If you’re a Volkswagen owner and you see the VW EPC light car shaking while driving, you may be wondering what’s going on.
The Electronic Power Control (EPC) warning light is an important indicator that something is wrong with your vehicle’s engine or transmission, and the shaking can be a sign of a serious issue.
In this article, we’ll explore the possible causes of the VW EPC light and car shaking and what steps you can take to address the problem.
What Is The EPC Warning Light?
EPC stands for Electronic Power Control, so that this indicator light will warn of problems related to the vehicle’s traction system. However, it can also indicate problems with the throttle or the air volume sensor.
Therefore, it is difficult to immediately identify the fault the vehicle is making through the EPC light if you do not have enough knowledge.
Electronic Power Control Light is a mechanism specific to Volkswagen vehicles. The signaling system, of course, also appears in many other car brands. But surely people will immediately remember the car brand from Germany if you mention EPC.
For this reason, most of the tutorials are on popular Volkswagen variants such as the Jetta, Golf, or Beetle. You should refer to the accompanying documents if you want to operate on vehicles from other brands.
Symptoms appear with EPC Lightening
If the vehicle has severe damage, many conditions will occur with the EPC light. However, some of them often directly impact vehicle operation and endanger the operator. So you’ll need to know what will happen as soon as this notification mechanism pops up.
Stop throttle operation
Even if the problem is not with the throttle, there is a high chance that the EPC will act on the system to stop the mechanism. Even to protect components against more damage, this action will immediately destabilize the vehicle.
The throttle plays a massive role in regulating the airflow inside the vehicle’s engine. So as soon as this mechanism stops working, the ratio of gas and fuel will become unbalanced.
The result is that the car will stop because there is not enough energy left to keep running.
Turn off cruise control and stability.
In addition to the throttle, the EPC will turn off the mechanisms that help control the cruise and increase the vehicle’s stability.
Of course, you can only move with the support of these systems. However, if you are still getting familiar with this omission, operating the car will be much more difficult.
Light up other warning lights.
The consequences of turning off the control feature make the car more difficult to control and directly turn on other indicator lights.
In theory, this action should not harm the vehicle. But it is difficult for anyone to calm down when seeing such a series of warnings simultaneously appear.
What’s Causing Your VW EPC Light Car Shaking?
Since EPC can notify users of problems in many different departments, determining the cause can be complicated. It would help if you started looking at the most common issues I list below.
Unbalanced Tires
Tire-related problems usually do not directly affect the engine’s and other components’ performance. But in fact, unbalanced tires still activate the EPC light, a mechanism that warns of system-related factors.
After installing a new tire, the first thing we need to do is balance the tire because traveling with tires with a pressure difference will quickly lead to violent shaking.
And it is the above phenomenon that affects the mechanisms inside the vehicle. Vibrations often tend to distort the operation of complex components, thereby enabling EPC to interfere with the procedure.
Fuel injector problem
Because of the importance of the vehicle’s performance, the EPC light will always stay on when the fuel injector has a problem.
In addition, failures in this part also pose the risk of complex issues such as fire damage. So usually, Electronic Power Control tends to gain control or turn off this mechanism altogether.
Uneven rear brake pads
Just like problems with tires, problems with the brakes will also cause the vehicle to vibrate significantly when we slow down.
However, the most common situation where EPC Light can be activated is uneven rear brake pads. This part is prone to problems due to too much friction or lack of lubrication.
It is worth mentioning that the consequences of damage to the rear brake pads are many, including brake pedal squeaking. Therefore, you can quickly identify the error compared to other problems when the EPC light is on.
Engine degraded
After prolonged use, the engine on your car will gradually lose its performance and operate more challenging. Of course, Electronic Power Control cannot tell if the engine is new or old. So this mechanism will still consider the vehicle having problems and keep alerting.
The indicator light will stop coming on until you overhaul or change to a new engine. So, if we detect a high frequency of EPC occurrence even when the vehicle is not shaking, there is a high chance that we need to re-examine the engine.
Engine mount problem
Manufacturers have used a complex suspension system with many different parts to maintain stability for a large engine block.
If this mechanism fails or does not work correctly, the vehicle will immediately vibrate intensely. In the worst case, not only does the EPC signal, but the car can also stop operating altogether.
Can I Drive A Shaking Car With An EPC Light On?
You can continue your journey when the EPC light comes on. This mechanism will often interfere with and disable some components to ensure integrity. However, the system will still maintain the operation of essential details, helping the vehicle move as usual.
But in practice, I advise against continuing to operate the vehicle. The risk of danger will increase if we do not find a way to solve it soon.
In addition, the instability will also have a severe effect on control problems and steering feel. The lack of these factors will make it difficult for us to control the car.
How Can I Fix EPC Warning Lights?
There will not be a specific procedure for handling EPC Warning Lights. However, you can refer to the diagnoses and interventions below to quickly fix the root of the problem.
Use specialized scanning tools.
Fortunately, we can identify most problems that cause lights EPC illuminated by OBD1 and OBD2 scanners. Because these errors are common, we must plug in the device and then wait to know if the car is having problems.
Remember to consult the error codes and read the information provided by OBD in advance. Only then will identifying and dealing with the causes become more accessible and quicker.
There will still be some agents deep inside the system that OBD cannot detect. At this point, we will need more advanced scanners to conclude.
Throttle body operation
The percentage of EPC lights coming on due to problems with the throttle body is very high. That’s why it’s always important to check this part first.
The review will include finding a way to damage the interior, dealing with dirt or carbon deposits, and ensuring the power supply cabling remains functional.
If you cannot meet the above three factors, you must immediately bring your vehicle to a support center.
FAQs
How much will it cost to fix the EPC light?
The average price you pay to repair centers in case of EPC light problems usually ranges from $100 to $400. If the engine or other large-size parts are involved, this number will increase even more
Can the EPC light fix itself?
The answer is no because the EPC light is just a notification mechanism for users to recognize and correct errors. The system itself has no error correction function.
What triggers EPC?
Problems with the throttle system, electrical system, unexpected vibrations, or even an unbalanced set of tires can trigger EPC.
Can too much oil cause the EPC light to come on?
Oil problems will rarely or even never affect the lights. EPC all lights up. So you must rely on something other than this mechanism to identify oil spills or leaks.
What causes VW to shake?
There are many possible causes of vibration, from a system failure, unbalanced tires, or your handling.
Is EPC serious?
Many people need to pay more attention to the importance of EPC. But they often face severe consequences with their vehicles for ignoring this warning.
Conclusion
VW EPC Light Car Shaking is a problem that causes quite a lot of trouble and dangerous risks for us when moving. So I hope you can take advantage of the knowledge in the article to identify soon and find ways to overcome the above situation.