Electronic issues and a new addition for Hamish’s Audi RS4.
| Driver's Log | |
|---|---|
| Date acquired: | Sept 2011 |
| Total kilometres: | 118,176 |
| Kilometres this month: | 3248 |
| Costs this month: | $250 |
| L/100km this month: | 16.7 |
With the Audi RS4 approaching 120,000km, we really are headed into uncharted territories. I am positive the motor will do another 120k, and possibly even another 120k after that. But cars are far from the mechanical creatures they were just 20 years ago, and it is the electronics I now worry about.
A recent moment of panic struck me a few weeks back. I was visiting Umm Al Quwain from Dubai. The drive is not particularly exciting, but it was livened up when a loud chime sounded from the dash and the letters ‘EPC’ burned in bright orange.
Safely back in the garage, the owner’s manual is flopped out to reveal that EPC stands for Electronic Power Control, which means there is – or has been – a fault in the engine management system. Audi recommends that I take the vehicle immediately to an Audi service centre: can I see a show of hands for those of you who read these words in your respective owner’s manuals, sleep on it, and wake up the next morning praying the light has disappeared from your dashboard?
I was in luck. The light was gone the next morning, so I can only suspect that my battery is on the way out (again). For now, I am taking the view that no action is required. The lingering worry about electronics remains however, and I guess it always will for as long as I own a car that is more than five years old.
In other news, the RS4 is also about to become a family car. A Maxi Cosi Pebble baby seat has been successfully installed ready to transport a new addition to the Bolland household. It comes with a black hood, which makes it somewhat stealth looking. More importantly, it is compatible with the Bugaboo Cameleon pushchair, but that’s a discussion for another time.
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