Meant to post last week, but.....

Week ago, the "check" light came on for the Electronic Power Control on th4e dash. Conveniently, i had only just left work, the the dealers was two mins away. Innconveniently, being 4:45, they couldn't get it in, and not till the following tuesday, though i was told the car was still safe to drive.

As it happens, the damn thing cleared itself on monday night, about 10pm. So dealer said just to keep an eye on it.

My question then is:

What exactly does the EPC do? What damage could have happened? Is it likely to happen again, and if so, how much is it going to cost to fix?

And secondly, anyone recommend a reall decent set of front and rear discs and pads for someone who eats his discs and pads for breakfast? (ie, annually if lucky) - for a 2.0 GLXi Octavia (not vRS)

Interesting description in the owners book.

This warning light comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.

If the warning light does not go out or comes on or flashes while driving, this indicates a fault with the engine electronic control system. A program stored on the ECU makes it possible to continue driving with certain restrictions. Contact a dealer for assistance.

continue driving with certain restrictions.

I REALLY hate that phrase, having had cause to read that section of the manual once before - does it mean that you must drive with restraint, or that the engine has gone into limp mode? Also, what ARE the restrictions that you must drive within / are imposed on you?

Very vague isn't it. The manual says nothing, only that text.

and i did, right there and then.

Dealer wasn't especially descriptive, but then again, i didn't press for an explanation - just glad it cleared and hasn' cost me anything (reaches from anything very very woody.....)

Happened to me here in Costa Rica as well. Last time I used my Fabia was Wednesday the 7th. I'll check tomorrow hoping it shuts off, and ask my dealer as well.

Bizarre event happened today. Parked near the curb. Got back to the car, switch the engine on. Turn the steering wheel and the tyre hit the kurb (without scrapping the alloys thank goodness). Lights came on! Power steering, EPC, airbag, oil, and the handbrake was flashing altho it was down. 20secs later the handbrake was sounded the alarm for 30secs and the alarm went quiet, but these lights were still on and handbrake light still flashing.

I thought this is going to go away after i left it for about 30mins in a car park. It did go away. BUT the EPC stayed on ever since. Even after driving 100miles (I was in manchester had to get back to nottingham). This is the exact problem that this thread is on about. I hope this goes away. Otherwise i have to waste like half a day to visit the dealer.

Anyone out there has experienced the same problem and went away? Did it caused any damage? I noticed the higher gears were abit sluggish compare to before.

Oh dear this sounds like the same problem that loads of Seats have had. My wife's Beezer has had to go back into the dealer about 8 times already with various engine management warning lights on. They just seems to clear them and say nothing is wrong - they have said that it appears to be more of a problem with the electronics on the warning lights. It is however, seriously annoying as you don't know whether you have a problem or not and you can bet that if you keep driving and it was a problem then they would void the warranty The last time it came on they said the next available space they had was in two weeks time .... so what are you supposed to do in the meantime

Mine goes on and off randomly, despite it going into the dealer and them resetting it and changing the temperature sender (which apparently is what was reported broken).

My battery is pretty knackered, but I don't think that would be anything to do with it.

Seems the warning system is a bit unreliable, and you'd be better off ignoring it and using other symptoms to indicate problems with the car!

Rob.

I've never noticed an EPC light.

Javaman - how do you manage to wear out your brakes so fast? There are guys on here who have done ridiculous amounts of miles (including track time) and are still on their original pads (aren't there, Manny ... )

If it's just miles and no special requirement for extra stopping power I'd say just go on using OEM parts - I don't think better ones are going to last longer, rather the reverse.

Sigh of relieve after work today. Light stayed on while driving in the morning after leaving the car parked front of house for 10hrs. Walked back to car after work, the stupid light went off. I'm a bit confused with this diag light. anyways its gone, so hopefully this gives u an indication that after a day or two, the light will die away. If not, check the dealer.

