VCDS

4.2 V8 40v biturbo - 450 bhp
4.2 V8 40v biturbo - 480 bhp (plus)
steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 9:00 am

Can any of you VCDS wizards throw any light on this. I know that the cable is a genuine Ross tech cable. I even had it registered with them.
My car is on coilovers. So I never tried that cable or my new cable for air suspension adjustments.


IMG_0804.png
Last edited by steve2003rs6 on Tue May 06, 2025 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
TechNick
5th Gear
Posts: 1145
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:09 pm
Location: Hampshire/Surrey border

Re: VCDS

Post by TechNick » Sun May 04, 2025 10:22 am

Is it possible that it's just a compatibility issue?
Do you know the year of the vehicle they're working on, vs the variant of the cable?

Lookup table available here:
https://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/old-i ... rfaces.php

TOPMAN
2nd Gear
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:41 pm
Location: Finland

Re: VCDS

Post by TOPMAN » Sun May 04, 2025 10:27 am

steve2003rs6 wrote:Can any of you VCDS wizards throw any light on this. I know that the cable is a genuine Ross tech cable. I even had it registered with them.
My car was on coilovers. So I never tried that cable or my new cable for air suspension adjustments.


IMG_0804.png
Hi Steve

If you have a VCDS cable and the serial number starts HEX7386 it’s a pirated product and will not have full functionality. It will have some functionality as it’s basically a HEX+CAN clone pretending to be a HEX-V2.

My genuine HEX-V2 has a serial number in this format:

hv20248-123456-abcd12-ab123c-0abcde-1234

You can view the serial number and valid license activation on the about page writhin VCDS software.

Regards
Craig Barlow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. BRV Plus Engine, 550cc Injectors, Custom Tune, DO88 Silicone Pipework, Waggers, Hybrid Turbos, Direnza DownPipes with 200 CEL CATS, Milltek Exhaust, Sonnax Modified Valve Body, Uprated Clutches, Uprated Torque Convertor, R8 Carbon Ceramics, K&W v1, Exclusive Interior, Creations Motorsport Billet Coolant Cap and PCV Valve (woohoo)

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 11:13 am

Hi Craig. The unlimited vin cable I sold in August 2023 was registered with Ross tech and support was provided by Ross tech.
I bought the cable from chunky79. I am sure he would not of bought a clone. Like me he was very fussy with his car and tools.

Technic. Good info mate Many thanks.
Last edited by steve2003rs6 on Sun May 04, 2025 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 11:27 am

IMG_0805.jpeg

Came Across this whilst looking into it.

srichards
4th Gear
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:39 am

Re: VCDS

Post by srichards » Sun May 04, 2025 11:31 am

I'd think buying a new genuine cable from a known supplier is probably the best bet. They seem to be under £30. Maybe something has gone weird with yours.

https://www.gendan.co.uk/category_145.html

https://www.ilexa.co.uk/shop/VCDS-VAG-COM They don't list cables separately.

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 11:49 am

Andy.
Plug the cable in as if you are going to scan the car.
Click on the “about” box
Serial number and a load of other info will be displayed.

Just checked with my new cable.
I had to update software and firmware.

Suz. Genuine cable for under £30 ?
Mine was £500 unlimited

IMG_0809.jpeg
Last edited by steve2003rs6 on Tue May 06, 2025 10:56 am, edited 3 times in total.

srichards
4th Gear
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:39 am

Re: VCDS

Post by srichards » Sun May 04, 2025 11:56 am

That's the cable only. The software with the cable with unlimited VINs is £500+!

TOPMAN
2nd Gear
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:41 pm
Location: Finland

Re: VCDS

Post by TOPMAN » Sun May 04, 2025 12:07 pm

steve2003rs6 wrote:Hi Craig. The unlimited vin cable I sold was registered with Ross tech and support was provided by Ross tech.
I bought the cable from chunky79. I am sure he would not of bought a clone. Like me he was very fussy with his car and tools.

Technic. Good info mate Many thanks.
Hi Steve

Don’t want to get into a fight, as this post is a bit confusing as to who the stake holders are here. I trust you guys and agree that you probably did your research.
However, the info I posted can also be found on the Ross-Tech forum and posted by Ewe-Ross himself (the founder of VCDS and Ross-Tech).

