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EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??


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mudpup
New User

Aug 5, 2008, 2:24 PM

Post #1 of 16 (77921 views)
  post locked   EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Hello,

For the past year and a half I have had reoccurring problems with my VW Jetta. At first I had a MAV (mass air flow) sensor replaced. Then the engine light came back on and says "Bank 1 running lean". Unfortunately, I then took it to a horrible mechanic who told me to replace the plugs and wires and replaced them WITH THE WRONG PLUGS and WIRES (and didn't route them right) Mad. One of the wires got nicked, so my car sputtered and would barely run every time there was a rain or heavy fog.

Finally the dealer replaced the plugs and wires and the car runs, but my engine light came back on and said "bank 1 running lean" and MAV (mass air flow) and sometimes a "cat convertor" code.

Now every time I go up hill with the engine in a constant strain, the EPC light (Electronic Power Control, according to the owners manual) comes on. I lose power to the engine and have to kick the car into neutral and slow down to get the EPC to kick off.

Does anyone know what might cause this? I want to sell the car (I bought a V6 version), but want to fix the problem first. Could it have something to do with the throttle? the emissions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mud


Jeff Norfolk
Enthusiast
Jeff Norfolk profile image

Aug 5, 2008, 8:50 PM

Post #2 of 16 (77856 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Sounds like all of these problems may have to do with the lean bank 1 condition your car has. The MAF and CAT codes can be a secondary code due to the lean condition. Also after reading the function of the EPC, the EPC activation under a load could also be caused in part by the lean condition. It may be controling power in order to improve full consumption and emissions. I would go after the lean problem first. The most common causes of this are clogged fuel injectors, clogged fuel filter, weak fuel pump, or vacuum leak.
Jeff


mudpup
New User

Aug 9, 2008, 3:52 AM

Post #3 of 16 (77827 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Thanks for the advice. Strangely enough, the very first thing we asked folks to look for was a vacuum leak - nobody found one (or so they said). The fuel filter has been changed a few months ago and we put in some injector cleaner....so, we'll see.

I actually had to unplug the mass air flow sensor to get to work yesterday. It ran just fine as long as the sensor was unplugged, but then when I plugged it back in - boy, things went bad. The car was revving itself up and down (between bouts of sputtering) and I couldn't drive it at all.

So...I left it unplugged for now. Fortunately I won't have to drive it for a while - so I can try to figure out what exactly is going on.

Is there a way I could check for vacuum leaks myself??

Thanks again!
Mud


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 9, 2008, 5:24 AM

Post #4 of 16 (77825 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  


In Reply To
. Is there a way I could check for vacuum leaks myself??

AYOR - you can check for unseen vacuum leaks using carb cleaner sprayed at suspect spots and real leaks will alter the idle for better or worse when sprayed. Avoid hotter engine and beware and ready for flash (fire) if trying this and if in doubt DON'T! Our famous way2old has suggested a non flamable way with covering area with baby powder and looking for evidence that way with some luck! T



Guest
Anonymous Poster

Sep 5, 2008, 12:15 PM

Post #5 of 16 (77563 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  


In Reply To
Hello,

For the past year and a half I have had reoccurring problems with my VW Jetta. At first I had a MAV (mass air flow) sensor replaced. Then the engine light came back on and says "Bank 1 running lean". Unfortunately, I then took it to a horrible mechanic who told me to replace the plugs and wires and replaced them WITH THE WRONG PLUGS and WIRES (and didn't route them right) Mad. One of the wires got nicked, so my car sputtered and would barely run every time there was a rain or heavy fog.

Finally the dealer replaced the plugs and wires and the car runs, but my engine light came back on and said "bank 1 running lean" and MAV (mass air flow) and sometimes a "cat convertor" code.

Now every time I go up hill with the engine in a constant strain, the EPC light (Electronic Power Control, according to the owners manual) comes on. I lose power to the engine and have to kick the car into neutral and slow down to get the EPC to kick off.

