# best VAGCOM or VCDS cable?



## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

*best VAGCOM or VCDS cable? or does our car use CAN?*

anyone have a recommendation for the best choice for a VAGCOM or VCDS cable / software ? Obviously the last choice is the Rosstech, but I've seen other cables and software bundles that are apparently working. 

or am I misreading, and does the 8P use CAN?

I want to use VCDS Lite with a cheap amazon cable to do the initial readings, and I will eventually get around to paying the real amount for the real thing...

please advise? is this the best route?

also mods please move this to appropriate location if I posted in the wrong spot


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## CARSPIZ3.2 (Feb 23, 2018)

bmwfanatic42 said:


> anyone have a recommendation for the best choice for a VAGCOM or VCDS cable / software ? Obviously the last choice is the Rosstech, but I've seen other cables and software bundles that are apparently working.
> 
> or am I misreading, and does the 8P use CAN?
> 
> ...


In for info I need one too  my ESP and ABS lights wont turn off and I checked all my abs sensors and cleaned them up. Im about to do a Transmission service this next weekend when I get paid. 

Sent from my SM-J327T1 using Tapatalk


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## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

CARSPIZ3.2 said:


> In for info I need one too  my ESP and ABS lights wont turn off and I checked all my abs sensors and cleaned them up. Im about to do a Transmission service this next weekend when I get paid.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J327T1 using Tapatalk



i suggest you get to bidding:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Ro...515981?hash=item25eff3b44d:g:TekAAOSwxdtapEG6

i just bought one for $150 because I didn't wanna wait

this one has unlimited Vins and works on ALMOST EVERY AUDI thats out there

here is a video on how to make the cheap cable work for reading codes, but coding won't work unless you buy that KII;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whBV7xd_Wek

edit: I'm reading the cheap cable only works on vehicles 2006 and older; yours might work, it might not..

it costs $12.xx on Amazon Prime; get it and report back to us if it work on this 8P or not!?

mine has 148K on it

how much did you buy yours for if you don't mind me asking?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

I'd get the genuine Ross-Tech cable. The 8P uses CAN so you can find a used Micro-CAN for pretty cheap but it will only work on the Mk5 and newer platform (CAN only) cars.


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## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

TBomb said:


> I'd get the genuine Ross-Tech cable. The 8P uses CAN so you can find a used Micro-CAN for pretty cheap but it will only work on the Mk5 and newer platform (CAN only) cars.


see thats another person with a dissenting fact;

some say 8p Vr6 uses VAGCOM , others say it uses CAN. 

which is it lol ?

mine is the r32 Vr6 engine 3.2 Quattro model of the A3 8P


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## CARSPIZ3.2 (Feb 23, 2018)

bmwfanatic42 said:


> i suggest you get to bidding:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Ro...515981?hash=item25eff3b44d:g:TekAAOSwxdtapEG6
> 
> ...


Hey, yea Im waiting a but I want to buy one cable that will just do all work. But for a reasonable price... and my A3 3.2 is a 2007. I got it with 160k miles one owner for 7k. Always serviced at VW of Ft Lauderdale here in swfl. All receipts and service records where give to me once I bought it. It does have its slight defect such as armrest is torn and driver seat has a small tear. And couple scratches here and there on the body. But everything else mint!! One thing that did come to me alarm was that the Trans was serviced 3 times in its life time since the car was ordered. Saying that the person did it every 50k miles instead of the recommended 40k. I do have to replace my dowbone mount and do suspension bushings. Which is next on the list after I do trans service as according to records it was last serviced at 109k miles and I have noticed a slight change in power when on highway and rpm at 70mph is up at 3k which is coming alarming to me. Any feedback on you 8p a3 would be awesome!! Read your comment on my first post and its super awesome to know you also have a 8p 3.2 a3.. not many of us around..

