CAN BUS Not Ready

[mattgray_92]

So a few months ago I got into my 2012 Audi A3 TDI and once started the instrument cluster looked like a Christmas tree. I shut it off and waited until the next day to look at it, which it fired right up with all the lights gone. I let it sit a few more days and tried to start it and then the instrument cluster was dead. I checked for broken wires from the fuse panel under the hood, checked the fuses there, checked the fuses inside the vehicle with everything being good.
I hook up my VCDS and it states CAN not ready. My brother printed me off some detailed wiring schematics from ALLDATA and I am getting power to everything.
From the research I’ve done today, it seems like it’s not getting communication with the CAN BUS module. Is there a way to test these? I pulled it out of the car and even opened it up and there is no corrosion on it. I’m completely stumped at this point.
Luckily I do have an auto scan from late last year which I have saved to my laptop so I should be able to replace whichever module if needed since I should have the long coding saved for each module.
I would really like to test the CAN BUS module before buying another one.
I wouldn’t think that the instrument cluster being inoperative would affect the VCDS from reading the CAN BUS data, but I’m not that smart when it comes to wiring.
Checked the VCDS on another vehicle which works perfectly. When plugged in it blinks green. Just won’t communicate with the module unfortunately.
Here are some pictures of the wiring schematic for the module and the module itself along with the fault the VCDS is giving me.

Also, everything else works in the vehicle. When I turn the ignition on, the blower motor works, lights all work, etc. everything except the instrument cluster, radio (it doesn’t automatically turn on, but I can power it on) works as normal. Of course when trying to start the vehicle it starts then dies because of the immobilizer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I’m ready to get my car back on the road

 

[stefdds]

Please post a current and complete Auto-Scan.

 

[mattgray_92]

I can’t auto scan it…. It’s literally not communicating with the can bus at all…. I’ve tried manually inputting the vehicle make and body code with zero luck that way. Tried pulling up individual modules and nothing is communicating.

 

[Dr Sheldon]

Try a different car

 

[Dr Sheldon]

^^ Scrub that - You already tried !


Check Powers, Grounds and Data Lines to the Gateway.

 

[PetrolDave]

Do you have power at the correct pins on the OBD socket?

 

[mattgray_92]

Do you have power at the correct pins on the OBD socket?

Yes I have power at the correct pins on the OBD socket. I have power going to the instrument cluster, and have power going to the CAN BUS module.
My brother actually sent me some testing procedures for the CAN BUS module which I am going to perform tonight after work.
He believes that the OBD and instrument cluster is acting up because everything goes through the data bus communications module which the communication lines from the OBD and the instrument cluster are having something going on with them.

 

[mattgray_92]

^^ Scrub that - You already tried !


Check Powers, Grounds and Data Lines to the Gateway.

I was asking how to check the data lines to the gateway originally lol. My brother sent me over some testing procedures for them which I am going to perform tonight after I get off work.

 

[PetrolDave]

Yes I have power at the correct pins on the OBD socket.

Have you checked the fuse(s) that supply the CAN Gateway? You may need a wiring diagram (that's a link) if you don't already have an accurate one.

 

[mattgray_92]

Have you checked the fuse(s) that supply the CAN Gateway? You may need a wiring diagram (that's a link) if you don't already have an accurate one.

Did my pictures not show up? I was having issues trying to get them to upload last night.

I have power going to the can gateway but no communication from it to the OBD to perform an auto scan.

I literally have power going to all the components which I’m testing, however there is zero communication.

My brother is an automotive school teacher so he has access to ALLDATA which has awesome wiring diagrams which he did indeed send to me.

That’s how I found out that the OBD, CAN gateway, and the instrument cluster all have power. Just no communication

 

[stefdds]

Did my pictures not show up? I was having issues trying to get them to upload last night.

