Passat NMS VCDS Tricks / Upgrades

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
I somehow make it such that GeekDrew's car will keep the radio on until the door is opened. I still haven't figured out how I did it :confused: I'll do some testing this weekend :)

-J
 

TCartwright

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2012 Passat Highline Sport, 2005 Jetta Wagon
Is the sensitivity of the power brake assist adjustable through the software?
 

IXLR8

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Location
Cushing, ME
TDI
12 Passat Platinum Gray, 02 Golf Black, 01 Jetta Black
Can you check the DEF fluid level with VCDS?

There was a thread a while ago about folks trying to check the DEF fluid level with VCDS but the last post I saw was folks were still sorting it out and didn't have anything definitive. Has anybody found a place to check that fluid level using VCDS and if so... how?
Thank you
 

brent_strong

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Location
Franklin, TN
TDI
2012 Passat TDI
I somehow make it such that GeekDrew's car will keep the radio on until the door is opened. I still haven't figured out how I did it :confused: I'll do some testing this weekend :)

-J

I would be incredibly grateful if you manage to figure this out! Thanks in advance for your testing!!
 

GuyGuy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2001
Location
Rockland Ontario, Canada
TDI
2012 Passat Comfortline DSG
Hello! I just got a 2012 passat comfortline with DSG. Great car so far after first fill up, averaging 6.2L/100k

Anyways what I was wondering is can you get the doors to unlock when you remove the key (like I did to my golf) and also can you get the fog lights to stay on when you go to high beams?

This is a great thread, keep up the good work.
 

jck66

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
Anyways what I was wondering is can you get the doors to unlock when you remove the key (like I did to my golf)
Mine does this already, so I imagine there is a setting in the MFI since I haven't had any VCDS work done yet. I did set the doors to all unlock when I hit the remote button (instead of just the driver door) so maybe that was it? Good luck.
 

nois

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Location
IL
TDI
2013 Passat SEL
Not sure this bothers anyone else out there, but is there a VCDS setting that allows the radio to stay on until I pull the key (like an actual German car)? I know I can turn the radio back on with the button but I'm used to the other way and I'm old and grumpy... ;)
When the instrument cluster is set to Germany, the radio stays on when ignition is switched off and until the door is opened. This also works with the cluster set to Great Britain, but the alternate KM speed is shown constantly.
 

GuyGuy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2001
Location
Rockland Ontario, Canada
TDI
2012 Passat Comfortline DSG
Mine does this already, so I imagine there is a setting in the MFI since I haven't had any VCDS work done yet. I did set the doors to all unlock when I hit the remote button (instead of just the driver door) so maybe that was it? Good luck.
This is weird, it started doing it this morning!! Oh well works now.
 

nois

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Location
IL
TDI
2013 Passat SEL
Any updates on this? ;)
Setting the instrument cluster to Germany worked for me. The radio stays on after I turn off the car and until I open the drivers door. You can change the units back to US/imperial in the mfd.
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
I live in a rural area and find the dash/radio too bright even at the lowest settings and it hinders my night vision. Is this something that is adjustable?
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
It switches from day to night mode. Have you tried that?
I have toggled the rocker switch on the LT of the dash to the lowest position and it is still too bright. Is that what you mean?

I noticed this in the 06 Jetta as well.
 

IXLR8

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Location
Cushing, ME
TDI
12 Passat Platinum Gray, 02 Golf Black, 01 Jetta Black
I live in a rural area and find the dash/radio too bright even at the lowest settings and it hinders my night vision. Is this something that is adjustable?
I have the same issue/complaint. You can dim the radio more using controls in the radio to make it acceptable at night, at least to me. But then, during the day.... you can't see the radio as it is too dark. I would like to be able to dim the entire dash more at night, haven't found any way to do it yet.
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
Thanks!