Don’t mean to upset anybody here, but facts are facts and I’d take a deeper look at the cable. If the cable is registered then you have FREE support, just call them Image

Regards
Craig


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. BRV Plus Engine, 550cc Injectors, Custom Tune, DO88 Silicone Pipework, Waggers, Hybrid Turbos, Direnza DownPipes with 200 CEL CATS, Milltek Exhaust, Sonnax Modified Valve Body, Uprated Clutches, Uprated Torque Convertor, R8 Carbon Ceramics, K&W v1, Exclusive Interior, Creations Motorsport Billet Coolant Cap and PCV Valve (woohoo)

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 12:09 pm

IMG_0806.png

This is the cable I sold in August 2023. Only replaced it as it was misplaced during spring cleaning.
So I bought a new one.
Then the old one turned up.
Didn’t need two.

Andy. If it is not an original cable. Return it to me and I will refund you.
Last edited by steve2003rs6 on Tue May 06, 2025 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

andy28
Neutral
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 24, 2023 6:25 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by andy28 » Sun May 04, 2025 2:37 pm

Thanks all, I’m the Andy. I messaged Steve to try and understand more, it has been a long time so I’m really grateful he has replied immediately and is doing his best to help me.

I have mostly used the cable for scans on my 2015 C7 (facelift) RS6 and it has worked absolutely fine but I was trying to lower the standard height on my air suspension yesterday when I got the error message mentioned. VCDS allowed me to do a scan, note down the height of each corner, delete the level control calibration but failed on the restart level control. I managed to get it back with OBDEleven but I started to read into it and spotted the serial number references to hex7386 (I’ve attached a photo showing the full serial number) and confirmation that the licence is valid. It doesn’t pretend to be a Hex-V2, it says it is a Hex-USB (second picture) so maybe that’s why that 7386 serial number is ok in this case?

I’ve emailed Ross-Tech to re-register the cable in my name and then hopefully I can use their support for the error message. I’ll update when I hear back.
Attachments
IMG_8076.jpeg
IMG_8077.jpeg
IMG_8075.jpeg

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Sun May 04, 2025 3:17 pm

Hi Andy.
If I was you I would register the cable with Ross tech in your name.
Where it says licence valid. underneath that is usually your name and registered address.

Looking at the info you have provided. I am even more convinced that the cable is genuine.
Also the gold coloured pins,torx screws and snap in tab adds to that belief.
Let us know how you get on with Ross tech.

JamesLawrance
1st Gear
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:20 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by JamesLawrance » Mon May 05, 2025 9:14 pm

TOPMAN wrote:
Sun May 04, 2025 12:07 pm
steve2003rs6 wrote:Hi Craig. The unlimited vin cable I sold was registered with Ross tech and support was provided by Ross tech.
I bought the cable from chunky79. I am sure he would not of bought a clone. Like me he was very fussy with his car and tools.

Technic. Good info mate Many thanks.
Hi Steve

Don’t want to get into a fight, as this post is a bit confusing as to who the stake holders are here. I trust you guys and agree that you probably did your research.
However, the info I posted can also be found on the Ross-Tech forum and posted by Ewe-Ross himself (the founder of VCDS and Ross-Tech).

Don’t mean to upset anybody here, but facts are facts and I’d take a deeper look at the cable. If the cable is registered then you have FREE support, just call them Image

Regards
Craig


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This :thumbs: If it's genuine then an email/call to Ross-Tech will sort it out!

andy28
Neutral
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 24, 2023 6:25 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by andy28 » Mon May 05, 2025 10:03 pm

Good evening all

I just wanted to provide an update as I have now heard from Ross-Tech and they have confirmed that it is a genuine cable.

My confusion was that I had spotted the negative clone comments about serial codes starting hex7386 (like mine) but the one I have is a genuine hex-usb cable and has a valid serial number.

I still have my error but I will get the cable transferred on their system so I can access their support.

Steve - apologies for messing you around this weekend. Once again, I really appreciate you doing everything you could to help me out and I’m glad you were right.

steve2003rs6
Cruising
Posts: 2935
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 pm

Re: VCDS

Post by steve2003rs6 » Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am

Cheers Andy no problem mate. That’s what I love about this site. Members that are willing to help each other out.
Hope Ross tech can provide assistance.
I was never in any doubt that the cable was genuine. As I have said it was registered with Ross tech, and Ross tech have supported it in the past.

Ps. I never received a email from you.
Can you send me a pm to confirm which email address you used.

Post Reply

Return to “RS6 / RS6 plus (C5 Typ 4B) 2002-2004”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: bilko1, Billy_G, EireRS6, Majestic-12 [Bot] and 87 guests