What VCDS ?

WolfgangVW

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Alberta, Canada
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2003 Jetta TDI - Manual
Hi all. So i'm thinking of getting vcds scanner. Anyone recommend which product(s) to buy? I notice they have several products. I am just looking to do routine maintenance and repairs for my own car..
Thanks in advance!:p
Oh also can you run generic OBD2 scans with the vcds?? For example could i scan my 2000 chevy if the cel came on?
 
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Santos_V

Ross-Tech AssociateVendor
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Location
Lansdale, Pa
What is VCDS?

Ross-Tech offers VCDS (VAG-COM Diagnostic System) to turn your Windows Desktop or Laptop PC into a powerful diagnostic tool for VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda from 1990 through the latest models. VCDS is able to perform the same diagnostic functions as the factory scan tools. Unlike Generic OBD-II scanners, VCDS allows you to access all of the diagnostics-capable modules in those vehicles including Airbags (SRS), ABS Brakes, Instrument Cluster, etc.

Interface recommendations will vary based on vehicle. If you are only looking to work with your 2003 Jetta, the KII-USB will suffice:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/VCKII.html

The KII-USB will also work on non CAN based VW/Audi (roughly 1990 to 2005 depending on vehicle type)

If you would like to have support for your vehicle and other VW/Audi up to current model year, The HEX-USB+CAN is recommended:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/VCHUC.html
 
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WolfgangVW

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Location
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2003 Jetta TDI - Manual
Interface recommendations will vary based on vehicle. If you are only looking to work with your 2003 Jetta, the KII-USB will suffice:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/VCKII.html

The KII-USB will also work on non CAN based VW/Audi (roughly 1990 to 2005 depending on vehicle type)

If you would like to have support for your vehicle and other VW/Audi up to current model year, The HEX-USB+CAN is recommended:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/VCHUC.html

Excellent thanks! That's just what i needed to know!!
 

Santos_V

Ross-Tech AssociateVendor
Joined
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Location
Lansdale, Pa
Thanks, I'll continue answering any other VCDS related "sales" questions in this thread as needed. Just Ask!
 

rcracer

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chapel perilous
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2015 MK7 GTI S 6MT, Previous: 2012 Golf DSG w/ Tech Pkg
Thanks, I'll continue answering any other VCDS related "sales" questions in this thread as needed. Just Ask!
Howdy! :)

When one sells their HEX-USB+CAN Interface, how :confused: does the license "transfer" to the new owner? I may sell mine.

Thanks! :D
 

JSWTDI09

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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
When one sells their HEX-USB+CAN Interface, how :confused: does the license "transfer" to the new owner? I may sell mine.
That's kind of a yes and no thing. Yes, the license transfers in the sense that the buyer will be able to use and update their copy of VCDS. What does not transfer is the registration. Since the buyer is not the "registered" owner of the interface cable, they cannot get the same level of direct tech support from Ross-Tech. If tech support is not needed, this is not a big deal. The official "registration" can be transferred to the buyer (new owner) for $99.

The license for the program (the dongle) transfers with the cable, but the direct tech support afforded to the registered owner does not transfer with the cable.

Have Fun!

Don
 

rcracer

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That's kind of a yes and no thing. Yes, the license transfers in the sense that the buyer will be able to use and update their copy of VCDS. What does not transfer is the registration. Since the buyer is not the "registered" owner of the interface cable, they cannot get the same level of direct tech support from Ross-Tech. If tech support is not needed, this is not a big deal. The official "registration" can be transferred to the buyer (new owner) for $99.

The license for the program (the dongle) transfers with the cable, but the direct tech support afforded to the registered owner does not transfer with the cable.

Have Fun!

Don
Thanks Don!

So, basically, one can get a mint condition [HEX-USB+CAN Interface] dongle WITH tech support for the amount of the dongle [$___] and $99. :D

What have most been selling their dongles :eek: for?

Thanks!

:)
 

JSWTDI09

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Location
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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
What have most been selling their dongles :eek: for?
A search in the for sale forum will probably give you the latest, but this seems to depend a bit on who you sell it to. Prices are often higher here than on the vortex. I have never sold one, so I can't tell you what they sell for, but the asking price (here) for a $249 (microCAN or HEX-USB) is often around $175 and the $350 ones (HEX+CAN) usually ask between $250 and $275. I do not know how much haggling occurs in these sales.

Have Fun!

Don
 

rcracer

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A search in the for sale forum will probably give you the latest...the $350 ones (HEX+CAN) usually ask between $250 and $275. I do not know how much haggling occurs in these sales.

Have Fun!

Don
Thank you! :D

rc
 

Rico567

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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Now that I've got a netbook set up for it, it appears that Ross-Tech may be bringing out a platform-independent version of VCDS this Fall that will run on phones, tablets, etc. No word on if it's going to be as capable as the regular version that plugs into the car via a cable- guess I'll wait and see.
 

JSWTDI09

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Now that I've got a netbook set up for it, it appears that Ross-Tech may be bringing out a platform-independent version of VCDS this Fall that will run on phones, tablets, etc. No word on if it's going to be as capable as the regular version that plugs into the car via a cable- guess I'll wait and see.
VCDS "Mobile" is a Wi-Fi device with an HTML output. Any device with Wi-Fi and a web browser will work as a control device. It should have the exact same capabilities as the "standard" wired version. The two big unanswered questions are:
1) When will it be available to buy?
2) What will it cost? and Will there be an "upgrade" deal for current VCDS owners?

(oops, I guess that's 3 really questions)

Have Fun!

