VAG.COM

Lee Goodall

Lee Goodall

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I know there's a dedicated VAG.COM forum but I think my problem is model specific so I'd try here..

Anyway I got a laptop yesterday (thanks to Aragorn.. cheers mate) but I'm having the same problem as I've had with connecting to VAG.COM on several other computers.

The lead test comes up ok with no problems but when I try a compatability test I get the message 'car not VW/AUDI, car not ODB2/ISO compatible, try selecting individual controllers'.

When I try individual controllers (eg. engine etc.) I get the message 'no response from controller'.

Any input would be brilliant.. it's getting right on my t!ts now!
 
i used a cheap ebay copy lead to test the laptop out mate so its nothing to do with it not being a rosstech lead...

what kinda lead is it though, perhaps its not designed to work with vagcom?

Mine had a USB -> serial interface in it which made it appear on COM4 in vagcom, can you check the device manager to see what its appearing as?
 
I was using a USB type lead (not Ross Tech) but fairly certain it's not the lead as the lead test is fine and error messages all relate to the car.

..thing is I bought a hand held scanner not too long ago (which comes complete with serial port connection lead) and had exactly the same problem. I called the supplier and he said send it back and he'll swap it for another different type of scanner. I got the replacement which works fine!!

I'm thinking along the lines of a format problem or something??
I have the older pre 97 type ECU could this cause a problem?
 
mines a 96 mate...

Is it a true USB cable, or one with a USB to serial bridge inside it?

Mine is blue with a USB jack, but it appears as a serial port once its connected to the PC and vagcom talks to it via serial.

The vagcom on there only supports serial leads, but as long as your lead has a serial to usb bridge it should be ok.

Perhaps theres a wiring problem with the diag socket?

Can you try the lead on another car? Or if you wish, post the lead up to me and i'll try it out on mine, see if thats faulty or if its your diag port?
 
aragorn said:
i used a cheap ebay copy lead to test the laptop out mate so its nothing to do with it not being a rosstech lead...

what kinda lead is it though, perhaps its not designed to work with vagcom?

Mine had a USB -> serial interface in it which made it appear on COM4 in vagcom, can you check the device manager to see what its appearing as?
Click to expand...

The lead I've got was sold to work with VAG.COM.

I've tried incompatible leads before and that gives a totally different error message.

I will check the device manager settings but it didn't appear to have problems finding the lead.. laptop's at home though and I'm in the office at the mo.
 
I can only imagine that either the lead is faulty, or the diag plug in your car is faulty.

Take a look at the wiring into the back of the diag plug make sure none of its broken or snagged? I'll dig the wiring diagram out tonight and see if i can locate some points at which you can test the diag socket for continuity.

Does the LED on the lead light up when you connect it to the car?
 
aragorn said:
mines a 96 mate...

Is it a true USB cable, or one with a USB to serial bridge inside it?

Mine is blue with a USB jack, but it appears as a serial port once its connected to the PC and vagcom talks to it via serial.

The vagcom on there only supports serial leads, but as long as your lead has a serial to usb bridge it should be ok.

Perhaps theres a wiring problem with the diag socket?

Can you try the lead on another car? Or if you wish, post the lead up to me and i'll try it out on mine, see if thats faulty or if its your diag port?
Click to expand...

Yeah same lead as you by the sounds of it mate.

The socket is working fine with my other scanner.

There's an A4 and a TT at work that I could plug into.. I'll have to bring the laptop in tomorrow.

I'll mess around with the port settings tonight too.

Cheers.
 
aragorn said:
I can only imagine that either the lead is faulty, or the diag plug in your car is faulty.

Take a look at the wiring into the back of the diag plug make sure none of its broken or snagged? I'll dig the wiring diagram out tonight and see if i can locate some points at which you can test the diag socket for continuity.

Does the LED on the lead light up when you connect it to the car?
Click to expand...

To be honest mate I've not even noticed an LED on the lead??? maybe the lead is at fault then? I'll check the lead.
 
perhaps its a different lead to mine, but mine has a blue LED that illuminates when its connected to the car. The USB part only powers the USB to Serial bridge, the rest of the lead is powered by the car.
 
aragorn said:
perhaps its a different lead to mine, but mine has a blue LED that illuminates when its connected to the car. The USB part only powers the USB to Serial bridge, the rest of the lead is powered by the car.
Click to expand...

