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Ebay VagCom not connecting. Port Ok/ Interface not found. Removed aftermarket stereo, No luck.

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15K views 23 replies 6 participants last post by  CK88  
#1 ·
Hi guys.

I was getting the bumper on my car fixed the other day by a body shop and I asked him if he could look into my airbags being missing because the passenger dashboard airbag cover looked loose. The panel beater told me my car had been involved in a small shunt at the front and said it was nothing major to worry about then had a look and told me the airbags were still there but looked like they had been replaced, and that someone has most likely just not canceled the airbag light.

I went to see a member on here a while ago about getting the airbag light cancelled but he said his VagCom couldn't connect most likely due to my aftermarket stereo.

Since then I've got the stereo removal keys and I've had it in and out a few times while doing stuff with the car. I was looking into getting something like this from eBay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAG-USB-ODB2-DIAGNOSTIC-CABLE-409-1-OBD2-II-LEAD-/160473018110?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item255cefeefe

I know it's just a cheapo one but I only want to see if it will work in canceling my airbag light. How do I go about getting the K-wire to work? Do I need to remove the stereo and replace it with the original or can I get away with it by removing the aftermarket stereo then connecting VagCom.

I figure that ÂŁ8 is nothing if I can make it work myself, as apposed to putting it in for a diagnostic or having to find a member to do it for me.

Can someone tell me if that is the correct cable I'll need for a 2003 Mk4 GT TDI? I'd appreciate it.

I was also hoping if someone could tell me about the clock onboard my speedo. It looks like it's failed completely as you can only see some of the display. I'll post a pic up shortly, but would I need to replace the full speedo unit to get this working again? Is it possible to even swap the speedo over?

Thanks for your time,

Conor.

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Was hoping someone could tell me what has happened to my clock or if this is a common fault? Would the whole unit need replacing ?

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This is the speedo issue I have my car reads 6/7mph when you turn it on even when I'm not in motion. Could this be anything do with the car being lowered or being in a shunt?

Cheers.
 
#4 ·
Hey don't worry about it...crash data is permanently written to the airbag ecu when the car is involved in crash and the airbags deploy. Vagcom cannot remove this, The ecu needs to essentially be re written.The tool I pointed out does this in the click of a button. With regards to your clock it requires stripping, I done a how to on this not long back if you look through my posts.
 
#5 ·
I found your post there about the clocks and gave it a read. Seems quite interesting, something I'd have to save for a better day out and I'd imagine it takes a wee while aswell. I'm not very good with delicate things so I'll need to be careful :p Hopefully that will fix my mph needle pointing to 7mph while idling.

I was reading your other post about your idea to forward parts for a deposit? I don't know if you are still willing to but I'm more than happy to give you a deposit and some money your way if it works, to save me buying something from China and having it sent here only to find out it doesn't clear my light. It would only be a one time thing I'd need it for and I'd imagine you can post it out to me a lot faster than a stockist in China.

Let me know what you think, but I'd definetely appreciate it.
 
#6 ·
Yes mate I am happy to send it to you, would be a ÂŁ24 deposit and the cost of postage which would be about ÂŁ3 recorded delivery. If you want to post in the thread saying you are taking it just so people know where it is. On a side note although it clears the crash data and airbag warnings should the airbag light return it does mean you still have a problem with the airbags. Without vagcom you will not be able to check that the crash data has indeed been removed (worked first go on mine) or what your specific aibag faults are. Wish you were closer mate, I could sort most of your issues out for you free of charge [:(]
 
#7 ·
Excellent! Means I might actually be able to solve this thing pretty soon.

More than happy to say I'm putting down ÂŁ24 for a deposit and ÂŁ3 for postage, Located in Glasgow, Scotland.

I'll PM you with my address and if you send me your paypal i'll transfer the money later today.

I'm thinking of getting one of these ÂŁ8 Ebay cables and just checking it out, if I get nothing then it's only ÂŁ10 wasted.

My main worry is the K wire? Is the only way to work round this buying a replacement Gamma stereo?

Also on the dials front do you think this is definetely the issue? I thought it was maybe that the LCD display had died.
 
#9 ·
I can only remember another instance of when I was driving the car home on the first night I got it the display cut out entirely but it was during that horrible winter blizzard period. Nothing like that has ever happened again, I think if I'm gonna be taking out the clocks then I'll upgrade the faces on them too with the silver dial bezzles
 
#10 ·
Hey guys, hoping you can help me out pretty fast. I bought a VagCom cable and VCDS-lite from ebay the other day and its arrive, Im sitting in my car atm trying to get it to work and for some reason im having no luck.

I did try to get another member to run the full version with the proper cable and he couldn't access it either. He thinks it may have been due to my aftermarket stereo. I've unplugged it and I'm still having no luck finding it.

I've got my USB configured so that it is COM 1. When I run VAG-COM it now says for COM1, COM3, COM 4 & USB that the ports are all ok. The only one I don't get an ok for is COM 2.

