So... How does the Auto Polar work in the NMS Passat?

So 740GLE has asked me to put up a review of how the AutoPolar FIS works on our Passat. So here it is.

I have the older version which is the PF03+. I got it from Don (JSWTDI09) after Vw bought back his JSW. With an easy firmware update, I was able to get it working just fine in my car. For reference, I have a 2015 Passat TDI with the CVCA engine.

Installation really is stupid simple. You will find your Can-BUS module mounted under the dash next to the gas pedal assembly. It is a little black box with one harness going into it with a red cap on it. You will unplug the harness going into the Can-BUS module and plug it into the AutoPolar module. The harness coming out of the AutoPolar module will plug into the Can-BUS module. So this just goes between the harness and module. It's kind of a piggyback, if you will.

Once you do that, the AutoPolar module will display information on your MFI screen where the telephone screen should be. Don't worry, your phone will still work just fine. If you have an incoming call, it will turn off the AutoPolar screen and bring the phone call information up. If you ever need to see your telephone screen for whatever reason, you can temporarily deactivate the AutoPolar module by holding the OK button on your steering wheel and scrolling down to OFF (I think) and your phone screen will reappear. To turn the AutoPolar back on, Press and hold OK for 10-15 seconds.

Once you have the AutoPolar installed, you will need to go into the directory and select what parameters you would like displayed. Each "Screen" can display 4 Parameters and if I remember correctly, you can have up to 5 "Screens".

The module will automatically scan your ECU to find out what parameters it can read. Below, you will find a list copied from AutoPolars website of all PID's the AutoPolar is capable of reading. And I have bolded the ones that can be displayed on my car. If you get the PF04 or if you have a different car (i.e. 2011 Jetta with the CJAA) It may read more or less PID's that what I have. When I had my 2013 Passat TDI, it was capable of reading the exhaust gas temperature sensors. For some reason that is not the case with my 2015. I have contacted AutoPolar, and I believe there was a language barrier, but they basically said their device is capable of reading all PID's applicable to my ECU. I know that to be false because I can read EGT's using my WIFI ELM327 and an app called CarScanner. But I dont like using my phone constantly for that. Maybe someone knows how to add PID's?


Anyways, Here is the list of readable parameters from AutoPolar. The abbreviation is what you would see displayed by the AutoPolar and then it would show the corresponding reading.