I'll check for an LED! That'll obviously point towards the lead if it has one and it's not getting power.
 
what version are you using? mine didn't work until I got the right version.
non rosstech leads only work properly with the earlier versions 4091s IIRC
 
the cheap leads stop working very easily & different copied leads work with different versions, there's a v3, v4, v6 & v7 copy leads & they all use specific drivers for the conversion in device manager & using an incorrect driver seems to feck up the lead aswell on some & if the software been updated to newer version or codes list then it can blow the lead, another reason why to buy genuine, the time you've wasted on this is probably far more costly & seriously inconvenient than having genuine
 
NHN,

As far as I'm aware there are loads of people running the cheaper leads with no problems at all!?

It's only cost me about £20 mate anyway so I've got a long way to go yet.. even the Gendan lead is not a Genuine Ross-Tech lead unless you buy the whole package (program too) and I already have the program.

Seems like a bit of a monopoly to me which only leaves the 'copy' leads unless you're willing to spend £££s.

PS. you work for Ross-Tech?? lol
 
I have tried cheaper leads so from 1st hand experience I know they go wrong easily, yeah some have been ok for others but alot havnt

& no you are incorrect 100% mate, the gendan lead is the ross-tech one full stop & is shipped from the US to them as with all the distributors worldwide, so think someone's spun you a line mate or an assumption on your part & 2nd the software license comes with the lead so you dont have to buy the software if you have a genuine lead as its downloadable given the lead has built in activation so another piece of incorrect info I'm afraid

Monopoly, uh let me think audi 5052 £5k, vagcom £221 I'll let you decide on that one fella, no I dont work for them, I recently negotiated the cheapest uk price for group buy of £221.75 delivered to help out forum members, nothing in it for me except a beer or so per lead which is fair for my time
 
i've used my ebay cable without any issues on both my A4 and my brothers S4.

Does all the features and datalogs etc perfectly, Fair enough they wont have the quality control, and duffers will exist, but you can buy quite a few cheap ones before you've paid for the rosstech lead...

Most of the copy leads use the older serial design and use a serial to USB bridge to provide the modern connectivity. The shareware version talks to all dumb serial interfaces just fine, and as such there is no compatibility issues. If i had a B7 or something that required the CAN features then by all means the real leads worth it. But for the B5, the copies work just fine.
 
Yeah so you're happy to spend hundreds if not thousands on the upgrades to the car but you wont stump up the money to pay the programmers for there time for the best tool for your car which allows you to do the things you do now, lol, still dont get it, its amazing how people on here complain they cant afford the vagcom genuine lead but they amazingly find the money for a new exhaust, turbo, etc etc, you get my point & I'm just thinking aloud of course but I think you'd agree its a fair point & its a case of people always wanting something for nothing.

I can understand people say its only used once a year but if you take it into audi thats the lead cost in one hit anyway & by no means am I trying to sell these to people as I already said its really nothing it this for me just helping people out, but time = money no matter how you cut it & the number of people I've seen on here moaning or having issues with leads & guess what they are all copies, not one person has moaned about a genuine lead, gotta make you think huh guys cause you have wasted hours upon hours trying to get these copies to work properly when genuine just works full stop
 
NHN said:
I have tried cheaper leads so from 1st hand experience I know they go wrong easily, yeah some have been ok for others but alot havnt

& no you are incorrect 100% mate, the gendan lead is the ross-tech one full stop & is shipped from the US to them as with all the distributors worldwide, so think someone's spun you a line mate or an assumption on your part & 2nd the software license comes with the lead so you dont have to buy the software if you have a genuine lead as its downloadable given the lead has built in activation so another piece of incorrect info I'm afraid

Monopoly, uh let me think audi 5052 £5k, vagcom £221 I'll let you decide on that one fella, no I dont work for them, I recently negotiated the cheapest uk price for group buy of £221.75 delivered to help out forum members, nothing in it for me except a beer or so per lead which is fair for my time
Click to expand...

You've misunderstood me there mate I was referring to the lead alone without the software http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGUSB.html

So I was actually 100% correct and it is not a genuine Ross-Tech lead.

