AUDI EPC LIGHT PROBLEMS

AUDI EPC LIGHT

It is common knowledge that EPC light problems have been haunting Audi drivers incessantly for the past few years, announcing itself on Audi A1,  Audi A2, Audi A3,  Audi A4,  Audi A5, Audi A6,  Audi A7,  Audi A8,  Audi Q3,  Audi Q5, Audi Q7, the Audi RS4,  Audi RS6, Audi RS8, Audi R8, Audi S4, Audi S6, Audi S8 and Audi  TTs even before they're run-in. Several Audi owners are dismayed that EPC problems present themselves on virtually new cars. 

In fact, EPC problems pop-up at any time, on any Audi new or old fitted with X-by-Wire technology. Any Audi  without a throttle cable, is naturally fitted with a full Drive-by-Wire system which is supervised by the Electronic Control Circuit (EPC)  / Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)  that turns on the dashboard mounted EPC (K132) indicator light when it detects a malfunction, then registers Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)  in the ECM memory.  Even though the EPC light turns on exclusively for  non-emission related faults, it does however turn on along with the MIL for emission related faults. 

The EPC  / ETC is a torque monitoring circuit and monitors for torque discrepancies and torque inefficiencies and when it detects one, sends the vehicle into emergency running mode (limp mode). These are prevalent when towing, when driving up an incline, when in manual mode, when in cruise control, after spirited driving, etc, and may even cause the ABS, ESP   lights to came on. Some drivers, assume  that it's happening more frequently over time and others are concerned that the EPC trouble are going to get worse because of its  randomness. But this is not the case. 

Bear in mind that once the EPC light is on, no other EPC related fault is going to make it glow any brighter. Once it's on, it's stays on even if the battery is disconnected, and it will come back on when you reconnect. However, the ECU will monitor the EPC circuit and if the same error does not occur in three successive trips of at least 7 kilometers, it will erase the DTC and it would seem as if it never happened, until the next time.  These are safely features specific to Drive by Wire systems and their workings can be viewed in the adaptation groups when retrieving errors with a scan tool.

ADAPTATION GROUPS PERTAINING TO EPC

Group 60 -- Throttle Valve Adjuster / Adaptation Epc-system

Group 61 -- Epc-system / Throttle Valve Adjuster (System 1) 

Group 62 -- Epc-system / Throttle Valve Adjuster (System 2)

Group 63 -- Kickdown Function

Group 66 -- Cruise Control Status

AUDI EPC LIGHT RELATED DTC

18039 / P1631 - Accelerator Position Sensor (G79): Signal too High 

18041 / P1633 - Accelerator Position Sensor 2 (G185) Signal too Low

18042 / P1634 - Accelerator Position Sensor 2 (G185): Signal too High

18047 / P1639 - Accelerator Position Sensor 1/2 (G79/G185): Implausible Signal 

 00777 - Accelerator Position Sensor (G79): Implausible Signal

No response from the throttle even with your foot flat on the accelerator pedal.. There are two potentiometers fitted to the accelerator pedal which are monitored by the ECU and when it it detects an intermittent signal from one pot, it turns on the EPC light then uses the second pot for acceleration but it is limited. When both pots detected as are intermittent, EPC light goes on and engine only runs at idle speed. When this error occurs, turn the engine off, stomp on the accelerator a few times through its full travel.  It could just be specks of dust that settled on the one of the potentiometer (variable resistors) tracks that stymied the ECU for a few millisecond or so. I this happens often and thereafter, presenting a 18047 / P1639 or 18039 / P1631 or 18042 / P1634 or 18041 / P1633 then consider replacing the accelerator pedal.

No response from the throttle even with your foot flat on the accelerator pedal. There are also two redundant potentiometers in the throttle body that determines the throttle valve angle and it has three modes of failure. One for when the valve angle sensor fails, one for when throttle valve actuator (motor) malfunctions and one for when throttle valve position is cannot be recognized by the ECU. When this happens  the ECU shuts off the voltage supply to the actuator, causing the throttle valve to defaults to mechanical stop position and the engine speed is limited to 1200 RPM. If any of the DTC fault below show up in your scan, check the 6 pin plug interfacing with the throttle body. It would be best to redo adaptation thereafter before thinking of replacing the throttle body. 

000289 / P0121- Throttle Position Sensor (G69): Implausible Signal - Intermittent

16506 / P0122 - Throttle Position Sensor (G69): Signal too Low - Intermittent

17987 / P1579 - Throttle Actuator (J338): Adaptation Not Started - Intermittent

17976 / P1568 - Throttle Actuator (J338): Mechanical Failure 

17972 / P1564 - Throttle Actuator (J338): Under-Voltage during Basic Setting 

17952 / P1544 - Angle Sensor 1 for Throttle Actuator (G187): Signal too Large - Intermittent

16606 / P0222 - Angle Sensor 2 for Throttle (G188): Signal Too Low - Intermittent

000547 / P0223 - Angle Sensor 2 for Throttle (G188):Signal Too High - Intermittent

17581 / P1173 -  Angle Sensor 2 for Throttle Actuator (G188) Signal too High 

18042 / P1634 - Accelerator Position Sensor 2 (G185): Signal too High 

You have difficulty starting but eventually does start but idles very rough, bucks and surges when you attempt to drive it. The   EPC, MIL (Check engine light)  and ESP lights come on. This is most likely caused by the Injectors  N30-N33 or the Ignition Coils N (1st cylinder), N128 (2nd cylinder), N158 (3rd cylinder) and N163 (4th cylinder) since both the Injectors and Ignition coils causes exactly the same symptoms. It also   exhibit the following DTCs.