MPH - Vehicle Real speed
Out. °F - External temperature
RPM - RPM motor
Batt. V. - Battery voltage
Fuel Gal. - Fuel tank gallons
!Oil °F - Calculated engine oil temperature
Oil °F - Measured engine oil temperature
Amb. °F - Ambient (engine bay) temper
Intake °F - Intake temperature
Coolant °F - Coolant temperature
Motor °F - Coolant temperature at the engine outlet (-47ºC = no sensor)
Radiat. °F - Coolant temperature at the radiator outlet
Fuel °F - Fuel temperature
!Boost psi - Requested boost pressure
Boost psi - Measured boost pressure
Atm. Psi - Atmospheric pressure
Intake psi - Intake manifold absolute pressure
!Fuel psi - Requested fuel pump pressure
Fuel psi - Measured fuel pump pressure
F. rail psi - Fuel rail pressure
Brake bar - Brake pedal pressure
Brake b. bar - Brake pump pressure
!Load*% - Calculated engine load
Load*% - Measured engine load
M.A.F. 1 - Mass Air Flow Bank 1
M.A.F. 2 - Mass Air Flow Bank 2
Pedal 1 - Acelerator pedal sensor 1
Pedal 2 - Acelerator pedal sensor 2
Valve 1 - Acelerator valve sensor 1
Valve 2 - Acelerator valve sensor 2
Torq. nm - Engine current torque
Power HP - Engine current power (HP)
Oil level - Engine oil level in mm. above alarm level
M. oil lev. - Engine minimum oil level reached in mm. above alarm level
Inj. tim. - Injection timing
A. °BTDC - Ignition angle + B52
Mis. - Misfire sum in all cylinder
Mis. 1 - Misfire cylinder 1
Mis. 2 - Misfire cylinder 2
Mis. 3 - Misfire cylinder 3
Mis. 4 - Misfire cylinder 4
Mis. 5 - Misfire cylinder 5
Mis. 6 - Misfire cylinder 6
Mis. 7 - Misfire cylinder 7
Mis. 8 - Misfire cylinder 8
Mis. 9 - Misfire cylinder 9
Mis. 10 - Misfire cylinder 10
Mis. 11 - Misfire cylinder 11
Mis. 12 - Misfire cylinder 12
Mis. x1 - Misfire cylinder 1
Mis. x2 - Misfire cylinder 2
Mis. x3 - Misfire cylinder 3
Mis. x4 - Misfire cylinder 4
Mis. x5 - Misfire cylinder 5
Mis. x6 - Misfire cylinder 6
Mis. x7 - Misfire cylinder 7
Mis. x8 - Misfire cylinder 8
Mis. x9 - Misfire cylinder 9
Mis. x10 - Misfire cylinder 10
Mis. x11 - Misfire cylinder 11
Mis. x12 - Misfire cylinder 12
D. 1 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 1
D. 2 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 2
D. 3 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 3
D. 4 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 4
D. 5 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 5
D. 6 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 6
D. 7 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 7
D. 8 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 8
D. 9 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 9
D. 10 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 10
D. 11 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 11
D. 12 °KW - Angle delay cylinder 12
Exh. 1 °F - Exhaust gas temperature bank 1
Exh. 2 °F - Exhaust gas temperature bank 2
Catal. °F - Catalyzer input temperature
Lambda 1 - AFR (air / flow ratio) Lambda 1
Lambda 2 - AFR (air / flow ratio) Lambda 2
LTFT1-3 - Fuel trim bank 1/3
LTFT2-4 - Fuel trim bank 2/4
!N75*% - Requested N75 valve duty cycle
N75*% - Measured N75 valve duty cycle
Inj. m/str - Injection quantity
St. °BTDC - Injection start
Dur. °KW - Injection duration
St. q. nm - Injection start quantity
D.1 m/str - Injection quantity 1
D.2 m/str - Injection quantity 2
D.3 m/str - Injection quantity 3
D.4 m/str - Injection quantity 4
D.5 m/str - Injection quantity 5
D.6 m/str - Injection quantity 6
D.7 m/str - Injection quantity 7
D.8 m/str - Injection quantity 8
D.9 m/str - Injection quantity 9
D.10 m/str - Injection quantity 10
D.11 m/str - Injection quantity 11
D.12 m/str - Injection quantity 12
EGR1m/str - EGR valve duty cycle bank 1
EGR2m/str - EGR valve duty cycle bank 2
!Control*% - Requested charge pressure control
Control*% - Measured charge pressure control
EGT °F - Exhaust gas temperature
DPF1 °F - DPF temperature bank 1
DPF2 °F - DPF temperature bank 2
DPF1 L. - DPF oil Ash Volume bank 1
DPF2 L. - DPF oil Ash Volume bank 2
DPF*% - DPF filling level
Regen. - DPF regeneration counter
DPF in °F - DPF input temperature
DPF out °F - DPF output temperature
Side G - Vehicle lateral G force
DPF Mi. - DPF Miles since last regeneration
AdB tank - AD-BLUE Filling level (%)
AdB used - AD-BLUE grams used
!F. rail bar - Requested fuel rail pressure
!Dur. °KW - Requested injection duration
!St. °BTDC - Requested injection start
!Lambda - Calculated lambda factor
!DPF g. - DPF filling calculated
DPF st. - DPF Regen status (0000*: No regeneration in course, 0001*: In course, 0002*: Finished)
DPF psi - DPF Diferential pressure
Soot m 1 gr. - Particle filter measured soot mass
Soot m 2 gr. - Particle filter measured soot mass
!Soot m 1 gr. - Particle filter calculated soot mass
!Soot m 2 gr. - Particle filter calculated soot mass
Lambda I 1 - Lambda adaptation at idle bank 1 (%)
Lambda I 2 - Lambda adaptation at idle bank 2 (%)
Lambda P 1 - Lambda adaptation partial bank 1 (%)
Lambda P 2 - Lambda adaptation partial bank 2 (%)
EGT S1 °F - Exhaust gas temperature EGT1 (sensor before the turbo compressor)
EGT S2 °F - Exhaust gas temperature EGT2 (sensor before the catalyst)
EGT S3 °F - Exhaust gas temperature EGT3 (sensor after the catalyst)
EGT S4 °F - Exhaust gas temperature EGT4 (sensor after particle filter)
!Torq. nm - Calculated engine actual torque
DSG nm - DSG Torque reduction
T. red. - Torque reduction
Req. regen - Requested regenerations
Gen. load - Generator load (%)
Alt. power W - Alternator power (Watt)
Fuel mb - Rear fuel pump pressure
Fuel DC - Rear fuel pump duty cycle
HVAC nm - HVAC compressor torque
HVAC bar - HVAC compressor pressure
Long. G - Vehicle longitudinal G force
*These parameters do not have a value assigned to them per AutoPolars website. So I dont think they work yet*
DSG ECU Temperature
DSG Transmission fluid Temperature
DSG Oil Clutch Temperature
DSG Clutch 1 Temperature
DSG Clutch 2 Temperature
DSG Clutch 1 Pressure
DSG Clutch 2 Pressure
DSG Oil Pressure
DSG Clutch 1 Friction Coeficient
DSG Clutch 2 Friction Coeficient
DSG Clutch 1 Curve
DSG Clutch 2 Curve
DSG Clutch 1 Torque
DSG Clutch 2 Torque
DSG Driving Position (P, D, M ...)
DSG Driving Gear (1, 2, 3 ...)
DSG Preselected Gear
DSG Input Speed Shaft 1
DSG Input Speed Shaft 2

