Thinking about tinkering with VAG-COM

MarkinGA · Jan 5, 2018

So, I’m a newbie to the Touareg environment and have been browsing the forum a good bit. I see a lot of changes that I would like to implement such as disabling my seatbelt chimes, displaying the current gear selection, holding my heated seat setting etc.

My question is this: How much, if anything, can I do without putting my warranty coverage at risk? I have a 2016 Lux.

Thanks

Gnits · Jan 6, 2018

MarkinGA said:
So, I’m a newbie to the Touareg environment and have been browsing the forum a good bit. I see a lot of changes that I would like to implement such as disabling my seatbelt chimes, displaying the current gear selection, holding my heated seat setting etc.

You can only set option bits - like checkboxes and gauges in Windows Control Panel. You can't "implement" any function or behavior that's not already present in the car's firmware.

My question is this: How much, if anything, can I do without putting my warranty coverage at risk?

Anything and nothing. There's no log or trace file that would show the mechanics at the dealership what changes you've applied to any settings to the car using VCDS - and there's definitely nothing that will alert them of such changes unasked. However, if you leave the changes in tact and do not revert them prior to taking your car next time to the dealership, the mechanics at the dealership will be able to see your changes - if and when they query the actual settings for this or that. They most likely won't do that, unless it's related to some fault they're trying to diagnose or repair, but you can't just never know what they'll do and what they'll look at or check for.

That said, tinkering with the settings of the car alone definitely does not void your warranty, in legal terms. On the other side, as with always, warranty claims are in huge part at the discretion of the dealership, and they might find many technical and legal ways around honoring - or at least trying to fight - a warranty (but the most obvious cases), if they do not want to come up for it. And you tinkering with the car at home will always be an excuse for them to at least try to question the validity of your warranty claims.

Also, if you're doing something stupid with VCDS or are using it without actually knowing what you're doing, you can mess up the car with it to a point, where some things just won't work anymore on it. You might even permanently damage some components if you apply improper settings to them - even though you'd have to use very specific functions in a very dumb way (like forcing a DPF regeneration without meeting the required valid pre-conditions) for that.

MarkinGA · Jan 6, 2018

Thanks Gnits. It’s probably not worth the risk for the small changes I am thinking about. I will talk to my dealer next time I have it in for service. They might do some simple tweaks for me while they are in there.

I’m guess I’m used to the way my Lexus behaved. One thing I liked is the mirrors folded in automatically when you parked and turned off the car. No need to lock it or turn the mirror knob. Very nice function if you have a narrow garage.

ToolmanJohn · Jan 6, 2018

Many of the convenience features are available to turn on/off.

These things are ON in the rest of the worlds, but OFF in North America.

For instance, using the key fob to raise and lower the windows, is OFF by default in the sue happy USA. It can be turned ON using a VCDS Vag-Com.

Also, transmission gear indication on the instrument cluster, instead of D or S, it will display D1-D8 or S1-S8, whichever gear the Touareg is in.

I don't know about auto folding mirrors and such, becauseI have a TDI Sport, which has no memory seats, heated steering wheel, sunroof, folding mirrors etc, no stuff like that. But I can imagine if it has a convenience feature where you can manually do these things, then you may be able to use VCDS to change the settings.

MarkinGA · Jan 6, 2018

I probably want a lot of these features just because I know I don’t have them. I’m going to make a list and see what my dealer says.

FSJ Guy · Jan 7, 2018

Be aware that your model year determines what features are available. There are some features for some years, but not others.

Do a google search to see if it's even an option for your model year.

Yeti · Jan 7, 2018

Markin, put what year Touareg you have in your sig so we know what to advise you on with all these features. Windows up/down via remote was never an option on the 04-10 Touaregs. There is no module to support it. No auto folding mirror option in those years either. Again, let us know what you have to help you out better.

MarkinGA · Jan 7, 2018

Yeti said:
Markin, put what year Touareg you have in your sig so we know what to advise you on with all these features. Windows up/down via remote was never an option on the 04-10 Touaregs. There is no module to support it. No auto folding mirror option in those years either. Again, let us know what you have to help you out better.

I’ve got a 2016 Lux. The main things I would like to do are:
1) Turn off seatbelt chimes. I do wear my belt [emoji846]
2) Display my current gear instead of just D or S.
3) Retain my heated seat setting.
4) Remotely open rear hatch with trailer attached.
5) Fold mirrors in when car is turned off.
6) Autoclose windows and roof if car is locked and it rains.

ToolmanJohn · Jan 7, 2018

MarkinGA, you will have to do some searching on the Ross Tech sites and other forums that can assist with those things. Someone may have already found the ways to enable those specific features.

If you do a search here, you will find the instructions for the gear change display.

MarkinGA · Jan 7, 2018

Thanks guys. The only one I have not been able to find any signs of success with is the auto closing in the rain function. That one is at the bottom of my list anyway. think will give the Ross Tech folks a call on Monday.

Thinking about tinkering with VAG-COM

MarkinGA

Gnits

MarkinGA

ToolmanJohn

MarkinGA

FSJ Guy

Yeti

MarkinGA

ToolmanJohn

MarkinGA

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