Has it ever happened to you that whilst being in traffic the EPC warning light came on in the dashboard (along with the engine warning light most of the time)?
If the answer is yes, then you have probably wondered if the problem is a serious one and if it is dangerous to continue traveling. Surely you have already created a lot of scenarios in your head, about how long the car will be kept in service, how much it will cost you to repair, and the examples can continue.
Well, in this article you will be able to find out a lot of interesting things about the EPC light that appears on the car, but also about what you have to do if you face such a situation.
What is EPC?
In case you didn’t know, the EPC warning light appears when you have a problem with the car’s Electronic Power Control system.
Most of the time, the accelerator body system causes such a problem, but there is a possibility that the problem is also caused by the car’s braking system (ABS). In most cases, this EPC warning light comes on in the car’s dashboard either accompanied by the ABS warning light or accompanied by the ESP warning light, depending on the nature of the problem.
The electronic power control system is found in the engine control unit, in the transmission control unit, in the control unit of the steering system and last but not least, in the control unit of the braking system.
EPC is present in cars that are part of the VAG car group, which includes cars from Audi, Volkswaten, Seat, or Skoda. An interesting detail to mention is that the EPC indicator can be found in cars as well , provided that they use the Volkswagen EPC system.
Why is it possible for the EPC indicator to light?
Given that EPC collaborates with different car systems, it is extremely difficult to determine where and why the problem occurs and the on-board light comes on. Most of the time, however, it lights up accompanied by other warning lights, and for this reason, the problem can be reached more quickly.
In some situations, the car’s EPC indicator has the power to cause the car to enter LIMP mode, an engine state in which functions are limited. We are talking here about functions such as low engine power, limited rotations per minute, and examples can go on.
The EPC indicator may light up due to the throttle issues , due to engine problems, this indicator may also light up due to a faulty engine sensor, but also due to a faulty ABS sensor, or due to a broken ABS ring
if the steering wheel sensor, brake pressure sensor or ABS sensor cable does not work properly, the EPC indicator will light up . When there are cable problems or when the power steering is deactivated, the EPC warning light may come on again.
Well, in order to determine exactly why the EPC light came on, and then the problem can be fixed, you need to know how to read the car’s error codes. When the EPC indicator lights up, it is clear that there are one or more error codes in a control unit.
Under these conditions, in order to read the error codes, you will need to use an OBD2 scanner, so if you have such a scanner in the garage, you can personally take care of the scan. Otherwise, you can drive to a mechanic.
However, it would be best to buy such a scanner for your home as soon as possible, especially due to the fact that they are not expensive at all, and so you will be able to use it whenever you consider it necessary.
There are, for example, very inexpensive diagnostic scanners that are only able to detect errors in the engine control unit. The wisest solution would be to turn your attention to a more advanced scanner, or to go every time by car to a car service, so that the specialists can read your error codes.
If you have scanned and a certain error code has appeared, but you do not know how to fix the problem, then you can certainly search the internet for more information, and you will be able to discover a lot of clarifications regarding the list of OBD2 codes. e.g.
How dangerous is driving with the EPC light on?
When you find that you have the EPC warning light on in the dashboard of your car, you are more than likely wondering how dangerous it is to drive with this warning light on. Well, when you find that the EPC indicator light is on in the dashboard, you need to fix the problem as soon as possible, because there are different functions of the car that might be limited.
Due to the fact that this EPC lamp is integrated in the steering and the braking system, it is necessary to fix the problem as soon as possible, not only cause your car might sustain expensive damages but for your safety as well .Due to the limitation of functions such as ABS, the consequences may be more severe than you expect.
Conclusions
EPC is the warning light that illuminates in the dashboard of the car when a problem regarding the power control system of the car is detected, and it appears in the case of cars that are part of the VAG group (Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda or Seat).
In such a situation, the car must arrive in service as soon as possible, because the problem can be more serious than initially thought and can lead to the loss of the ABS or ESP system, and this can cause serious road accidents.
The OBD2 scanner is used to accurately detect the problem.
So, these are mostly the most important details you need to know about the EPC indicator that appears on your car’s dashboard.
Car brands where the EPC warning light can appear: Skoda, Seat, Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes and more, these are the brands where EPC is the most common to appear.