One key thing.... to make a phone call, hold down ok, then scroll down to Bluetooth, not off (you have to disconnect the battery and reconnect to turn ot back on) as opposed to scrolling to the menus. I’ve had one in my ‘14 passat for over a year, i love it! Especially dpf miles and soot load. I wish it would work on my beetle.

06bluebeetletdi said:

One key thing.... to make a phone call, hold down ok, then scroll down to Bluetooth, not off (you have to disconnect the battery and reconnect to turn ot back on) as opposed to scrolling to the menus. I’ve had one in my ‘14 passat for over a year, i love it! Especially dpf miles and soot load. I wish it would work on my beetle.

Click to expand...

I’ve turned mine off several times and it turned right back on no problem.

Never had to disconnect the battery.

The biggest thing is this being on a 2015 which is a mix of MQB ECU stuff and NMS electronics a pretty rare combo in the VW world.

What stage of emissions fix do you have? 2A?

Now the debate to see if the wife would notice this being installed. Although I'd really want it for at least one EGT reading, but the soot loading would be good enough watching it build for an active regen.

Thanks for the very informative write up! Do you happen to know if autopolar currently offers one of these units that will work on my 2012 Passat? It wasn't clear to me from their website.

740GLE said:

The biggest thing is this being on a 2015 which is a mix of MQB ECU stuff and NMS electronics a pretty rare combo in the VW world.

What stage of emissions fix do you have? 2A?

Now the debate to see if the wife would notice this being installed. Although I'd really want it for at least one EGT reading, but the soot loading would be good enough watching it build for an active regen.

Click to expand...

My car is fully fixed.

If your wife ever uses the bluetooth screen, she would certainly notice. If not, just change screens when you are done driving and she would probably be oblivious. EGT was the main reason I wanted it for my mountain drives when I go to visit the parents in Ca, but like you said, at least with the soot loading, when I see the number start to decrease I know I am in the middle of a regen. So I am OK with not having EGT.

jck66 said:

Thanks for the very informative write up! Do you happen to know if autopolar currently offers one of these units that will work on my 2012 Passat? It wasn't clear to me from their website.

Click to expand...

The PF04 will work for your 2012 Passat. Or even the older PF03 like I have.