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On the CD I got I got VAG-COM Release 409-1 and VCDS-Lite. It seems to be that VAG-COM is the only one picking up the USB interface.

Would really appreciate any help possible with it.
 
#11 ·
Not sure if this makes any difference, but when I set mine up (make sure you've loaded the drivers to your laptop that came with the lead), once the lead was plugged in & it found the lead, if I tried to connect to the car using a different USB port other than the one I originally plugged the lead into, it wouldn't find it.

Just try all the ports, if that fails change the port in your Device Manager to one that isn't 'in use'.
 
#12 ·
Nah that bits fine mate, It's finding the ports ok. I can connect through COM1 or USB it's when I'm plugging it into the cars actual diagnostic port it won't connect. I read about an issue with a K-line wire? but I have no clue how to work around it.

Do you know anything about that?
 
#13 ·
Go to my devices, USB ports, then find the one that you tool is connected through, then change it to port 1, or whatever port you want and it should work.

It;s in the instructions I got when I got my cheapo cable and it worked fine.
 
#17 ·
My port is definetely getting power to it as my LED on the cable I have lights up and another device I plugged in gets power from it, It just seems to be the transfer of data isn't working. I pulled out my radio, undid my climacontrol unit and chased the wires but all seem to be fine and undisturbed.

At the back of my radio, going into the connectors I've found pin 3 (K-line wire) on the original wiring block, but when it connects to my aftermarket wiring block it doesn't go into anything. I'm willing to remove it if someone can point out how as I was trying for a fair while but it's the only thing I can think that wouldn't let me connect. Unless theres another issue?

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That's the original wiring connector, I had no luck removing pin 3 from there, probably because I have no clue how to. I removed a yellow tab that I thought held them all in place and tried to pry it out with no luck.

There's no point me putting it into a garage to have sorted if anything I'm trying won't connect because it just means theres won't either. :(

My vagcom connects without the radio installed perfectly
Which operating system are you using?

I've tried connecting on Windows 7 and another user tried his official VAG-Com lead but he was using a a Mac Book.

I even plugged your crash sensor in and held 'C' like you said and it went to 'busy' then 'failed' so it's obviously drawing power from the diagnostic port, much like my cable is because the LED is lighting up but it's as if the data just isn't sending back and fourth. Which is why I thought it might be the K-line wire.
 
#18 ·
If your using vista or windows 7 you have to load the application under administrator (right click on shortcut and s elect run as administrator) or windows does the turd thing of disabling the connection. So you end up with the error of not finding the lead.
 
#19 ·
Its when connecting it to the car mate, it's not working so I can't scan the car it's finding my COM1 port ok. I don't know if its something to do with a K-wire?
Sorry, I should have explained it a bit better.

I had the same problem, it's that other devices installed on the machine have taken COM1-4, so go to start menu, my devices, click on the Vag cables USB port and change it to COM1, if that doesn't work try 2,3 and 4.
 
#20 ·
I'm running windows 7 64x and no issues at all, i did change the usb com settings to com 4 as 1-3 are quite often system assigned. With regards to the Airbag tool you push the button don't hold it. It should take no more than 15 seconds and success should light up,
 
#21 ·
Still having no luck getting to the bottom of this issue.

  • Tried connecting VCDS-Lite / Crash Data reset device to the OBD port with my aftermarket stereo fitted and removed.
  • I've checked that nothing is connecting to the K-line wire, which there isn't.
  • Checked the fuses 'Imagewerx' told me powered the OBD port, both of which are fine.

Whenever I plug something into the port, it gets power and there's no visible damage to the wiring or anything else that I can see. From looking around on here it doesn't seem that people tend to have issues with their OBD so I keep thinking its to do with this K-wire. Is there any chance it could be to do with having an amp wire spliced into my stereo leads?

Going to try fitting another aftermarket stereo in at the weekend and see what happens. Would appreciate any other fuses or wires to check. Cheers guys.
 
#22 ·
Issue is now fixed, turns out it was the stereo and I think something to do with the airbag module. I managed to get a hold of an original stereo and reset the airbag light courtesy of MRTOG - I then rewired my aftermarket radio and aslong as the car is on and radio is on my VCDS-Lite will work.

Only issue now is weeding through all the fault codes :p
 
#23 ·
i am having a similar issue, but i havent d/c my aftermarket stero, but i then tryed it on my mates A3 and still the same issue.

somthing about the k wire

i know the A3 is all ok its just my setup on my laptop thats causing issues.

Any ideas??
 
#24 ·
Is it VCDS or VCDS-Lite and an Ebay cable you are using?

I found a bit of trouble when I installed it first on Windows 7, I had to run it as administrator and configure it to COM1 or else I don't think it would pick it up.

Try unplugging your aftermarket stereo and see if it works, or turn it on while you are trying to connect to VCDS.

I can now use my aftermarket stereo with VCDS-Lite aslong as it is switched on then the cable connects to the car fine.