Sticky "Help, my ABS coding is lost, what to do?" - a starters guide

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   #1  

iichel

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Welcome and sorry to hear your ABS coding has been lost. Don't worry, you'll get it back.
But first, there are some basic steps I need you to follow, to determine how to proceed.

DO NOT ASK FOR ABS CODING HELP IN THIS THREAD. START A NEW THREAD FOR YOUR CAR.

Now, the ABS coding on recent VAG vehicle (and that is indeed a very broad term), is determined by a number of factors:
- VIN (and also make and model, body type)
- Engine type and gearbox
- Brake configuration
- TPMS, ESP button behaviour, XDS, PLA, ACC, etc

0. Don't do anything stupid
Don't drive cautiously with a missing ABS coding. Your ESP, power steering and many other safety systems may not work.
Don't copy paste any old coding you found on the net, without knowing what exactly it was designed for. There is a reason Ross Tech doesn't have label files for most ABS systems.
Don't not-scan your car. If you get a new car, scan it. Save it. If you modify something, scan it, save it. It helps, trust me.

1: VIN
So one of the leading causes of the loss of ABS coding is the violation of the first determinant: a VIN mismatch.
The VIN is stored in many modules, such as, and not limited to, the instrument cluster, the engine control unit, ELV and in MQB cars also in the DSG and gateway.
If you, for instance, change your engine control unit or instrument and do not align the VIN, your ABS coding will disappear and is not restore-able.
The holy VIN triangle of ABS, ECU and instrument cluster must all share a common VIN. Otherwise, no coding.

2: lost the entire module
Very rarely, a complete module is missing. I am referring to losing the module in a more metaphorical way... death.
So, another leading cause of the loss of ABS coding is, the pump has succumbed to old age, water ingress or electrical malfunction. And the coding is gone with it.
You put in a used pump, you go to condition 1, the holy VIN triangle is broken and your coding will go back to zeroes.

3: I just... lost the coding
It happens occasionally, after the battery has gone flat. The coding will disappear.

So, what I need you to do when you ask for an ABS coding:
1. Check the VIN triangle.
At least, the two legs that remain. Show the advanced ID of both the engine (01) and the immobiliser (25).
If the VIN matches, you're in the clear. If you put in another ECU or instrument cluster, either put back the old module, or go to an automotive locksmith and adapt the new modules.

1.5 Check the ABS module.
In case your ABS module was replaced, is it the correct part number? Some part numbers are not suitables for a certain vehicle.
Preferably, check ETKA or PL24 with VIN, to see the appropriate ABS module or replacement part number.

2. Tell us why the coding was lost.
We don't really care if you did something stupid. Shit happens, I destroyed a lot of car parts by ignorance, negligence and curiosity .
If you put in a wrong cluster, that's fine. If you played tennis with your MK60EC1, that's fine. We just need to know. We don't judge, we help.
Just tell is what you did. So we can think along why the coding was lost. I can generate a perfectly fine coding, but if the car is in a condition that it's not receptive for it, it's pointless.

3. Autoscan.
Make an autoscan, press 'clear all dtcs', cycle the ignition, start the engine and make a new scan. This way, we'll know what's relevant and what's not.

4. Post the thread and maintain it. A code that is not accepted is also valuable information.
Any information you have on your car is welcome. Did you put on a Golf R brake kit? Excellent, tell us. Do you have PLA sensors retrofitted? Nice, let us know.
Any broken sensors you know of in the brake system? Fix them. And tell us that you did so.

5. Read the wiki's and other sites
vis4vag is a tool that's available free of charge for VCDS users who have current interfaces.
Wiki http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Brake_Electronics_(MK60EC1)
System function test http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/ESP_System_Function_Test
Steering rack end stops http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist#Steering_Limit_Stop_Adaptation
etc etc

6 Press like to like :)
We do this for fun. Most of us are not Ross Tech employees and do this because we enjoy it If you have a legitimate VCDS system, it's free of charge!
But the satisfaction and reward is in the outcome. I will happily spend an hour or so figuring out your ABS coding. In return, I expect to know if it worked or not.
 
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   #2  

stefdds

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There are Sooooooo many ABS questions on the forum landing page ; I think it should have its own section! And, this should be a "sticky" at the very top! :thumbs:
 
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iichel

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There is probably a lot to add, it's just a starting point, for this thread and the search for an abs coding
 
   #4  

Uwe

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I think it should have its own section! And, this should be a "sticky" at the very top!
Trying to get people to post in the correct section with the limited number of them that we have now is already a challenge. Heck, I just moved a thread here from the LCode & Toolbox section. But sticky it is now! :)

-Uwe-

PS: I'm tempted to lock/close this thread, otherwise people will start asking for ABS coding help right here. So let's try this:

DO NOT ASK FOR ABS CODING HELP IN THIS THREAD. START A NEW THREAD FOR YOUR CAR.
 
   #5  

iichel

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That's fine uwe if you close it. The only thing is, there might be some additional text and information later added to the topic start. But I'm sure we'll find a way to keep it up to date.
 
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Crasher

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A really odd one I keep getting when fitting a new Body Control Module is the ABS and often nearly every CAN linked system not just losing their coding but corrupting it. A couple of weeks ago we did a BCM on a T6 which the alternator had damaged (I know, very odd) and we copied and pasted the original BCM coding into the new one using VCDS and the car went haywire. Nearly every controller reported incorrect coding, even the auxiliary cabin heater, and all refused point blank to let us put the original codes back in which we had because we had done a pre scan. In the end I spent an hour and a half using ODIS to get the codes back in, we have had this on Polo 6C, Passat 36 and others. The particular Passat was really annoying as all it came in for was a windscreen washer problem and I end up with the ABS recoded for left hand drive and pulling to the left and I could not change it back as my ODIS dongle was broken so a friend who has it did the job for me. I had a Polo from another garage with this exact same fault and even ODIS could not unlock the ABS, in the end it had to go to the local VW dealer of the supplying TPS branch and they fixed it without cost but would not tell even the supplying TPS what they had done.
 
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   #8  

Porelo

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my mistake
 
   #9  

NitrousOxide

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vis4vag is a tool that's available free of charge for VCDS users
I'm not seeing the "free of charge" part. I think you need to specify that it is for HEX-NET / HEX-V2 users and not Micro-CAN individuals like myself. :)
 
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Uwe

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I'm not seeing the "free of charge" part. I think you need to specify that it is for HEX-NET / HEX-V2 users and not Micro-CAN individuals like myself.
I've edited @iichel's post to clarify that.

-Uwe-
 
   #12  

khaledabdulaziz

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anyone have the steps of coding abs with odis ?
 
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   #14  

khaledabdulaziz

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i know that, but I'm not sure how just the start, i have odis but i dont think im exploiting it right
 
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