Code reader recommendation

[kvxxy]

Hey all. Engines thrown up a engine warming light. I’ve got VCDS but I can’t get the cable to connect. Can anyone recommend a cable you guys use? Can you use any vag cable or do you need a specific cable for this engine?

Thanks

Kully

[HPsauce]

Any genuine Ross-Tech cable should work fine with VCDS.

[IchBautAuto]

You're a bit unclear. VCDS is in effect the cable which you pay for, the software is free but they only work together so if you have the full VCDS software then only the genuine cable will work. There is VCDS lite which is knobbled and works with most generic cables.

If you have the full genuine setup the first thing is drivers and then linking the cable, it's all in the instructions. If you have done all that with no outcome then you may have an ECU or port problem.

[HPsauce]

There is VCDS lite which is knobbled and works with most generic cables.

Even then it can be flaky.
I used to have a genuine licensed (paid for) copy of VAG-COM used with a generic cable, upgraded in due course to VCDS-Lite.
The licensed version does do more than the free one, but I often found certain controllers would not talk reliably down generic cables - I tried a few.
As soon as I upgraded again (NOT free) to full VCDS with a genuine cable all those problems went away.

That said, the previous observation about port or ECU problems could equally be the cause.

[kvxxy]

Thanks guys. I have got the VCDS lite and a generic cable. The full version at £300 is wasted on me as I wouldn’t even use it that much. I’ve been looking at the obdeleven and some other code readers. I do need one as I need a new parking sensor and headlight height sensor warning lights.

[norwichphoto]

my ex-VAG work colleague has one of these which he plugged into my RS6 and it interrogated 25 systems.

https://ljmcardiagnostics.co.uk/product ... -scan-tool

[IchBautAuto]

There are a number of other options out in the market place, worth checking that they work, not only at reading but adaptions, on all systems with a 20 year old car as many readers will be focussed on the later models. I'd say that VCDS is one of the essential tools if you own one of these and the 300 is cheap for what it does. The bonus is that there is no problems selling it when you move on. You may even be able to pick up a second hand one.

[HPsauce]

Well said, it's the first tool you need for a classic Audi and will repay it's cost and more the first time you have a problem.
What does £300 buy you at a main dealer after all?

[Shoppinit]

Definitely a genuine Vagcom is the number one required tool for RS6 ownership. It pays for itself many times over.

That said, no reason you can't use a generic cable with VCDS lite. Check, in Device Manager, that the driver is loaded for the cable when you plug it in (assuming it's USB) if so then you might need to play with the communications settings in VCDS lite.

There are also plenty of cheap standalone code readers on Amazon / eBay. You need one that reads VAG codes ideally.

[Fatneck73]

Kvxxy - where are you situated? Maybe someone like me is local and can help out?

[kvxxy]

Kvxxy - where are you situated? Maybe someone like me is local and can help out?

I’m based in Coventry. Luckily we got the codes read and it was a misfire on cylinder 7 so that needs investigating. I’m still not sure it’s worth while me spending that amount of money. It’s a lot of money for me right now, and the fact the car may be going into storage for a while until I finish uni and get a far better job. And over the past 5 years/18,000ish miles this is the first time I’ve needed a code reader. The other faults had big flashing lights on the dash to let me know the cars having a meltdown lol. I’ll stick with VCDS lite for now. It’s just that’s it’s on a old windows vista laptop and I haven’t used windows for over 10 years and I hate it! I may just purchase a half decent code reader for now. Although I do need to replace a parking sensor and headlight height sensor and i know you need VCDS for that.....

[Shoppinit]

Don’t need VCDS for parking sensor but you do for headlight level setting.

Misfire without any other symptoms... could be a coil pack. When’s the last time the plugs were changed?

[kvxxy]

The plugs were changed around 10,000miles ago or 2 years. I’m not sure when the coil packs were changed. The spark plugs are the ngk ones as recommended. I could feel the misfire. If it happens again I’ll have a look at the coil pack, I know we haven’t had to change them on my ownership. It has been off as we had to change the cam cover gasket.

As for the parking sensor, does the code just say a error code or will there be a code for a particular sensor? If that makes any sense

[Shoppinit]

Worth re-torquing the plugs. Sometimes they work loose and you lose compression and get a misfire.

Coil packs used to be a common failure. Haven’t heard of one for a while. Funny how things go.

[Shoppinit]

If there’s a sensor that’s failed you’ll get a specific code identifying which sensor. Or if it’s the brain that’ll be a different code.