Sent from my SM-J327T1 using Tapatalk


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

bmwfanatic42 said:


> TBomb, if you look in the DIY section of this forum, it says that the 8P has VAGCOM tricks; and the Steering sensitivity is one of the codes I wanted to do for this vehicle... from what I read it uses VAGCOM, not CAN.....
> 
> please reference the thread, the DIY one
> 
> ...


:what: Ok...let's straighten some things out...

CAN-Bus is the communication protocol that the 8P/Mk5 platform (and newer) uses for its various control modules to communicate with one another. Ross-Tech developed their VCDS (Vag-Com Diagnostic System, or "Vag-Com") to be an enthusiast/independent shop version of the diagnostic and programming tools available to dealerships. Older vehicles (pre-CAN-Bus) used K-line or some variation of that. Older VCDS cables were K-line only, then there were the Micro-CAN which were CAN-bus only, and then the more expensive cables which were Hex+CAN which could work on older vehicles (K-line) and newer vehicles (CAN-Bus). All of their cables now support both I believe.

They also offer VCDS Lite which works with third party cables to varying degrees of success, but if you want the full functionality of VCDS you'll need their cable.


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## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

TBomb said:


> :what: Ok...let's straighten some things out...
> 
> CAN-Bus is the communication protocol that the 8P/Mk5 platform (and newer) uses for its various control modules to communicate with one another. Ross-Tech developed their VCDS (Vag-Com Diagnostic System, or "Vag-Com") to be an enthusiast/independent shop version of the diagnostic and programming tools available to dealerships. Older vehicles (pre-CAN-Bus) used K-line or some variation of that. Older VCDS cables were K-line only, then there were the Micro-CAN which were CAN-bus only, and then the more expensive cables which were Hex+CAN which could work on older vehicles (K-line) and newer vehicles (CAN-Bus). All of their cables now support both I believe.
> 
> They also offer VCDS Lite which works with third party cables to varying degrees of success, but if you want the full functionality of VCDS you'll need their cable.



got it, I was confused myself I thought VW made a proprietary CAN and called it VCDS but now I understand. thanks


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

HPA told me that my 07 still had some legacy K-line stuff, like for the speedo cluster, but I dunno...

Can't go wrong with the Ross-Tech though.


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Keep an eye on the RossTech website. They have the Lite version/cable on sale from time to time. If you just need something to get by(pull codes and do basic VagCom stuff like remote windows) get the Carista adaptor/app. It's like $40


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## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

i picked up the KII cable it arrived today havn't really had a chance to check anything out, i'm waiting on getting my alignment + oil change and wheel balance done tomorrow cuz the car isn't even fun to drive right now

also ; there is some sort of ESP fault , it is an intermittent problem..


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

bmwfanatic42 said:


> i picked up the KII cable it arrived today havn't really had a chance to check anything out, i'm waiting on getting my alignment + oil change and wheel balance done tomorrow cuz the car isn't even fun to drive right now
> 
> also ; there is some sort of ESP fault , it is an intermittent problem..


ESP fault could be a couple of different things - you will get that fault when the car loses power (battery disconnected or drained, etc) but it will typically self-clear after driving a short distance. I believe some cars also had an ABS module issue that could also cause an ESP fault code to be thrown. May be worth looking into to see if the code you are pulling matches up to one known for the ABS module failure.


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

bmwfanatic42 said:


> got it, I was confused myself I thought VW made a proprietary CAN and called it VCDS but now I understand. thanks


No worries, VW has a propriety tool they use to scan vehicles with that's called a VAS something or other , but it communicates via CAN-bus just like the VCDS system does.


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

You get that "little skidding and swerving car" fault light when your haldex ****s the bed


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## bmwfanatic42 (Feb 22, 2018)

SilverSquirrel said:


> You get that "little skidding and swerving car" fault light when your haldex ****s the bed



after I get the axles installed , alignment, and DSG service we'll see if it comes back or not 

car seems like it's strong


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