VCDS cable on other OBD-II vehicles

[Steve220]

Hi all,

Tempted to buy genuine VCDS cable from ross-tech, although my next question - If i had other software for OBD-II to scan other cars, would the cable still work?

Steve

 

[NHN]

Hey Steve, it will only work on vag cars, which is fairly comprehensive as it is.

I sell the genuine RT cables, send me a PM if interested, cheaper than importing from them direct, same product aswell with same support & updates.

 

[Rom]

Speaking from a nhn customer standpoint...

The supplied cable will read a lot of cars, but only obd compliant stuff. So no airbags, abs, coding etc.
But will read and clear eml, and pull data list info, but again, only obd.
The stuff the manufacturers have to make available time non dealer scanners.

If you mean you want to use say BMW's inpa, dis, ediabas or something similar for another brand, with the supplied cable. I dont know what it would do.
I've wondered this myself.

I think the cable has some gadgetry in it, specific for vag, which is why the cheapy eBay ones don't work fully. So I would think other brands would need something similar?

Hope this is Ok Nigel, I know you can hardly advise it for anything but what it's sold for. Just offering my experience with it.

 

[bearthebruce]

If you mean you want to use say BMW's inpa, dis, ediabas or something similar for another brand, with the supplied cable. I dont know what it would do.
I've wondered this myself.

It will not work. The internal settings of the microcontroller will not allow it to speak with other software brands. There were a couple old packages around that if you switch the interface to "dumb" mode will work. But, fewer and fewer of those do.

As we have to up the protection on our devices to slow the cloners down - not that that has worked! - it makes our devices less friendly to other software packages.

I think the cable has some gadgetry in it, specific for vag, which is why the cheapy eBay ones don't work fully. So I would think other brands would need something similar?

Indeed!

 

[ScottD3]

Speaking from a nhn customer standpoint...

The supplied cable will read a lot of cars, but only obd compliant stuff. So no airbags, abs, coding etc.
But will read and clear eml, and pull data list info, but again, only obd.
The stuff the manufacturers have to make available time non dealer scanners.

If you mean you want to use say BMW's inpa, dis, ediabas or something similar for another brand, with the supplied cable. I dont know what it would do.
I've wondered this myself.

I think the cable has some gadgetry in it, specific for vag, which is why the cheapy eBay ones don't work fully. So I would think other brands would need something similar?

Hope this is Ok Nigel, I know you can hardly advise it for anything but what it's sold for. Just offering my experience with it.

My mate tested his cable on his mum's fiat and it worked.
Just read the fault codes.
So not bad going really.

 

[Rom]

Yeah, I've read engine related codes on vauxhall, bmw, Ford, toyota, probably more.

But obd is only emissions / engine related. Anything else falls outside, and is generally locked away by manufacturers .

It's helpful for me regardless, I do a lot of side jobs, so always handy.

 

[NHN]

If its plugged into a non vag car, then that would void the warranty afaik & therefore have no recourse to be swapped out, so I cant advise on anything but the systems it was designed to work with fully, so to avoid any issues with this, its better to stay within the confines of the products guaranteed features as such.

 

[bearthebruce]

Seems either I have missed the point or others are missing the point....

So let me more clear: VCDS interfaces will not be damaged if plugged into any un-modified (read that factory configured) OBDII DLC connector. It may not talk to all cars but it will not be damaged by plugging them into another brand.

The question I answered earlier I thought was discussing whether a Ross-Tech interface could be used with other software. The answer to that question is no (or not likely) and indeed the Ross-Tech interface may be damaged if one tries to run other software using our interfaces.

Does that clear things up?

 

[Rom]

Makes sense to me...I'm on the same page. I've tried and tested what you said first.

And have just wondered about the other brand software. But as I said earlier, figured it wouldnt work.

 

[Steve220]

Crikey, wasn't expecting such an answer! I merely want to know if i would be able to read fault codes and cancel them, my other half has a 2002 toyota Rav 4, just seems a lot of money to spend on a cable that will only work on VAGs.

 

[bearthebruce]

Steve220, then it sounds like what you want is a generic OBDII scanner which will give you access to emissions related systems and report a subset of information from your engine. You should be able to pick that up for under £50ish..

VCDS is a factory level diagnostic tool - designed specifically for VAG cars. It accesses all electronic modules and pulls all fault information from the car. I hope that helps delineate the differences.

VCDS does have generic OBD support but there are two flavors of the standard. VAG uses one. The Detroit 3 uses another. And the Asians are split between the two. You can try it on the 2002 RAV 4.. (My foggy head does not remember if I used it on my wife's '08 Rav4 - but that car is CAN.) And I should mention that in 2008, in the US and I believe all across the world, all moved OBDII to CAN. That means that any CAN based VCDS interface can and will speak generic OBDII with any '08 and newer car.

 

[PAULF]

My KII lead worked on the BMW Bentley for OBD-II, engine code reading and clearing. I would expect it to work on the BMWs for the same thing.

(I WILL do a full port scan of the Bentley one day - it's only been a year or so since you - Ross-Tech - answered my e-mail, sorry Bruce!)

 

[Steve220]

Seems as if no one really truly knows the answer to my question. I'll give it a miss. Too much money for a cable IMO.

 

[NHN]

Too much money for a cable IMO.

Its not the cable so much, its the software it utilises, what it can do is for me quite brilliant, I use mine daily & never had an issue, it even does few things the dealer cant as well

Dealer vas/odis £5-10k vs Vcds £260, maths doesn't need to much thought

Also dealer systems charge thousands yearly for updates, to date vcds updates have been free.

 

[Steve220]

Its not the cable so much, its the software it utilises, what it can do is for me quite brilliant, I use mine daily & never had an issue, it even does few things the dealer cant as well

Dealer vas/odis £5-10k vs Vcds £260, maths doesn't need to much thought

Also dealer systems charge thousands yearly for updates, to date vcds updates have been free.

That maybe so, but I don't want to alter my car everyday, just to code the new RNS-E, cruise control and maybe a new remote, the rest of it is pretty much useless to me.

 

[NHN]

Ironically after this discussion me & a mastertech friend were working on a hybrid turbo for an A3 & he said, my cars got an engine light up, shall we test with vcds, so we plugged in & used the odb facility, low & behold it worked a treat on his Evo 8, read some sensors & he cleared the light, very impressed tbh, very surprised, way to go RT.

 

[chris.vincent3]

Best £250 ive spent. The potential to earn back what you spent, cheaper in the long run instead of having to pay someone else or a stealer, and retro fits are no longer a hesitation in my mind because i can code it.

And as it becomes more apparent it may actually work with other OBD cars, obviously not coding.. But for reading faults and clearing them.

 

[@udi A3]

Seems as if no one really truly knows the answer to my question. I'll give it a miss. Too much money for a cable IMO.

I think Bruce answered your question along with several others quite clearly. Generic OBDII this is not, if that's what you need don't buy VCDS

That maybe so, but I don't want to alter my car everyday, just to code the new RNS-E, cruise control and maybe a new remote, the rest of it is pretty much useless to me.

Price up this job with the local dealer. Then maybe pm NHN as he seems to do this in his sleep, and get a quote for the work. Then find somebody closer to home if NHN is too far, with the skill and know-how to carry out the work in a competent manner.

If you cant, then suddenly the cable becomes worth more to you, and if there is nobody local offering this kind of service, there is opportunity to help you recoup the cost offering the service. My cable has paid for itself in personal work and probably again helping others with scans/coding/adaptions. Just yesterday my alarm wigged out, so VCDS diagnosed the fault and i managed to prevent the car making loud noises all night!