By no means is the software a free download if the lead that you MUST have to activate the software costs you £200+.. just saves them money by not having to send you out a CD with it on.

I just think it's slightly excessively priced for what you actually get. That's all. Each to their own opinion though.
 
mine works fine (£12 eBay).

if you can get even part of the VAGCom diagnostics for a few quid instead of £200+ then it has to be worth a try IMO
 
Lee Goodall said:
You've misunderstood me there mate I was referring to the lead alone without the software http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGUSB.html

So I was actually 100% correct and it is not a genuine Ross-Tech lead.

By no means is the software a free download if the lead that you MUST have to activate the software costs you £200+.. just saves them money by not having to send you out a CD with it on.

I just think it's slightly excessively priced for what you actually get. That's all. Each to their own opinion though.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah and the Gendan lead above (link) is the one I've got for reference.
 
i have read most this thread.. but i use a Cheapy lead and it always works fine. have used it on mine, my mates a4, mk4 gti golf. no drams every thing works fine.
 
TBH £220 would pay for an exhaust or turbo or indeed an engine, if a cheapo lead and shareware software works for you, why pay £220 ?

If i had £220 to spare, or the newer versions offered me anything new i would consider it. Until then Alpha bid cables will suffice
 
Lee Goodall said:
You've misunderstood me there mate I was referring to the lead alone without the software http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGUSB.html

So I was actually 100% correct and it is not a genuine Ross-Tech lead.

By no means is the software a free download if the lead that you MUST have to activate the software costs you £200+.. just saves them money by not having to send you out a CD with it on.

I just think it's slightly excessively priced for what you actually get. That's all. Each to their own opinion though.
Click to expand...

For a start for Gendan to be selling a copy lead alongside vagcom is kinda wrong IMHO & does need to be questioned TBH by Ross-Tech

But so are you one of these people that expects them to programme the software, test it, send to you, expect them to not be paid for there work/time & allow you to use for free

Urrrrm again let me see 5k or £221, excessively priced are you sure you're using vagcom cause if you think you get very little for your money then I guess you should try not working with it then see if you think the same :think:

jcb said:
mine works fine (£12 eBay).

if you can get even part of the VAGCom diagnostics for a few quid instead of £200+ then it has to be worth a try IMO
Click to expand...

As I said someting for nothing & if you couldnt get it for cheap you'd pay the £200 anyway or goto audi, personally I respect the work they put into it, ongoing updates, support & so far to date all for free & again state its either 5k or £220, if thats not a bargain for what you get then obviously we're on a different planet completely

Lee Goodall said:
Oh yeah and the Gendan lead above (link) is the one I've got for reference.
Click to expand...

Yeah which is a copy anyway & something I personally think Ross-tech should stamp out but Uwe thinks differently & he's the man main so wtf does my opinion matter

& why is it when someone comes up with a good piece of software or produces an item that no one else can do or even bothers to do for a fair price its called a monopoly, if anyone can do better then please stand up to the plate, £200 odd for vagcom is unbelievably cheap considering the alternative is Audi's version or pay audi to check for you, which if we're honest is like walking into the stealers & pulling your pants down, bending over & saying go on then you might aswell do me now as when you're finished its gonna feel a hell of alot worse, lol lol as many on here have stated probably daily.

But it is as you say each to there own opinion, but this is my thoughts anyway
 
I know we have differing views but thats just what life is about.

The missus and dont have endless sums of money, which is why we have a 10year old car that cost us £1200. If i did have £200 to spend on the car, it would be getting used to buy new brake disks or change the timing belt or whatever other maintenance it required.

I simply cannot justify that amount of money to check some fault codes once in a while, yet the opportunity to get a much cheaper product that gave me enough functionality to ensure my car was running correctly is a valuable asset. My previous few cars, Vauxhalls, had this ability using a paperclip and a bulb on the dashboard. Crude, but it worked and was free. £20 for this basic ability is plenty spend imo, and fair enough if you want it all, then you pays the extra cash and gets it all.

The guy who wrote it gives away free copies with this limited functionality so he himself cant be all that fussed about it, if anything the ability to use the software in such a limited manner may promote sales because someone may buy the cheap cable and free software and then decide they like what they see and go for the fully fledged version when they decide that the extra features would be of use to them.
 
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