Does anyone know what might cause this? I want to sell the car (I bought a V6 version), but want to fix the problem first. Could it have something to do with the throttle? the emissions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mud


In Reply To


Jeff Norfolk
Enthusiast
Jeff Norfolk profile image

Sep 5, 2008, 6:22 PM

Post #6 of 16 (77554 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

HMMM....Didn't we go though this already? Go after the lean problem first, all the other codes may be secondary codes and related to the lean problem. Reference the earlier posts if needed.
Jeff


aero
Anonymous Poster

Oct 7, 2008, 1:53 PM

Post #7 of 16 (77154 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Hello

I have a 2001 vw jetta 1.8t. i have had similar problems with my car. ever since i got the car the epc light has come on and off after taking it into the dealership several times. previous work thats been done to my car: replaced suc jet pump still didnt work, so took it to a different dealership and they replaced the ecm - worked for a couple weeks then failed. next visit - replaced loose hose clamp to turbo boost supply hose. worked for another couple week. next visit - replaced mass air flow sensor. worked for a couple months. went to a local mechanic and had the check engine light error codes printed. codes 17965-turbo pressure control limit exceeded 17705-turbo/throttle valve pressure loss 16705- secondary air system fault. next visit to the dealership - replaced throttle body. worked for 4 or 5 months. now the epc light still on. engine rev's up and down when in idle i have no power to the throttle i can press the peddal down and nothing happens engine doesnt rev.

any help would be appreciated i'm pretty over this car and would like to get it fixed so i can sell it


Jeff Norfolk
Enthusiast
Jeff Norfolk profile image

Oct 7, 2008, 2:00 PM

Post #8 of 16 (77156 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Is the engine light on now? Any current codes that are stored in the computer will be helpful. Go to Autozone and have them pull the codes if any are there. They do this for free. Then get back to us and we will try to help. Thanks
Jeff


aero
Anonymous Poster

Oct 7, 2008, 3:36 PM

Post #9 of 16 (77152 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

yes it is on but unfortunately the car cannot move. well it can but only like 2mph when i try to apply the gas i get no response to the engine. that problem seemed to get worse over time til its current state now. i can get some response to the engine occasionally after tapping the gas several times but not very often.


Guest
Anonymous Poster
mmurphy767@aol.com

Feb 9, 2009, 12:11 PM

Post #10 of 16 (75715 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Were you able to pinpoint cause of EPC light on your Jetta?


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Jun 25, 2009, 5:07 PM

Post #11 of 16 (74441 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

I have the exact same problem. EPC and Check Engine lights will not go off. The dealer has replaced the throttle body 3 times. I am getting a P0221 error from autozone.


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Jul 7, 2009, 5:48 AM

Post #12 of 16 (74332 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

So if you dont mind me asking, how much did all this end up costing? I have had my 1.8t, manual for not even 3 years now and have spent over $3,000 on engine/transmission repaires. My car is getting looked at now for the EPC light, my car wont even start and honestly i cant afford to be spending money on chasing this light problem around. Any suggestions?


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Jul 7, 2009, 5:50 AM

Post #13 of 16 (74335 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

i have the post above, and need to redirect my question......how much should i expect to spend fixing this problem??


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 7, 2009, 6:01 AM

Post #14 of 16 (74331 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

This thread is almost a year old. You need to start a question of your own please.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



paulposada@gmail.com
New User

Apr 13, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #15 of 16 (61030 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Hello Markup,
I have tried a minimum of 8 times between VW dealerships & private auto mechanics in two states (NJ & FL) and nobody can ascertain what is wrong with the car, mind you, I have spent about $4000 and I still own the car. Of course, I do not dare travel more than 10 miles from home for the fear of braking down again but, I like to thank you because in your troubleshooting report you mentioned about shifting into neutral alleviates the problem I need to perform that trick! My wife"s friend had the same year vehicle, but in automatic and she also sunk a ton of $ into her vehicle her recourse....she got rid of it, maybe I should do the same. Did you ever resolve your problem, and if so, what did you do. I would greatly appreciate it very much.Smile


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 13, 2011, 1:56 PM

Post #16 of 16 (61028 views)
  post locked   Re: EPC Light on 2001 VW Jetta??  

Did you not read the post before this that stated this is a stale thread and not to respond to it?

This is nearly 3 years old now.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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