I have the same issue/complaint. You can dim the radio more using controls in the radio to make it acceptable at night, at least to me. But then, during the day.... you can't see the radio as it is too dark. I would like to be able to dim the entire dash more at night, haven't found any way to do it yet.
Thanks for the info on the radio, I will look into that.

Great Fuelly numbers OBTW! I hope to get my Plat Gray 6M Passat in the same range! :)
 

carlrx7

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Charleston, SC
TDI
2013 Passat SEL TDI
Setting the instrument cluster to Germany worked for me. The radio stays on after I turn off the car and until I open the drivers door. You can change the units back to US/imperial in the mfd.
Thanks! Worked like a champ! Awesome turning off the car and the radio still plays until i get out. LIKE IT SHOULD!

Code:
radio on until door open
17-Instruments
7-coding
LCH
bit 4-7 change to germany
then do it
using MFI change units back to F and mph
221E01 = NMS Stock
211E01 = GERMANY
 

IXLR8

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Location
Cushing, ME
TDI
12 Passat Platinum Gray, 02 Golf Black, 01 Jetta Black
Great Fuelly numbers OBTW! I hope to get my Plat Gray 6M Passat in the same range! :)
Re: Fuelly, Keep in mind that my tires are inflated to 41psi, 90+% of my driving is on the highway. It is typically done between 3am and 7am so I can get away with setting the cruise control and driving the speed limit.
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
Re: Fuelly, Keep in mind that my tires are inflated to 41psi, 90+% of my driving is on the highway. It is typically done between 3am and 7am so I can get away with setting the cruise control and driving the speed limit.
How are your tires holding up? I ran mine at 40-42 on the jetta and they didn't last at all. Regardless of your driving conditions it's encouraging to see these cars returning such good numbers. What's your occupation if you don't mind me asking.

The radio brightness can be adjusted in the setup menu on the radio.
Done, and it helped a lot. Thanks!
 

jck66

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
Setting the instrument cluster to Germany worked for me. The radio stays on after I turn off the car and until I open the drivers door. You can change the units back to US/imperial in the mfd.
That's great news! To your knowledge are there any other effects of setting the instrument cluster to Germany besides changing the units of measure?

(Plus I'm wondering if this is easy to do for a novice like me...)
 

baja_brewer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
1980 Rabbit Pickup (1.6 IDI), 1990 Corrado TDI, 2010 Audi A5
That's great news! To your knowledge are there any other effects of setting the instrument cluster to Germany besides changing the units of measure?

(Plus I'm wondering if this is easy to do for a novice like me...)
This didn't work for me, but my hands were getting cold (wasn't running the heat) so I left it alone for the time being. Switching the units back to Mi and F was straight forward in the MFI.
 

nois

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Location
IL
TDI
2013 Passat SEL
Any updates on this? ;)
That's great news! To your knowledge are there any other effects of setting the instrument cluster to Germany besides changing the units of measure?
(Plus I'm wondering if this is easy to do for a novice like me...)
Haven't noticed any other effects... Seems to work great. Just research the procedure on how to change via VCDS.
 

StoneCrab

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Location
Indiana
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
That's great news! To your knowledge are there any other effects of setting the instrument cluster to Germany besides changing the units of measure?
(Plus I'm wondering if this is easy to do for a novice like me...)
The only other thing I have noticed is the seat belt warning chime is now different. It flashes the light, then chimes a couple times, then increases the number of chimes in a sequence, then changes the tone of the chime to a higher pitch and continues to increase the number of chimes in a sequence. It's not bad, just different than the US region setting.

I also found a setting to allow address entry in the nav system at speed. Can disable the nanny system, which is nice.
 

Jarrod B

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2011
Location
San Antonio, TX
TDI
2014 Passat TDI
Our 2013 Passat SEL premium is definately NOT auto switching from day to night back light. Is this something I can enable?

Thanks to everyone for all the insight.
It's in the navigation settings. It's off by default. I turned mine on and dimmed the screen overall.
 
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