowed, could enable your "garage man" to learn a bit about diagnostics - hopefully, any other proper fixers nearby?

Edited 7 June, 2018 by rum4mo

[Breezy_Pete]

@aldthephoneman does your battery light come on when you turn on the ignition, before starting the engine?

[KenONeill]

@aldthephoneman - I was just about to ask about the battery light too! Also, since a charge problem does "graceful degradation", have the ICE and/or ventilation fan stopped working, is it throwing ABS and/or traction control (if fitted) lights?

[sepulchrave]

2 hours ago, Hawthorn654 said:

My apologies, I didn't think of that.  

 

Well - between you and me - it's a Fabia Comfort 1.2 HTP 64.  Is that what's needed?  Let me know if not and I'll come back with more...

 

Many thanks

 

Ok, EPC means electronic power control, this is the cars engine ECU and it indicates a fault condition with the engine electronics only, not the PAS as this has a seperate ECU and a seperate warning lamp.

You simply need to get the codes read from the fault memory and post them here for further assistance.

[Hawthorn654]

Thanks for all the replies.  

 

I'll try out my little blue gizmo once I've figured out how and then report back.

 

Cheers

[TMB]

The brake light switch has other functions besides just working the brake lights. Just because the lights work doesn't necessarily mean it's not faulty