After oil change, engine stutters, warning lights on
Just yesterday I got an oil change. Since then, the EPC light is blinking on/off and the engine is stuttering. It continually feels like it’s going to quit. It was a local corner-type kind of oil-change shop. Do you think they might have used the wrong kind of oil during the oil change yesterday or is this an unrelated matter?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. EPC stands for electronic power control, and the light is seen when there is a fault with the throttle body, traction control, throttle pedal, or cruise control systems. It is flashing because the car’s computer can not compensate for whatever fault is present. Many different things can cause the EPC light to come on but the most common would be an issue with the mass air flow sensor, throttle or pedal sensor, or a traction control. It is fairly unlikely that the oil change and the EPC light are related.
I recommend having your vehicle scanned for any error codes. A qualified technician will scan the engine control unit for what code is present and from there be able to diagnose the fault and perform any repairs required. A certified mobile mechanic from YourMechanic can provide this inspection at your home or office.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Many different things can cause the EPC light to come on but the most common would be an issue with the mass air flow sensor, throttle or pedal sensor, or a traction control.
Low oil can cause the EPC light to illuminate in your Volkswagen vehicle. Low oil levels can quickly turn into severe engine damage or even complete catastrophe, with a new engine needed afterward. This is why it`s so important to frequently check your vehicle`s oil level and get on-time oil changes.
YourVolkswagen EPC light, also known as the Electronic Power Control warning light, is an indicator pointing to issues with your Volkswagen`s throttle system. This could mean that the throttle pedal, throttle body, traction control, or cruise control unit need attention.
However, engine oil is crucial to a healthy engine and lubricated parts, so it`s possible an issue that has triggered the EPC light is caused by low oil.
If you want to fix the EPC light yourself, you can try the following: first, start the car normally. Then, start the car for the second time and push the gas pedal to the floor when the engine starts. In some cases, this works. It is also a good idea to check the electrical connections on the throttle body.
There are several different causes for an EPC Light to come on. The most common causes are because of a faulty engine sensor, and malfunctions with the air sensor and brake lights. However, there can be many other causes: Wiring issues.
Even if the issue doesn`t involve the engine or related systems, you can still be put in harm`s way if you keep driving with an EPC dashboard light on. If it involves the Traction Control systems, a loss of vehicle control can occur. Furthermore, some issues may prevent your vehicle from turning on altogether.
You should never ignore this light when it comes on. It is a clear indicator that there is a problem. The brake control unit, the steering control unit, and the engine control unit all control the EPC. For this reason, it may be challenging to diagnose the cause of the light on your dashboard.
Any unusual shaking or vibrating forces coming from the engine is cause for concern. It could be something as simple as old spark plugs producing an uneven power delivery, it could be something serious like worn or broken engine mounts, or it could be even more serious in the case of internal engine damage.
This is a common symptom of a plug or wire electrical current problem. Air or Vacuum Hose – Another common cause for engine vibration and power loss is when air or vacuum hoses come loose, begin to leak, or rupture. The three necessities for all combustion engines are air, fuel, and spark.
Limp home mode is a mode that your VW and most other modern vehicles can put themselves into in order to preserve the engine. Basically, when the car deems the engine safe to operate but not safe to operate at all RPM levels, it will limit the RPM and sometimes even the gear.
The EPC system stands for “Electric Power Control”, and if you see the EPC light flashing your dashboard, this indicates that there is a problem with the throttle system or the sensors in your electric Audi.
Even if the car seems to be operating normally, don`t continue to drive any longer than is necessary with the EPC light illuminated. The vehicle should be checked by a competent technician as soon as is possible.
While you can continue to drive with the EPC warning light on, you run the risk of doing significant damage to the engine. To help prevent damage, the EPC`s limp-home mode might activate, making the vehicle sluggish as you seek help.
EPC light comes on when there`s an issue with your throttle system. The Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle body, traction control. But if your battery is bad it could be a cause of the issue as well. First start with the battery and get that going and make sure the cable are good as well.
“EPC” stands for Electric Power Control. When it flashes, it indicates there`s an issue with your throttle system or sensors that needs to be repaired. If it starts to flash, schedule an appointment with us so that we can take care of the issue.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Check engine light and oil light comes on before oil change?
ANSWER : Hi There,
As you may know, these lights are designed to come on at specific mileage intervals that are preset by the factory. When your mileage exceeds a certain amount relative to the last oil change, this will trigger the lights to come on. Typically this will include the oil light and the check engine light as there are also other basic service items that are checked during oil changes. I would recommend obtaining an owner’s manual for your car if you do not already have one. This will usually indicate the specific service intervals and recommended maintenance items for your vehicle at the various mileage intervals.
The tire pressure monitor will also come on when the air pressure in the tires has reached a specific threshold relative to the tire design specification. Tire pressure is also impacted by the outside air temperature. For every 10° drop in air temperature outside your tires will lose about 1% in PSI or inflation. As you may know, as the temperature of the air changes the density of the air changes as well causing the tire pressure to be impacted by this. When this happens, the sensors in the wheels will detect this change in tire pressure and cause the tire pressure light to come on. Aside from replacing faulty tire pressure sensors, another way to help prevent this type of fluctuation in tire pressure is by the use of Nitrogen in your tires rather than regular air. As you may know, air is approximately 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and the rest is water vapor and some other small concentrations of gases. Nitrogen is much less likely to migrate through tire rubber than oxygen. This will maintain your tire pressure much more consistently during large temperature fluctuations.