I just got a new PF04, installed it on my car and everything seems to work except the boost PSI says N/A, I contacted auto polar and they said my ecu doesn't measure boost that is why it doesn't work, did any one else have that problem or know if there would be a fix?

jrnolt said:

I just got a new PF04, installed it on my car and everything seems to work except the boost PSI says N/A, I contacted auto polar and they said my ecu doesn't measure boost that is why it doesn't work, did any one else have that problem or know if there would be a fix?

Click to expand...

That's bullsh*t because my PF03+ displays boost on my 2015 Passat TDI (click on pic for full screen view)

Do you know if there is any other way to check if the ecu reads boost? or any other options i have

If you have VCDS, Carista, or OBDEleven, yeah you can read boost.

jrnolt said:

Do you know if there is any other way to check if the ecu reads boost? or any other options i have

Click to expand...

I am not certain about how it works with the Passat but, (if I recall correctly) I had to make a configuration change in my Auto-Polar to tell it to use the diagnostic bus to communicate with the engine controller completely and read boost. Read the manual and see if there is anything like this available. I think it was in some advanced settings somewhere. Fixmy59bug wouldn't have remembered this because he bought my Auto-Polar after I made this change.

Have Fun!

Don

thanks for your help folks, I already tried to tell it to use diagnostic bus, but that doesn't work either auto polar claims every now and then they find an ecu that doesn't read boost, I'll try one of these other options and see if if that works and go from there.

Have you tried updating the firmware?

Where does one purchase these from?

ejm4 said:

Where does one purchase these from?

Click to expand...

I had to order mine from Spain (where they are made), but now they have a US distributor - KermaTDI
https://kermatdi.com/i-852-polar-fis-advanced-dashboard-display.html

Have Fun!

Don

I bought mine on ebay.

Time for an update....

TL;DR At the bottom.

I met up with a guy on Reddit who asked if I could force a regen on his ‘11 JSW. so I did and I told him about the Auto-Polar FIS so he could monitor DPF loads and regen status so his DPF didn’t get plugged again. I say again because even after the forced regen the DPF light stayed on because it had 71ml of ash.

So he ordered the PF04 while I was attempting the regen. The next day he called and said “Its already here! Can you help install it??” So I met up with him today to update the firmware and install it. Upon installation, I flipped the MFD over to the Bluetooth screen and the PF04 screen came up just fine, as it should. I held OK so we could setup the settings and parameters he wanted and the Settings screen came up for about a half a second, then it flashed back to the readings screen where it promptly locked up. I couldn’t get back to settings and the readings weren’t changing. So I took it back out and downgraded the firmware a few versions and it did the same exact thing. So I asked him if I could install it in my car to see if the car didn’t like it or if the module was defective.

I installed it in my 2015 Passat and it worked flawlessly. I could get into settings. It even showed more parameters than my own PF03 would read. My PF03 wouldn’t read EGT’s, it wouldn’t read DSG temperatures, and a few other readings that the PF04 could. At that point I was stoked because I knew I could read EGT’s, but I was bummed because I knew I would have to upgrade to the PF04. At that point, I asked just for diagnostic purposes if I could plug my module into his car to see if his car was just incompatible (it is NOT on the incompatible list) or if the PF04 was too new (which wouldn’t make sense because the PF04 is for MkV, MkIV, and newer). He says sure.

I plug the PF03 into his car and it works flawlessly. Actually, it works better because there are features that it read on his car that it wouldn’t read on mine, like EGT’s, Regen status, and a few more. He makes the offer of keeping my PF03 in exchange for his PF04 since they both work and he is getting what he wanted from the Autopolar. That wasn’t my intention when I wanted to swap modules for testing purposes, but after I objected he insisted. So I wasnt going to send him on his way with a module that wouldn’t work for him.

TL;DR: YES, The AutoPolar PF04 will work in the 2015 Passat TDI. It will read boost and EGT’s

Fixmy59bug said:

TL;DR: YES, The AutoPolar PF04 will work in the 2015 Passat TDI. It will read boost and EGT’s

Click to expand...

This is awesome to hear, thanks so much for the update! Not being able to read EGT's was the deal breaker for me, so i'll be ordering a PF04 as soon as funds allow.