4mish

@petrbazant can you write these datasets without purchasing VCTool subscription or unlocking ZDCoder? I tried using the app, but it seemed that I would have to pay ~200 Eur to get it working. At that price, I better buy a DSP. Did you contact the Car Scanner directly? I couldn't find any MIB3 compatibility info.

I’m also no expert, but according to ChatGPT, anything above 200W is plenty for balanced listening. Maybe not roof-shaking power, but enough for a decent kick. I would suggest that you also check out the Audison APBX 10 AS2. It’s similarly sized, but a bit more powerful and in a sealed box. I will definitely give the Focals another try with DSP.

Unfortunately, I have a similar experience. I did full sound deadening on all four doors and installed Focal IS VW 180 in the front and Focal IS VW 155 in the back. I hated how everything sounded from the first play — it felt worse than the factory setup. The Focal tweeters are just unpleasant to listen to, and the woofers are extremely boomy (a lot of resonance around ~120 Hz). This led me to tuning. Now, I’m removing all the Focal speakers and replacing them with Eton. They sound much softer and are far less sensitive, which helps with the head unit’s aggressive tuning. I’m also adding an Axton A594DSP amp and a Hertz CBA 250 subwoofer. I’ll probably lose some money selling all the Focal gear, but if the end result is good, it’ll be worth it. If I had to do everything again, I would add a DSP, a subwoofer, and maybe change the speakers (if a good fit could be found). I would skip the sound deadening or install it only behind and around the speaker opening. I know sound deadening is something everyone praises, but I couldn’t hear a difference. I had one side of my car sound deadened and drove like that for weeks — it felt the same. I installed 2.5 mm CLD with sound insulation on top. I did the outer door skin, the inner door skin, and added wave foam to the door card.

Yes, I was also able to do other coding with my battery at around 12V, so this might not be true—just something I read on other forums. The VCTool app seems to be the most capable when it comes to reading and writing datasets. They even have a store where you can purchase factory datasets. They also recommend using different OBD adapters and explicitly advise against using ELM adapters, so there might be something to that. Unfortunately, at this point, it seems like a dead end unless you’re willing to spend a lot of money on different adapters and software. I ended up ditching the Focal amp and going with a DSP so I could freely adjust everything. One thing I still want to do is get rid of the loudness settings—Focal speakers are much more sensitive, and at low volume, there’s way too much bass.

I’m also tackling the same problem. I have a VW Passat B8 FL (2021) and I’m getting the exact same error. I’ve tried using both Car Scanner (with Vgate iCar Pro 2s) and OBDeleven (EEPROM) – got the same errors you’re experiencing. At first, I thought it must be SFD-related, but after getting OBDeleven, I noticed it doesn’t prompt me to unlock anything. I did some more research, and it seems like my car isn’t locked. Then I tried the VCTool app. I didn’t get far, as it requires a fairly expensive premium to access dataset coding. But one thing caught my attention – the DIAG firewall. It’s well known that for cars built after 2021, you need to open the hood and pull the handbrake to unlock the firewall. However, I believe there’s more to it. I read that there’s also some kind of voltage protection, and that VAG recommends having a charger connected during coding. It’s possible that the DIAG firewall requires 12.5V or more to unlock. I’ve decided to get a new battery and try again. I’m still waiting for it to be delivered. Unfortunately, I don’t have a charger to test this theory, but if you do, it might be worth a shot. My current battery voltage drops below 12V with the ignition on, which could be the issue. Also, did you manage to get access to the MQB dataset editor? It seems like Alex is no longer active, and I’m hesitant to pay since access has to be granted manually by him.