Since we see this a lot, figured I'd point this out....
Can you go with a used control module (or other part)? In most cases yes. Right off the bat, used airbag parts, no, no and no. We will not help with anything involving used airbag parts. Now that we got that out of the way....
Going with used control modules and other parts is fine and dandy in many cases, but the common mistake people make all the time is they get the wrong part number. Parts that are installed at the factory tend to be specific to an application.
Say for example you are working on a 2003 A4 and the ABS module is failing, maybe flagging codes for bad wheel speed sensors even though the sensors and wiring are to factory design (then can happen). VCDS shows the ABS VAG number as 8E0-614-517-G and your soft coding is 04499. You call up your local junk yard and they have good used ABS module from a 2003 A4, part number 8E0-614-517-H. You install it and when you go to do the coding/login, things just don't work.
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that 8E0-614-517-G and 8E0-614-517-H are going to be the same thing. In this example, the "G" version is for Front Wheel Drive vehicles and the "H" version was for Quattro 4 and 6 cylinder vehicles. You must use the correct type of ABS module, you can not mix and match these things. There is even a 3rd version of an ABS module for the "2003 A4" big rollers with V8 engines.
Be it the ABS, ECM, a throttle body, cylinder head, front bumper cover, ect, same concept applies.
So again, used parts are fine in most cases, but if the part numbers don't match:
Two Foot notes, in many cases when you get a new part from the dealer, it will be some sort of updated version and most likely will be a different part number. And there many cases where one might be able to start to mix and match different types of part numbers, but we (Ross-Tech) do not feel obligated to keep track of everything that is interchangeable.
Can you go with a used control module (or other part)? In most cases yes. Right off the bat, used airbag parts, no, no and no. We will not help with anything involving used airbag parts. Now that we got that out of the way....
Going with used control modules and other parts is fine and dandy in many cases, but the common mistake people make all the time is they get the wrong part number. Parts that are installed at the factory tend to be specific to an application.
Say for example you are working on a 2003 A4 and the ABS module is failing, maybe flagging codes for bad wheel speed sensors even though the sensors and wiring are to factory design (then can happen). VCDS shows the ABS VAG number as 8E0-614-517-G and your soft coding is 04499. You call up your local junk yard and they have good used ABS module from a 2003 A4, part number 8E0-614-517-H. You install it and when you go to do the coding/login, things just don't work.
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that 8E0-614-517-G and 8E0-614-517-H are going to be the same thing. In this example, the "G" version is for Front Wheel Drive vehicles and the "H" version was for Quattro 4 and 6 cylinder vehicles. You must use the correct type of ABS module, you can not mix and match these things. There is even a 3rd version of an ABS module for the "2003 A4" big rollers with V8 engines.
Be it the ABS, ECM, a throttle body, cylinder head, front bumper cover, ect, same concept applies.
So again, used parts are fine in most cases, but if the part numbers don't match:
Two Foot notes, in many cases when you get a new part from the dealer, it will be some sort of updated version and most likely will be a different part number. And there many cases where one might be able to start to mix and match different types of part numbers, but we (Ross-Tech) do not feel obligated to keep track of everything that is interchangeable.
Last edited:
