VAG-COM Can't find any controllers

[kerrinmay 0]

Just got my third-party interface this morning, so had a go at hooking VAG-COM up to my C, but it doesn't find any controllers. Not even the ABS one. I'm only really expecting it to find the ABS and maybe the ECU as it's a 2.0 16v, but it doesn't even find the ABS.

 

First question is should the ignition be on when I connect? I've tried with both on and off and no difference. Second question is HELP!

[Supercharged 2]

I think you have the adjust the baud rate to take to the 2.0 16V

[Supercharged 2]

RW1 wrote in the main thread -

 

Did you set VAG-COM up to be at 4,800 "start baud" rate in "Options" so that the programme is pre-set that way before VAG-COM application is started. As registration is PC based, I run one copy of VAG-COM in a separate directory that starts at 9600 and have another in a separate directory which starts at 4800. Corrado modules are 9600 baud rate with this exception.

 

If it still doesn't work, there may be something perculiar about the SKPang interface the 16v ECU doesn't like. The only way to verify is to get someone elses to prove interrogation that is a know workable interface with the 16v.

[kerrinmay 0]

Thanks, I did set-up the start baud rate at 4,800. I've also tried changing this back to 0, although I didn't shut down and restart VAG-COM inbetween times. Can you also confirm if I could have the ignition switched on?

[Supercharged 2]

Yeah - try with the ignition on...

 

I think the connector also needs to be electronically isolated on the valver too?

[kerrinmay 0]

The connector was advertised as electronically isolated, so hopefully it is!

 

I guess I'll have another go later and see if I can sort it out. Maybe I'll try switching the ignition on, and then starting up the software, ensuring that it's already set to baud 4,800.

 

In the meantime, any other advice will be most appreciated!

[dr_mat 0]

The Ross-Tech website explicitly states that unless you set the "starting baud rate" to 4800 BEFORE you attempt to connect to the ECU/ABS on a 2.0 16v it will confuse the ECU. Once confused, the only way it can be returned to working state is to turn the ignition off and back on again ...

[kerrinmay 0]

ok, when I try again tomorrow, I'll be sure to set it to 4,800 before I connect and before I switch on the ignition.

 

Should I switch on the ignition before hooking up the cables to the car?

[kerrinmay 0]

Where abouts on the ross-tech site is this specific info about the 2.0 16v engine and the baud rate? Can you post a link?

Thanks.

[dr_mat 0]

Urmm ...

 

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vw_issues.html

 

Bottom of the page.

 

In case you don't believe me............... :-P

 

(Still applies to the Corrado, cos the Corrado engines hung around without change far longer than they rightly should have done .. )

[kerrinmay 0]

Thanks for the link! I just wanted to check if there was any further information. I did believe you :roll:

 

Anyway, based on described steps, VAG-COM will still not communicate with any controllers. Does anyone have any further advice that might get this working for me?

[dr_mat 0]

What windows version are you using? I had trouble with win2k cos I wasn't logged in as administrator .. Which I don't fully understand, cos VAG-COM would quite happily tell me that it had found the adapter itself, just wouldn't get a link to the ECU. Soon as I logged back in as Admin and re-ran it it worked fine.

(I never had any trouble under win98, obviously .. )

[kerrinmay 0]

I'm running Window XP Professional Service Pack 1 and I'm also logged in with administrator rights.

[dr_mat 0]

Then I'm out of ideas. Might be worth trying another car ...

[kerrinmay 0]

Then I'm out of ideas. Might be worth trying another car ...

 

Thanks for all the advice. Really not sure what to try now. There is another chap at work that has a newer 2.0 16v Corrado, so I could always try him and see if I can have a go at connecting it up to his car. However, he doesn't really seem to be much of an enthusiast because when I've tried to talk to him before about Corrados, he hasn't seemed that interested. Not really sure why he bought one, and he doesn't really look after it, looks quite tatty with a snapped off aerial and an unusually rusty looking tailpipe on his exhaust.

[kerrinmay 0]

Just had another thought, I'm running VAG-COM 409 which my third party interface is supposed to work fine with, however, is it worth me trying version 311?

[kerrinmay 0]

ok, finally got it working...sort of! It seems to find the controllers ok if I use v311 of VAG-COM. Bit frustrating as the interface/cable was was advertised to also work on v409.

 

The ECU connects fine, however the ABS does lots of clicking and blinking of the ABS light and then gives the message:

 

VAG-COM: Session Unreliable

Too many communications errors to continue!

 

Any thoughts on this one?

[dr_mat 0]

I'd have a look at maybe another type of car. Find a local VR6 to hook up to, the ECU is a bit more electronically robust .. Or a Golf VR/16v from the late 90's.

You could always have a faulty cable, it's possible .. And you could also have a faulty serial port. Did you ever succesfully run anything on the serial port at all? Even if it's just a hyperterm?

[kerrinmay 0]

It's actually a USB port that I'm using, and the connection to the Engine ECU works fine now with v311, it's just the ABS controller that I have a problem with now.

[dr_mat 0]

Ah, didn't see your latest updates about v311 when I wrote that .. ! :)

[kerrinmay 0]

Ah, didn't see your latest updates about v311 when I wrote that .. ! :)

 

No worries!

 

Any idea on my comms error with the ABS? The error comes up in a pop-up messagebox when it tries to connect to the ABS controller after a lot of clicking and blinking of the ABS warning light.

[dr_mat 0]

Well .. same as I said in the other thread .. perhaps there's a problem with the wiring between the ABS controller and the ECU. Open up the big multiplug on the ABS controller and see if you can clean up any dodgy pins and stuff.

[Supercharged 2]

Try it on another laptop or preferably a desktop PC as power supplied to USB ports differ - also worth trying the laptop on mains power as well...

[Tekara 0]

Glad its not just me having issue with the ABS ECU, i forget the exact message but something like inv.msg## (## some hex address). ABS cycles through its clicks and light on and off.

[dr_mat 0]

Good old serial ports. Never had any trouble with mine. :)

I'd be surprised if there's a problem with the port - to my mind if you can talk to the ECU then your interface cable is working fine.

The OBD interface bus to the ABS controller is clearly to blame, or the ABS controller itself.