When driving this morning the amber epc warning light came on, no other light or message. Nothing seems to be wrong with the car, power as normal, fuel consumption as normal, any ideas ?

 

It happened on a Renault Clio I had and I ignored it for 15,000 miles in the hope that it would go away, does that work with Skodas ?

Quick search and I found this link, hope it helps:

 

 

 

17 minutes ago, Skoda_Saint said:

Quick search and I found this link, hope it helps:

 

 

 

 

Thanks, I have just checked and brake lights work fine.

 

The warning light in question is the 'engine shaped' one in the speedo, not the EPC text one.

 

The handbook gives dire warnings, I think they are bluffing to get me to spend wheelbarrows full of cash at a dealer.

37 minutes ago, totoro said:

 

Thanks, I have just checked and brake lights work fine.

 

The warning light in question is the 'engine shaped' one in the speedo, not the EPC text one.

 

The handbook gives dire warnings, I think they are bluffing to get me to spend wheelbarrows full of cash at a dealer.

 

The CEL simply means the ECU has logged and stored a fault which can be read as a DTC with an appropriate reader.

The fault could be as simple as low battery voltage sensed during starting on a cold morning, so yes, you can ignore it if the car's ok and, yes it may well reset itself if the fault doesn't reoccur.

Working brake lights don't prove that the brake pedal switch isn't faulty since it's a dual-pole switch.

Edited 31 December, 20187 yr by sepulchrave

@totoro - As above, a CEL could reset itself given a couple of starts, particularly if it's something like a low voltage code.

 

Also Ghibli rocks!!

18 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

@totoro - As above, a CEL could reset itself given a couple of starts, particularly if it's something like a low voltage code.

 

Also Ghibli rocks!!

 

Thanks everyone , I will treat it like a man treats symptoms of illness, ignore until they go away or get very bad.

 

PS. Someone recognises Totoro ! My granddaughters' favourite animation.

He's a troll, thought it apt for a forum. Also I need to lose weight.

Low voltage or faulty brake switch might put the CEL light on but afaik not the EPC light.

 

Treat yourself to an OBD reader and find out whats causing it. You'll need to fix it anyway before your next MOT as a CEL or EPC light on is an automatic fail.

 

Streetwize OBD reader

 

or

 

Another Streetwize OBD reader

 

Only around £15 with discount codes, hardly too expensive! And you can use these to reset the light and DTC codes (they may come back if the fault persists of course)

 

 

Edited 31 December, 20187 yr by xman

@xman - You're a "glass is nearly empty" guy, aren't you? The OP has already said it was the CEL and NOT the EPC.

Fair enough.

However, CEL often precedes an EPC. Simply ignoring is not wise, it may be a timing error, precursor to chain or belt failure.

 

Does the OP feel lucky?

Edited 31 December, 20187 yr by xman

CEL also often represents nothing more sinister than low voltage to the EMS. (been there, seen that... Comment from garage was that I had electrical fault codes from every subsystem, but the only thing they could find wrong was the alternator pulley sticking open)

It might not be serious, but then it might, and it certainly needs fixing before MOT or selling.

 

So would spending £15 on a code reader at least give peace of mind?

 

Or the OP could change several bits blindly to try and clear it, battery, alternator.....on blind advice being given here.

 

Or wait till the MOT and the garage charge you £80 just for the diagnostic.

 

Or *bang* something just snapped!

I'm with xman; ignoring a warning light is asking for more problems. Spend a little cash on a suitable handheld code reader, or download the freeware version of VCDS and buy a suitable third-party cable for it. If you go for the former, keep it in the glovebox and you can diagnose at the roadside if you have a significant problem any time later.

 

 

Thanks for the comments, it would be nice to park it up, wait for the Royal Mail to deliver it to the wrong address etc and sort it out by waiting for any needed bits to arrive but living in the country I have to do things like drive to the shops.

Have just done a round trip of 32 miles and got 45.8 mpg indicated so there can't be much wrong with it, it's as responsive as it ever is and there are no strange sounds. I have a friend who is a mechanic and will have the kit but probably would do more harm than good on a boozy New Years Eve or with a hangover tomorrow.

Driving in  the dark allowed me to see a significant drop in light level at tick-over at junctions, could be alternator related as suggested.

I will stick a bit of black tape over the warning light and press on, I have a 100 mile trip to make tomorrow and there will be no garages open. The RAC and a tow home is only a phone call away if it breaks down..

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying don't drive it, just saying do something to solve the problem, or start to at least.  If you happen to be passing south Oxfordshire on your drive tomorrow, set off 15 minutes early and stop by for a quick VCDS scan.

Does the battery light illuminate when you turn the ignition on?

19 minutes ago, Wino said:

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying don't drive it, just saying do something to solve the problem, or start to at least.  If you happen to be passing south Oxfordshire on your drive tomorrow, set off 15 minutes early and stop by for a quick VCDS scan.

Does the battery light illuminate when you turn the ignition on?

 

Yes, battery and EPC and engine symbol 

6 minutes ago, totoro said:

 

Yes, battery and EPC and engine symbol 

That sounds like normal behaviour, as far as I recall.

Just to be clear, I am saying don't panic, although it may appear that others are saying do panic, in fact a CEL is rarely (read never) a life-threatening road safety issue when the car's behaviour is completely unchanged.

Engine symbol light is often emissions related, i.e. lambda sensor.

Well chaps, that was easy.

I ordered a fault code reader, the cheaper of the two Streetwize models recommended above ( can't fault service from Carparts4less), it came a short while ago; plugged it in and it read fault code, P071  lean mix, checked that on this forum, went back to the car and checked/wiggled hoses, all seemed OK.

 

Cleared fault, restarted and no light showing as yet.

 

Panic over for now,

 

thank you peoples for your help.

I assume you mean P0171?

 

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/16555/P0171/000369

 

Edited 3 January, 20197 yr by TMB

49 minutes ago, TMB said:

I assume you mean P0171?

 

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/16555/P0171/000369

 

 

that's the one;

 

one of the 'ignore it long enough and it will go away' ones

8 minutes ago, totoro said:

one of the 'ignore it long enough and it will go away' ones

 

Here's hoping 

Check the stiff plastic brake servo vacuum pipe for splits at the end, particularly at the engine inlet manifold end.

The 1.4 16v engines seem to love throwing up the odd codes LOL

I get the same 3 or 4 codes pop up occasionally but reset/ignore if they are not important codes (and if they do not ping up too often).

In the past I have changed a few components to cure more important codes.