VAG-COM Frequently Asked Questions -- Page 4

Q: Why and How should I test VAG-COM prior to Activating it?
A: As per our Guarantee no refunds will be issued once you have received an Activation Code from us. Therefore, it is necessary for you to test VAG-COM with your PC and your vehicle prior to requesting an Activation. Find your vehicle on the Applications Page to see which control modules are in your car.  Connect your Interface to your car's Diagnostic Port and to the Serial Port on your PC. Turn the ignition ON (turn the key so the Instrument Cluster lights up, but do not start the car) and Select one of your car's Control Modules (note: your car will not have all the Control Modules listed in VAG-COM, only the ones on your Applications Page). After VAG-COM has Connected, check Fault Codes. Repeat the process for each of your car's Control Modules. If you encounter problems, please try These Suggestions first. If you still have problems, feel free to Contact Us with full details about your PC and vehicle, preferably while you are in front of both.

Q: Can I use VAG-COM while I am driving?
A: We strongly recommend against reading data while driving -- that would be an accident waiting to happen. Almost everything that changes while you drive can be LOGGED to a .CSV file, which you can analyze to your heart's content using Excel (or a number of other programs) preferably while the vehicle is not in motion..:-)

If you find it necessary to read data while the vehicle is in motion, we strongly urge you to use a second person -- one to drive, one to look at the PC. This second person should sit in the back seat, because a laptop used in the front passenger's seat becomes potentially lethal if an airbag drives it back into the passenger's head or torso in case of an accident.

What is "The Aftermarket Radio Problem"?
A: Please read The Aftermarket Radio Page.

Q: How do I upgrade my existing VAG-COM software to the newest version?
A: You should be able to simply Download and install the latest release of VAG-COM to the same folder where VAG-COM is currently located on your PC. Your registration should remain intact without any further intervention from you or from us. Please read all the disclaimers about Alpha versions if you intend to use one.

Q: What is the purpose of the "OBD-II" button? Why would I want to press it?
A: See the Online Demo/Manual for more information. You can use this test to determine whether a car is ISO/OBD-II compatible, i.e. whether it "speaks" the OBD-II protocols, if the car uses the ISO-9141 hardware layer for OBD-II. This has nothing to do with the VAG protocol that VW uses, and the results of this test have nothing to do with VAG-COM working with any VW/Audi/SEAT/Skoda vehicle. Please note that most vehicles sold outside of the US are NOT OBD-II compatible, and even US-market TDI's are not OBD-II compatible. Additionally, the newest vehicles using KWP-2000 are not scannable with generic OBD-II scanners.

Q: How do I print screens or data in VAG-COM?
A: Currently, the only printing feature built into VAG-COM is the Print Codes button on the Fault Codes screen. You can save data to a Log file and print using a spreadsheet program. Also, you can use a Print Screen utility like this one to capture a current screen and print it.

Q: What are Label Files?
A: Please read The Label Files Page.

Q: How can I speed up my sample rate in VAG-COM?
A: The sample rate at which you can view and log data is largely determined by each controller in the car. There are a few things you can do to speed up the rate for a given controller. First, logging one group at a time, rather than two or three, will help greatly. In order  to get the highest sample rate possible go to the Options screen and set Blk Int to 25 and Char Int to 0. Note, however, that this may cause unreliable communications with some controllers. The KP2 Time parameter only  applies to controllers using the KWP-2000 protocol. Decreasing it speeds up the sample rate in Measuring Blocks on control modules that use the KWP-2000 protocols. Try setting it to 35. If any of these adjustments cause unreliable communications, change them back closer to the defaults. If in doubt, use the Restore Defaults button!