Epc light on help

[bryantoski]

Hello everyone, today my 1.8t 2001 vortex blue new beetle turn on the EPC YELLOW LIGHT. I stopped the car and when I shift to 1st gear to start moving the car just turn on the EPC YELLOW LIGHT and just simply shut down. When I got home I turn off the car and then turn it on again and the EPC YELLOW LIGHT was off and worked normally.

I would like to know if this will keep bothering me or something, and what could it be and what can I do to repair it.

Thanks A Lot...

Bryan.

[Cwgrltinkerbell21]

Hey, I am having the same problem but it is all related to my throttle body. Try looking at the plug. My plug is loose and when I hit a bump it throws it into limp mode which is what EPC tlight is. Its there to protect the motor and electrical system. Also, check for leaks anywhere, or it may need cleaned. It comes off it an allen wrench and a flat head to get the clamp off, and pliers to get the little clamp off. when you take it off and there is a ton of black stuff on the butter fly valve, its dirty, get throttle body cleaner and clean it and put it back on, disconnect the battey, touch the cables together for a couple seconds, and reconnect, that resets the computer, and then go from there. If it does it again and you get an EPC and CEL (check engine light) run down to an Advance or AutoZone and get it scanned for codes and come back lets see what its reading. Till then, take her easy and try the 20 second trick. Turn key to 'on' for 20 seconds, pull key out for 20, then on for 20 and then start it that should temporarily reset your car till you can go somewhere safely.

[pencilneck]

The ECM has 3 circuits in it that supply a nice clean 5V signal to different components related to the engine. But, there are more than 3 components that need these clean 5V signals, so they are shared.

The throttle body, accelerator pedal and O2 sensors all share one of these 5V signals. I've seen several cases where the O2 sensors get screwed and as a result, that clean 5V signal gets screwed big time. So now the throttle body is getting a crappy signal. The problem is, the ECM doesn't know it's pretty 5V signal is worthless. But what it does know, the returning signal from the throttle body is toasted and thus the ECM thinks

HOLY CRAP, THAT THROTTLE BODY IS F#$KED UP.... EPC LIGHT ON! BUT THE O2 SENSORS ARE AWETHUM AND WORKING JUST FINE.

Take a close look at the O2 sensors and their wiring harness very carefully. Another thing I've heard of (but never seen first hand) is the O2 sensors fail and then actually fry the ECM so that it has to be replaced... but if you replace the ECM without replacing the O2 sensors, then the replacement ECM gets killed.

[jbremount]

Originally Posted by bryantoski

Hello everyone, today my 1.8t 2001 vortex blue new beetle turn on the EPC YELLOW LIGHT. I stopped the car and when I shift to 1st gear to start moving the car just turn on the EPC YELLOW LIGHT and just simply shut down. When I got home I turn off the car and then turn it on again and the EPC YELLOW LIGHT was off and worked normally.

I would like to know if this will keep bothering me or something, and what could it be and what can I do to repair it.

Thanks A Lot...

Bryan.

Wow, I just found your posts. I am having almost the same problem with my daughter's new beetle. How did you fix it?

[jbremount]

A little follow up to my problem for someone who may have this happen to them in the future. I cleaned the throttle body on the car and it is working fine. I am really surprised that a dirty throttle body caused the car to throw multiple codes related to the throttle body. The EPC light would eventually come on and the car would go into limp mode. Anyway, I cleaned the throttle body and the car is running great.

[bryantoski]

Well in my case what was going on was that the crank position sensor wasn't working how it should. I replaced it and the car is working just perfect!...Hope this is helpful!