DIY Coding Keys / Immobiliser / ECU / Cluster I need ... ? Update: hopefully on way to being sorted.

Rusty911

Rusty911

A2OC Donor
Hi A2 chums.

due to the lockdown I can't travel anywhere to get my car coded up. Looks like this is going to go on for quite some time yet.

Here are some of the things I want / would like to do other than the usual fault code stuff:

i) Fit and code in cruise at some point (did this on my Passat on old copy of VCDS now deceased I think, that was pretty easy).

ii) Ditto DIS possibly (in the future) if coding required. EDIT: Will leave to Timmus at later date.

More to point:

iii) Reinstate immobiliser (disabled to get the previous owner home I believe).

iv) Program two keys: all it came with was a broken off blade and a pair of pincers. As far as I'm aware, there are no codes available for the pincers. EDIT: I've had two empty keys cut, so no more pincers! I understand the chip-set of the replacement keys needs to match the CCCU? I'd love to get the full functionality of this area restored.

v) Match miles from replacement ECU to cluster (possibly: might go another route and keep existing ECU after 'enhancements'). EDIT, now keeping original ECU and sending it on a performance refresher course.

I appreciate many on here can sort the above, but we can't move about the country, probably for months and more to the point, I won't learn anything.

I'm a very long term VAG owner so if I have to invest a bit in a decent / genuine VCDS set-up, that's fine. If anyone has a set-up they want to sell, let me know.

I have a suitable lap-top running (I think) XP, but have a copy of Win 7 pro here as well.

From what I've read, I'll also need K-Can VAG Commander of some version.

Yes, I know if I get this wrong I can cause major issues. On the other hand, the Devon car is probably the best opportunity I'll have to learn on a VAG product as it's here, lots doesn't work and I don't need to use it as a car at the moment. Also, frankly it's turning into a money pit and I need to rescue the situation by DIY'ing what I can :)

Thanks for reading and sorry it's gone on a bit :rolleyes:
 
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For VCDS, it depends on the vintage of your VAG cars. If oldish only, ie up to 2005/06 (A2s, Mk1 TT, Mk1 A3 etc) , then a registered copy of VCDS Lite is a good bet. Free to download (from Rosstech) and about £75 ($99) to register, plus a £5 for a cable, and you're away. No limit on number of cars. If you want to use it on more recent models, then you're looking at more pennies. Browse the Rosstech website to see the options and their application. Take great care with anything bought outside the Rosstech estate. Most are dodgy/cracked/hacked ot all these!
Mac.
 
Several points.

1. Have you talked to Paul(Depronman) about mapping the immobiliser back in? I know he can map the immobiliser out, maybe possible for him to do the reverse and provide the SKC if you post the ECU to him.

2. Pick an eBay seller who cuts keys by picture and that's sorted, at least you can then dispense with the pincers!

3. I may be able to help out with the keys, I would have to look but pretty certain I have some of the older keys available (without a trailing D in the part number). I think we can check MHz if you post a picture of your CCCU.

4. More, maybe later.

Andy
 
Dont really see the fuss around the immoboliser, if someone was dedicated enough to make a key to fit your car do you not think they would install there own immo off ecu?
 
Andrew said:
Several points.

1. Have you talked to Paul(Depronman) about mapping the immobiliser back in? I know he can map the immobiliser out, maybe possible for him to do the reverse and provide the SKC if you post the ECU to him.

2. Pick an eBay seller who cuts keys by picture and that's sorted, at least you can then dispense with the pincers!

3. I may be able to help out with the keys, I would have to look but pretty certain I have some of the older keys available (without a trailing D in the part number). I think we can check MHz if you post a picture of your CCCU.

4. More, maybe later.

Andy
Click to expand...

1) Yes, he suggested I speak to Tom, who was very helpful, and we were talking about me going up to Tom's but the lock-down is clearly going to get longer by the looks of things. Will confirm on the post ECU option to pull the PIN.
2) Keys already cut onto some new eBay VW flip-outs that I had (as per Break/Bale thread).
3) Thank you, will dig out CCCU and PM a pic.
4) Again, thanks!
 
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Howey said:
Dont really see the fuss around the immobiliser, if someone was dedicated enough to make a key to fit your car do you not think they would install there own immo off ecu?
Click to expand...

The remains of the key was the last bit of the original set, from which I had a new pair of empty blanks cut, the whole pincer thing being somewhat tiresome.

I believe the car was at some point on its potential final journey having been laid up for ages. It's future was uncertain and it refused to start after re-fueling during this trip. As far as I can tell, Sarge came to the rescue and got the PO going again by disabling the immobiliser, allowing the journey to continue. To underline, at this point the mission was I think simply to get the car off the public highway (in Bedford) and back to the PO's private driveway in Devon before MOT / tax / insurance expired..