17633 / P1225 - Fuel Injector for Cylinder 1 (N30): Short to Ground  - - Intermittent

17634 / P1226 - Fuel Injector for Cylinder 2 (N31): Short to Ground  - - Intermittent

17635 / P1227 - Fuel Injector for Cylinder 3 (N32): Short to Ground  - - Intermittent

17636 / P1228 - Fuel Injector for Cylinder 4 (N33): Short to Ground  - - Intermittent

MORE EPC PROBLEMS

J757 Engine Component Power Supply Relay cause loss of  high-pressure and turns on EPC. ESP and MIL lights.

N75 Solenoid valve for charge pressure limitation and turns on the  EPC and MIL lights but shown no symptoms of failure except go into limp mode. 

Audi A1, Audi A2, Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A5, Audi A6, Audi A7, Audi A8, Audi Q3, Audi Q5, Audi Q7, the Audi RS4, Audi RS6, Audi RS8, Audi R8, Audi S4, Audi S6, Audi S8 and Audi  TTs EPC Problems.

KNOCK SENSOR

VAG KNOCK SENSOR K1 AND THE EPC LIGHT

VW, Seat, Skoda  and Audi Knock sensors have become quite notorious for sending the car into "limp mode". Limp mode is a safety feature on all Drive by Wire vehicles, implying an EPC-electronic power control-but no accelerator cable. EPC implies torque control. By analogy,  its something like a horse that gets spooked and takes off at high speed and out of control with its rider unable to rein him in,  or a frayed accelerator cable that becomes stuck while driving at high speed. That's just a recipe for disaster. Imagine stepping on the brake pedal but the high revs of the engine just forces the car forward, smoke pouring from the brake pads to the point that the become glazed and  no longer has any effect. Pushing the transmission into neutral isn't an option because without the load, the engine is destined to blow, perhaps even push a piston  through the side of the engine lock.  Drive by wire prevents this from happening and cuts power to the powertrain if it detects a fault that puts the engine at risk. Knock reacts somewhat similar to backfire since both are due to detonation and pre-ignition-incomplete combustion.

Detonation is a common problem associated with lean fuel mixture -non stichometric-and torque. The EPC light is often triggered on an incline when the torque is insufficient to pull the car uphill when in an inappropriate gear. Knock sensors can detect combustion knocks in individual cylinders. Knock sensor 1 (G61) senses cylinders 1 & 2, and knock sensor 2 (G66) senses cylinders  3 & 4. To prevent combustion knock, the ECU cylinder selective knock control overrides the electronic control of the ignition timing by retarding the timing, but may not be unable to if the Fuel Octane is too low causing secondary combustion in the cylinder. Knock sensor 1 (G61) is known to trigger EPC light and activate limp mode, hence it needs to be checked for flush engine contact and correct torque. DTC  P0171 and P0174 could show up in scans.

The ECU calculates engine ignition timing based on input signals from Throttle Position (TP) Sensor G79 and  Accelerator Pedal Position G185, the  Engine Speed (RPM) Sensor G28,  the load signal from Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor G70, the signal from the Throttle Valve Control Module J338,  the Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor G62, both Knock Sensors G61, G66 (additional G198 & G199 on V6, W8 & W12 engines) and signals from Camshaft Position Sensors G40, G163, (additionally G300, G301 on V6, W8 & W12 engines) When the engine is below 40 degrees  celsius knock sensors signals are not used to make timing decisions. What this implies is that when the EPC light turns on  when the engine is still cold, the knock sensors are not guilty , neither  the the Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor G70 nor the Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor G62 since whilst idling, have nothing to do with torque. That leaves the Accelerator Pedal with G79 & G185, the Throttle  Control body senders G187 & G188,  the  Engine Speed Sensor G28,  Camshaft Position Sensors G40 & G163 as the EPC limp mode culprits. However sensors are fairly reliable but the wiring  harnesses  are  more likely to be the cause of the problem, see wiring in Audi.

Fuel pressure regulator valve N276, the wastegate bypass regulator valve N75 and the  Ignition Coil N, N128, N158, N163 and its Power Output Stage N122 are three  more EPC culprits. Injectors N30-N33 can also cause the EPC light to turn on and cause car to go into "limp mode" but also causes the engine not to run smoothly. Once again before condemning the sensors or actuators, check the wiring harnesses to them.



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The above EPC errors are common to Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat. The  VW, the 4motion, the Amarok, the new Beetle, the Bora, the Caddy, the Corrado, the CC, the Eos, the Fox, the Golf, the Jetta, the Kombi, the Lavida, the Lupo, the Passat, the Polo, the Phaeton, the Routan, the Santana the Scirocco, the Sharan, the Tiguan, the Touran, the Touareg, the Transporter, the Vento , the Up and lastly the Vivo. The Audi A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, the Q3, Q5, Q7, the RS4, RS6, RS8, the R8, the S4, S6, S8, Audi TT. The  Seat Alhambra, the Altea, the Arosa, the Cordoba, the Ibiza, the Inca, the Leon, the Mii and the Toledo,  Skoda  Felicia, the Octavia, the Fabia, the Superb, the Roomster, the Yeti, the Rapid and the Citigo. The Audi RS-6, A4 Fsi, Audi A4, Audi S3, Audi TT, Audi R8, audi a4 2.8 quattro 5 speed, Skoda fabia, seat leon, seat ibiza, Avant RS 2, Coupé, Audi A3 Mk1, Volkswagen Golf Mk4, Volkswagen New Beetle, Volkswagen Bora/Jetta Mk4, SEAT León Mk1, SEAT Toledo Mk2, Škoda Octavia Mk1,  TFSI, FSI, GTI, TDI,