I have a 2004 Fabia Estate 1.4 (100bhp) manual. The EPC light came on the other day and remains on while engine running. Car is driving normally, no rev. restrictions or anything. Have checked obvious externals, such as all the lights etc. Are there any other checks I can make before booking the car in. If there are any common causes that can be easily identified and fixed I'd rather resolve without having to go to the dealer.

Hi

It could be worth checking the brake lights.

Easy check and that could be the problem

Sarah

Thanks Sarah - will check them lunchtime.

Anyone got a spare brick?

Know what you mean

Drag someone off the street , that`s all I do

Sarah

Did as suggested - brake lights seem to be fine - any other ideas?

Cor blimey

You have lost me now , sorry

You will be needing a full diagnostics on it I am afraid

Sarah

A member with VAG-COM may help you out.

How can I find one?

Ask the question

Start a thread asking for someone in the area

Sarah

Have you checked the charge on the battery? A low one can cause it, as can a faulty temperature sensor or fault in the power steering system or air conditioning. Presumably your oil and coolant levels are OK.

VAG garages will have a VAG.com and be able to interpret resulting codes printed off.

If you're nearer to a Qwik Fit, they'd check your battery and some have VAG coms. They won't charge if no work is needed, though you'd have to ask them if they know what all the codes mean when they read them off.

Regards

Mo

VAG Garages will use VAS 1552 or similar equipment and charge you a labour rate.

A list of members with VAG-COM is in a thread called something like VAG-COM map started by Lummox. Try a search.

As a matter of interest for Irish Skoda owners, the EPC light on my Fabia has come on over the weekend. Charges by Skoda dealers here in Dublin to run the VAG diagnostics vary so remember to shop around.

Finally took it into my Skoda garage - they just phoned me to say its the EGR (?) valve and they have ordered the part but it won't be in for about a week. Apparently it has to come from the Czech Republic - surprised me as I had thought all the mechanicals were VW!.

The car is supposedly safe to drive in the meantime. Incidentally, the warning light went off on Saturday night so I was tempted to do nothing but, since I'd already booked the car in, I went ahead and had it checked out.

The guy I spoke to couldn't really explain what the valve in question does but said it was something to do with the throttle. I asked whther it would be ok to drive until the Christmas holidays before bringing it in to have new part fitted and he said this was fine.

Can anyone verify this and/or enlighten me as to what the valve does?

The wifes epc lght turns on and off like a dont know what! Seems to happen when fuel getting low, but not always. Seems to be related to vent in the tank according to vag com. Main dealer aware and said leave it unless causing running problems. Have been running with ultimate unleaded which seems to have helped for now.

Yes, but I suppose the danger of running it with the EPC light on when it's reckoned to be a relatively harmless fault, is that when a more serious problem occurs this would be masked by the initial fault.

Altogether an unsatisfactory way to report problems. Hopefully in future they'll build something more sophisticated into the engine management system/dash (like a version of VAG/COM) that will report the actual fault to the driver.