In summary: the finer points of keys / immobilisers only became an issue when I was silly enough to go and buy the thing and decide to resurrect it.
 
Andrew said:
Several points.

1. Have you talked to Paul(Depronman) about mapping the immobiliser back in? I know he can map the immobiliser out, maybe possible for him to do the reverse and provide the SKC if you post the ECU to him.

2. Pick an eBay seller who cuts keys by picture and that's sorted, at least you can then dispense with the pincers!

3. I may be able to help out with the keys, I would have to look but pretty certain I have some of the older keys available (without a trailing D in the part number). I think we can check MHz if you post a picture of your CCCU.

4. More, maybe later.

Andy
Click to expand...
Had a proper chat with Paul tonight (thank you again Paul).

Andy, you were right, Paul can reinstate the immobiliser and get me the PIN. Whilst in there he's going to enable the cruise as matter of course.

Parking DIS to one side, which seems is very much a Tom job (gives me an excuse for a road trip later on), my job will be to code a couple of ID48's (which I'm hoping I can do with paid-for Lite?) and then a couple of remote units (which we're assuming will be pre-D units, subject to looking at the CCCU.

The above means no need to worry about matching my cluster's miles to an incoming ECU, saves me getting VAG Commander and should leave me with a legit VCDS that should be enough for my ancient fleet's needs.

Will update as this plays out, but in meantime, thank you all :)
 
Things are look up key wise then. I am fairly certain a registered (after £75ish) VCDS lite will happily code the keys for you.

Andy
 
Rusty911 said:
Yes, he suggested I speak to Tom, who was very helpful, and we were talking about me going up to Tom's but the lock-down is clearly going to get longer by the looks of things.
Click to expand...
Indeed, I was going to solve this problem after the lockdown, but it seems a remote/DIY method is now preferred.

My concern is as follows...
There must have been some underlying issue for the immobiliser to have been disabled in the first place; nobody disables the immobiliser just for the heck of it. Perhaps the car just had a faulty transponder chip in its sole key and that, by programming one of the replacement keys, this problem will be solved. However, it could be that there's a fault in the instrument cluster, or a broken wiring loom, or a failed reader coil, etc. I've solved plenty of immobiliser problems over the years, but there's always been something that needed fixing.

At the moment, the car starts and drives. It's annoying having the instrument cluster warning lights flashing away all the time, but that's less annoying than a stranded car. If the immobiliser is re-enabled, any underlying fault may rear its head. Until the lockdown is over, the best solution for dealing with the underlying fault is ...you guessed it! ...disable the immobiliser.

So, given that we're all trapped in our homes at the moment, here's what I can do...
If the ECU is sent to me, I can clone it and send two ECUs back again (one on a loan basis). The original can have its immobiliser enabled, and the cloned unit can have its immobiliser disabled. This means that, should any as-yet-undiagnosed underlying issue thwart the process, the spare ECU can be used to start the car. This saves a single ECU going back and forth in the post, which is probably a good thing given how stretched and slow the postal service is at the moment.

Of course, any other desired ECU tweaks can be done at the same time.

Cheers,

Tom
 
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Hi Tom, thank you for all!

In order:

'Indeed, I was going to solve this problem after the lockdown, but it seems a remote/DIY method is now preferred.'

Only reason for this is that there's now no sign of a complete release from lock-down, particularly for long journeys of low importance. Countries that are ahead of us in the curve are not doing blanket relaxation, merely a trickle approach which makes sense.

'There must have been some underlying issue for the immobiliser to have been disabled in the first place; nobody disables the immobiliser just for the heck of it'.

Completely agree and understand. I guess the distant hope is that it was a ID48 issue, but as Sarge took a key out with him, I'm sure you're right, there could well be other things going on. The one glimmer is the AA man who was there first got it running 'by fiddling with the (one) key'.

The car's a project and isn't being used. I have a number of other cars available. Although clearly it will be a slight PIT bottom to have it disabled, it's not a disaster. I can shuffle it in the garage leaving space to deal with OSS and house DIY etc. If it's really in the way I'll pop it on the trailer and drop it at the yard. Therefore if I inadvertently disable it, well it's not the end of the world.

If push comes to shove and I can't get it to run or diagnose what it is, then we'll cross that bridge when it comes to it: I do like your idea Tom though!

The ECU's already off on a journey to Paul's anyway, as I mentioned when we first touched base. It's quite likely I'll be buying a 3-VIN VCDS. Ideally I'd like to find VAG Commander as well, but fully appreciate that comes with significant health warnings! Again, I refer to the car's (lack of) value, my desire to learn and the project status of the whole thing.

Regardless of what the outcome of this is (assuming the car survives of course :D ) I'll almost certainly want to have DIS added at some point and no doubt some other things: I'll be coming up North to visit at some point I'm sure. :)

Thanks very much again Tom ?
 
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