No.
See link below:

Sticky - How To Post Pictures

The best way to post pictures is to upload them to some photo-hosting site. If you don't use a photo-hosting site, try imgur.com, you don't need to create an account there, you can just drag & drop pictures to it, and they have apps to upload pictures straight from your phone as well. Once...

forums.ross-tech.com

 

[Uwe]

If I was a betting man, I'd put $50 on a bad CAN Gateway.

-Uwe-

 

[mattgray_92]

No.
See link below:

Sticky - How To Post Pictures

The best way to post pictures is to upload them to some photo-hosting site. If you don't use a photo-hosting site, try imgur.com, you don't need to create an account there, you can just drag & drop pictures to it, and they have apps to upload pictures straight from your phone as well. Once...

forums.ross-tech.com

Yeah it keeps on saying “image cannot be loaded from link”.
My bad, I was wondering if it was working or not. I uploaded them to Imgur, but clearly it’s not liking the link.

Uploaded the picture the correct way this time around. I was trying to upload the whole album .

Thank you for the link!

 

[mattgray_92]

If I was a betting man, I'd put $50 on a bad CAN Gateway.

-Uwe-

That’s what I’m assuming as well, but I reached out here to see if anyone had testing procedures. Luckily my brother got back to me and found some on ALLDATA.
I will definitely keep everyone updated once I get the problem solved!

Do you believe that a bad CAN Gateway could cause the all of sudden instrument cluster being inoperative as well? Like I said, it all happened pretty quickly and I haven’t had the time to work on it. Or the patience to stand outside in the freezing cold to mess with it.

 

[davisev5225]

Do you believe that a bad CAN Gateway could cause the all of sudden instrument cluster being inoperative as well?

Yes. While some of the individual indicator lights on the cluster are "dumb" lights, the others are triggered by diagnostic communications, and anything that shows up in the DIS screen comes from comms as well. If the gateway isn't talking, then the cluster can't get any good data from the rest of the car other than the "dumb" circuits.

 

[mattgray_92]

Yes. While some of the individual indicator lights on the cluster are "dumb" lights, the others are triggered by diagnostic communications, and anything that shows up in the DIS screen comes from comms as well. If the gateway isn't talking, then the cluster can't get any good data from the rest of the car other than the "dumb" circuits.

That makes sense. Hopefully I can get the testing procedures done tonight and find a new or used CAN gateway module and get it ordered if the tests confirm it is bad.

 

[stefdds]

I think this is a excellent video on testing modules; in your case, he goes through checking (basics) the Gateway module.

 

[mattgray_92]

Okay, so the tests which my brother sent me via email were pointing to the instrument cluster replacement…
I did follow most of the video which steffdds sent. I do have constant power at the gateway module along with the power when the key is turned on.
I had a great idea (in my head for the moment) though. I have a 09 Jetta which someone ran a red light and T-boned me in and it totaled it out. Well I bought it back from the insurance because I literally just put a dual mass flywheel in it and a timing belt.
I know for sure that I can go out and start it right now and it will fire right up.
Would the CAN gateway from it work in my Audi?
Please see pictures below. First one is the auto scan from the 09 Jetta. Second photo is the 12 A3

These are old auto scans of both vehicles, before anyone gets the assumption that the auto scan is working now lol

 

[mattgray_92]

Looked at DiagnoseDan youtube channel and literally just found an exact video of the issue I am having! He pulled the Gateway module out of another car in his shop and bingo it started communicating.
Looks like I am indeed going to pull it out of my 09 Jetta tonight to verify that is the issue.

 

[mattgray_92]

So I got the gateway module installed out of the Jetta and the instrument cluster turned on when I cycled the key.

I was just going to use this gateway module if possible? However the coding from the original gateway module is not long enough for this module.

Is this something that can be done or should I just go ahead and order a new one? Audi said it’s going to be $520 for one but the VW dealer has it for $350 lol.

I will post an auto scan of the vehicle after installing the module from the Jetta after this post.