Don
 

Rico567

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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Thanks for the info.....as I have no immediate need for VCDS (the car is still very new), I suppose I'll wait and see what develops. We are pretty much universally an Apple-device household, and having a Wi-Fi device that will work with anything seems a whole lot better to me than a dongle / cable that's going to be tied to a Dell netbook, because if it fails for some reason, there goes your system.
 

bherman13

Veteran Member
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Location
Ohio
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2006 BRM 5spd
I bought a KII-USB cable for my 97 Passat TDI. My girlfriend might be picking up a 2006 Jetta TDI soon and I would like to know if my VCDS cable will work for her car. The Ross-Tech compatibility chart was confusing to me.

Thank you.
 

JSWTDI09

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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
I bought a KII-USB cable for my 97 Passat TDI. My girlfriend might be picking up a 2006 Jetta TDI soon and I would like to know if my VCDS cable will work for her car. The Ross-Tech compatibility chart was confusing to me.

Thank you.
2005.5 and newer Jettas are CAN bus cars. Therefore, your KII-USB cable will not work completely. It will probably be able to talk to the engine controller, but not the rest of the car. If you are the registered owner of your KII-USB, Ross-Tech does have an trade-iin/upgrade deal available. To be able to talk with both VWs you will need a HEX+CAN interface cable.

Have Fun!

Don
 

jedorme

Member
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Sep 1, 2013
Location
Indio, CA
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2013 Touareg Sport
Which Cable?

Thanks, I'll continue answering any other VCDS related "sales" questions in this thread as needed. Just Ask!
Santos (or anyone else with the answer) - I'm looking to get VAG-COM for use with my new (2013) Touareg V6 TDI, but have a question about the correct cable. If I only want to scan this car, can I use the Micro-CAN interface cable or do I need the Hex-CAN cable? I've been told I can save $100 by getting the micro one but the Ross-Tech site seems to say I need the Hex one. Thx.

Jed
 

annieneff

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1983.5 Westfalia tdi (afn), with flipped 5 speed V6 (dvz) transmission
Why wouldn't I want to just buy a cheapo whatever--ebay for instance-- dongle, and then a Ross Tech "license" for the software? Is there anything particularly unique about your dongle (...kind of a personal question, I know. But I have to ask)? It looks like your dongle would be beneficial for newer cars, but for my b4's it wouldn't matter much.
I don't mean to be insulting at all with this question. Just curious.
 

JSWTDI09

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Why wouldn't I want to just buy a cheapo whatever--ebay for instance-- dongle, and then a Ross Tech "license" for the software? Is there anything particularly unique about your dongle (...kind of a personal question, I know. But I have to ask)? It looks like your dongle would be beneficial for newer cars, but for my b4's it wouldn't matter much.
I don't mean to be insulting at all with this question. Just curious.
There are actually two different versions of VCDS available. There is the full VCDS and there is the shareware version called VCDS-Lite. With older VWs, (K-Line comms) you can often get by with a cheap generic cable and VCDS-Lite. These cheap generic cables do not include any "dongle" so they will only work with the "Lite" (shareware) version of VCDS

VCDS is a full featured program but it requires a genuine Ross-Tech interface cable (generic ODBII cables will not work with or without registration). It is the genuine Ross-Tech interface cables that contain a "dongle" to unlock the full capability of the program (the registration is in the interface cable). The only thing that "registration" of a used cable gets you is direct tech support. The program will work perfectly with any genuine Ross-Tech smart interface cable whether you register it or not.

VCDS-Lite is a shareware version of VCDS and will work with any good ODBII to USB cable. However, it does not support all of the functions of VCDS (full) plus it does not support CAN bus cars.

Here is a full list of what VCDS-Lite will and will not do: http://www.ross-tech.com/vcds-lite/index.html

Have Fun!

Don
 

JSWTDI09

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I'm pretty new to all this Ross Tech stuff but the more I deal with my VW's the more I think I want/need one. I've got an 02 and an 05 Passat V6 and now a 2014 Jetta TDI. It seems like I need this VCDS License with HEX-USB+CAN (all VAG 1995 to current model year) for all my cars. Am I right in thinking this? Is this really my only option?

Thanks.
Yes, in order to be able to talk to all of your VWs (2002 - 2014) you will need an interface able to do both HEX (K-Line) and CAN communications. Therefore a HEX+CAN ($349) is your only option for use with a Windows PC. Ross-Tech is now very close to releasing their new HEX-NET wireless device. This will cost a little more that the HEX+CAN interface cable, but it does not require a Windows computer. It will work with any device with wi-fi and a web browser (Android phone or tablet, iPad, iPhone, etc.). This device is supposed to be released this month for somewhere near $400.

Have Fun!

Don
 

Rico567

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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
<snip> Ross-Tech is now very close to releasing their new HEX-NET wireless device. <snip> This device is supposed to be released this month for somewhere near $400.

Have Fun!

Don
We can only hope. I had just backconverted a Dell Mini 9 that I had Hackintoshed to run Win 7, and it has the VCDS software installed. I was all ready to buy the cable when R-T finally announced the release for this month. If this misses fire again, I'll probably just buy the cable and use the netbook....
 

Rico567

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First time I've seen an actual specific date for the release of the new Wi-fi version of VCDS. Straight from the Ross-Tech FAQs:

"Launch Date: Monday, February 10th!"

At last......
 

redneck47441

Well-known member
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Sandborn IN
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2014 Jetta
So I have a 2014 Jetta and want to get the vcds all I do is buy the hex-can cable and download a program then it just plug it up to laptop via cable?
 

tadawson

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www.ross-tech.com, the only source for a real Hex-Can cable . . . The FAQs and info there will tell you everything you need, and you can download the software as well.

- Tim
 

SKIN

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Golf MK6
Which one of these will do the de-pressurize command on the fuel system?
 
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