Check engine light refuses to go off after engine replaced
ANSWER : Hello there, you have a long series of issues going on with your 2013 Hyundai Sonata. If you keep getting a repeating oil light on than there is likely a fault in that system.
Since this fault has lasted after the engine was replaced it could be a oil pressure sensor, wiring harness fault, ECU fault, oil pump, oil strainer clogged, or low oil pressure.
To diagnose this issue properly you need a complete vehicle inspection to start from square one and identify the root cause of all this.
Low oil pressure light comes on when idle. Check engine light is on as well. Both came on after getting an oil change 3 days ago.
ANSWER : It is possible that they put in the wrong viscosity oil. In rare instances, a defective filter will also cause low pressure. If there is too much oil, it will aerate and cause low pressure. Be sure the oil level is really not above "max". The P2187 code will appear if the oil fill cap is not tight but it will also appear due to a myriad of causes because that code only "generally" identifies a lean running condition. Consequently, numerous parts would have to be tested including the O2 sensor, gas cap seal, manifold air leaks, any vacuum leak anywhere including PCV and EVAP systems, exhaust leaks, and fuel system faults such as failing fuel pump, clogged filter and more. Since the car has relatively low mileage, you would not expect a failed oil pump, although the pressure sensor (or switch) could be bad. However, the occurrence of the oil pressure warning light is quite coincidental to the oil change, thus I would suggest bringing the car back and asking them to redo with a new filter and double check the viscosity of the new oil that they use. If the problem persists after that, you will have to test actual operating oil pressure (at idle for instance) as well as the oil pressure switch. Finally, if the oil pressure warning light comes on continuously, unless the warning circuit itself is malfunctioning, that means the oil pressure is too low to operate the engine without damaging it. Anytime the light comes on for more than literally an instant, you should shut down the car and thus an issue like this obviously has to be repaired.
If you’d like, a YourMechanic certified mechanic can come to your home or place of business to inspect the vehicle and perform an oil pressure light is on inspection to diagnose the vehicle and suggest potential repairs.
I Had my oil changed on 5/28/16. On 5/31/16 the check engine light came on. On 6/5/16 the low oil pressure turn off engine came on
ANSWER : Hello,
From what you describe it would not appear to me that something went wrong during your oil change.
If the level is correct on the dipstick and the engine runs and sounds okay, then it is probably something else.
A likely cause for a problem such as this can be a defective oil pressure sensor, or wiring.
Virtually all vehicles have a dedicated oil sensor that will monitor oil pressure of the engine and set off a warning light if it falls to low, in order to protect the engine. If the sensor fails however, it can send a false reading to the computer or gauge, and cause the warning light to activate by mistake.
I would recommend having the vehicle’s oil pressure sensor tested for accuracy, and if necessary the engine’s oil pressure to make sure that there is no issue with the oil pump or system of the engine, as unlikely as that may be.
I’d recommend having a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle for you, they will be able to check for these failures and diagnose your Check Engine Light in order to get your car running normally again.
Regards,
Eduardo
YourMechanic
After oil change, engine stutters, warning lights on
ANSWER : Hello. EPC stands for electronic power control, and the light is seen when there is a fault with the throttle body, traction control, throttle pedal, or cruise control systems. It is flashing because the car’s computer can not compensate for whatever fault is present. Many different things can cause the EPC light to come on but the most common would be an issue with the mass air flow sensor, throttle or pedal sensor, or a traction control. It is fairly unlikely that the oil change and the EPC light are related.
I recommend having your vehicle scanned for any error codes. A qualified technician will scan the engine control unit for what code is present and from there be able to diagnose the fault and perform any repairs required. A certified mobile mechanic from YourMechanic can provide this inspection at your home or office.
Check Engine Light is on, trouble code P0011&12. I changed the oil and filter. I need to turn off the engine light to see if that problem is solved.
ANSWER : Hello. If the oil level was low or if the wrong oil war previously used then that can cause these codes to come up. Most of the time though, on this engine, it is caused by a failure in the timing chain. The timing chain is the most common failure on this engine and when it is stretched enough the cam timing will be off enough to cause this. If you want to have this camshaft timing looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose why the check engine light is still on and address any issues that are found.
Hello Ben, my oil pressure is came on. Slight oil drip. Mechanic changed oil, replaced sending unit. Light came on after a day.
ANSWER : You need to have the oil pressure checked to see if the oil pressure is within specifications before you condemn the engine internal problem with oil pump or crankshaft and bearings. You may want to get the dealer involved now and let them take care of getting the light diagnosed.
Check Engine Light on after changing oil – 2012 Kia Rio5
ANSWER : If starting it today was the first time after changing your oil, the oil filter and oil galleries were empty for a few seconds. If this is the case, the Check Engine Light is reflecting the lack of oil pressure while the oil pump fills the filter and gets oil to the engine and oil pressure sensor. The Check Engine Light should have gone off in a few seconds. If your engine oil ran 5 seconds or so without oil, it is unlikely to have ruined anything. However, if the Check Engine remains on, or the oil light on your instrument cluster comes on, get your engine inspected by a competent mechanic, like YourMechanic, who can address the oil issue before driving it further.