Sigh of relieve after work today. Light stayed on while driving in the morning after leaving the car parked front of house for 10hrs. Walked back to car after work, the stupid light went off. I'm a bit confused with this diag light. anyways its gone, so hopefully this gives u an indication that after a day or two, the light will die away. If not, check the dealer.

If an intermittent fault triggers the system, a code will be logged (semi) permanently, and, depending on the problem, a lamp may light. If you restart the engine x times without the fault recurring, the lamp will extinguish. The code can still, however, be read by the dealer.

I'd suggest you get them (or someone with VAGCOM) to have a look and see what's stored. Might be of interest especially if there is any recurrence.

If it's just miles and no special requirement for extra stopping power I'd say just go on using OEM parts - I don't think better ones are going to last longer, rather the reverse.

Nick, I agree. Plus the OEMs work better from cold (if you ever let them cool down )

Its all very well getting the memory read for faults but in a case where the whole instrument cluster seems to have gone tits up you'll get all sorts of codes e.g electrical shorts, voltage surges, control unit faults all showing as intermittent or no longer present, so in all fairness to the dealer he needs to start with a "clean sheet" and catch the car again as soon as possible after the fault occurs or re-occurs in order to get a more reliable diagnosis.

All I'm saying is that if it is possible I would certainly try and get to the dealer or a VAG COM ASAP in order to pin point the origins of any fault.

I myself have had a problem from the instrument cluster on my Galaxy (VW 115 PDTDi) which had to be replaced. (Incidently when programming for immobiliser, service resetting etc. this is all done through the instrument cluster control unit) so its a pretty important piece of equipment on VAG cars.

Javaman - how do you manage to wear out your brakes so fast? There are guys on here who have done ridiculous amounts of miles (including track time) and are still on their original pads (aren't there' date=' Manny ... )

If it's just miles and no special requirement for extra stopping power I'd say just go on using OEM parts - I don't think better ones are going to last longer, rather the reverse.[/quote']

Really? Decent brakes would wear out quicker? Oh....

It's miles more than anything. Nothing like track work, but i do haul it in from m'way speeds every day and a lot of stop-start-stop traffic work too.

I don't really have an issue with the OEM parts, just that this current set (about 2 years and counting) are feeling a bit "odd" and seem to have lost a bit of stopping power they once had.

But if the opinion is that OEM's are better from cold (which mine will be when i hit the m'way etc) I'll stick with them.

Oh, and the damned EPC light has been on for almost 10 days now. I'm going to the dealer's tonight to have a little "chat"....

Drove from London to Nottingham today, Got stuck getting on to M1..

I.E. gas, clutch, brake, gas, clutch, brake, gas, clutch, brake..

Fabia didn't like it,.. got the EPC!!.. got to head of traffic and stopped for red light.. stopped and started car.. light went out! :-)

Bought him a week ago, guy in garage warned me lights come on and go out every so oftan and that it's a thing with all VW group motors (although, I doubt the Bentlys do it)...

Hope it doesn't return and stay.. at least I could blame it on the traffic conditions upsetting him.

Rob.. :-)

The EPC light has nothing to do with the brakes physically.

Electronic Power Control is a system which includes -

Throttle Body

Accelerator pedal

Brake light switch (most common fault, know how the power is cut during left foot braking, thats EPC working)

Any problem within this system will flag the light up.

My EPC light came on and my brake lights stopped working .Ichecked the bulbs both had blown .Ichanged the bulbs and the EPC went out.

My EPC light came on and my brake lights stopped working .Ichecked the bulbs both had blown .Ichanged the bulbs and the EPC went out.

A good result. Did you find the answer on this forum?

Update to my comment above..

Now had 2001 fabia 3 months. Tried to get up a kerb and burnt the clutch a little (please forgive me, I've only been driving 6 months).. anyways.. EPC light was coming on and off over the next couple of days..

Saturday Morning, Power Steering Failed!!! I've got the PAS warning light.. but cha know what... the EPC lights not been back since! Goes into Skoda wednesday morning.. I'll report back.

Rob.