Hi guys, a new poster and new to the family. i've had my superb 2018 L+K 280bhp for just over 2 weeks and yesterday I was sitting in the car watching a movie on my phone with the engine running. the car started idling weird and the engine light started flashing and the epc light came on. the engine light went off and it felt like the car was misfiring but cant be sure. (my 1st powerful car) i drove home very cautiously and plugged reader into obd2 and there was no code stored or live. turned off and on and car was fine. DO I PANIC I DONT WANNA GET RID OF THE CAR 

If you bought it from a garage, explain what happened and ask them to take a look at it and fix anything that might be faulty.  It may be that they'll have diagnostic equipment which can see what your reader might not be able to.

 

I wouldn't view it as a harbinger of doom at the moment, just something that needs checking out.  A stitch in time and all that.  Given you've not had it long I'd be wanting the supplier to carry out appropriate remedial work if I were you, as a warranty matter.

 

Gaz

 

Edited 30 November, 20223 yr by Gaz

Could be a coilpack on its way out hopefully thats all.

Sounds like you might need a better OBD tool...

 

If the engine light has been on, I'd expect a stored code to say why

The car might well be misfiring. Might need serviced.  Might need new spark plugs, maybe the spark plugs have the coils prematurely fail.  ?  So how many miles has the car done.  Have the spark plugs been checked or replaced.?    Maybe a full service history, but history of what being done. 

Edited 30 November, 20223 yr by toot

A generic ODB2 reader only reads generic ODB2 codes, there are a myriad of manufacturer-specific codes for all the various computer modules installed in the car. I would get someone with VCDS, or the dealer, to check for stored codes. As has been said, if the EPC light was on then almost certainly there will be something stored somewhere.

Actually codes might not be logged.

 

If the Engine Management light, as in sitting with the engine rich and the 'Engine Management light / emission control light comes on'

Like when a car is moved about in a workshop / paint shop and loads of soot build up.

Engine light. Symbol the shape of an engine,

 

an EPC light can also show with misfires, or not log of not enough in a cycle to get logged.  

Electronic Power Control light / EPC.

 

So an Engine lights or a EPC light is the first question, then does the car need a bit of a blow out.

 

Do not do that before checking the plugs, coils, air filter etc are all well.  & get the Fault Codes read if there are ones logged.

 

If all is well some fresh E5 97/99 rom might be good if it has E10 95 ron sitting in the tank a few weeks / months old. 

Edited 30 November, 20223 yr by toot

I wouldn’t worry too much as it’s probably something really simple an may not ever happen again.
 

But in any event, there’s certainly no reason to consider getting rid of a fantastic car. Ours through-up a Christmas tree of warnings 18 months ago - no ABS, no ESC, no adaptive cruise, no TPS blah, blah and I had a 1000 miles to cover. I was like AGGGGHHHHH - the car is a dud!!! 😩 Turned out to be the NSR wheel sensor had failed. 😂

 

As for the error code - and this isn’t directed to you - I thought VCDS will pull all fault codes? 

 

Thanks everyone for replying sooo quick. Really feel welcome in this forum. When i 1st got the car i used shell vpower 99oct but last couple days been using standard 95 supermarket fuel. Im gonna go back to the v power and see. In the meantime i'll also look at the sparks and coils. Mines got 54k on it. THANKS WILL UPDATE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IF I GET ANY UPDATE.

4 minutes ago, Al213 said:

Thanks everyone for replying sooo quick. Really feel welcome in this forum. When i 1st got the car i used shell vpower 99oct but last couple days been using standard 95 supermarket fuel. Im gonna go back to the v power and see. In the meantime i'll also look at the sparks and coils. Mines got 54k on it. THANKS WILL UPDATE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IF I GET ANY UPDATE.

 

Mine is 2016 otherwise same model. Although i do usually give it Tesco Momentum 99, sometimes I just put in supermarket 95 and to be honest there is very little difference, it certainly doesn't cause any misfiring or rough running. I did replace the spark plugs at around 60,000 miles but it made no difference to the running (which has always been fine) and they didn't really look as though they needed replacing - ie pretty indistinguishable from the new ones. Coils are more likely to play up under load then when idling.

So you check spark plugs and the gaps otherwise it is all a guess work or fingers crossed with a used car as you have no idea what went before, even if the originals, or gapped correctly.    When all is well 95 Ron is fine.  When all is well plugs properly gapped and performing are not cause coils to fail prematurely.     It is just basic servicing and maintenance which is why the Manufacturer's guidelines, recommendations and schedule is @ 4 years 40,000 miles for replacement.    Possibly Monday wasted, but so is coils needing replaced sooner than they could have needed to be.       We are now on winter petrol which is less hygroscopic than was on sale 1 month ago.       Ps.  I would go Tesco momentum 99 or Sainsbury super unleaded 97. (Min). Which can be 99 Ron as Minimum can mean a higher Octane.  No point over paying Royal Dutch Shell IMO.   All the same base fuel as Greenergy and RDS are partners importation.  We want the octane and really the detergent package is of no importance.  IMO.  

Edited 30 November, 20223 yr by toot

Hey everyone, just an update to this post. Ive ran shell 99 vpower and since then nothing. No lights no misfire its all good. I think the fuel was bad. Dont quote me but i think it runs better with higher octane. Thank you for everyones help. The sparks and coils were fine. But im thinking of upgrading a few things for performance. Any suggestions

No need for the E10 95 ron to be bad. It is what it is.

 

It is not E5 97/99 ron or even 100 or 100 +.    & not all Super Unleaded in the UK is equal in all of the UK.  

 

Autocar article this week in the subject if anyone wants to look for it. 

 

Or this. 

 

Edited 9 December, 20223 yr by toot