My wife's polo (1.4, '53 plate) has had the 'emissions' light on now for a while, and she wants to do something about it. As the light could signify a range of issues, I think now might be the time to think about getting a diagnostic cable. £250 is too steep for me atm, so I'm looking at getting this cheap cable from Gendan to use with VCDS lite:

 

http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGUSB.html

 

Anyone have any experience of using this cable?

 

Also, I seem to remember reading something about using a VCDS cable to make the computer mpg readout accurate on a vrs - is this true, and can I do that with vcds lite and the gendan cable?

 

Thanks in advance and happy new year!

The cable should work fine, but VCDS lite is quiet limited in what it can do. You should be able to read and clear the fault codes though. You need to make sure the polo is not canbus otherwise that cable will not work. Since the Fabia is not, I am reasonably sure the Polo is not either.

My daughters 59 reg Polo connects via k line (i think? it is) rather than canbus if that helps.

Adam

I had one of those cables before I bought a proper one. TBH they are the same as a lot if the eBay ones.

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Have you see the chart below showing what unregistered and registered versions of VCDS-Lite will do?

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vag-functions.html

That looks similar to an ebay one i bought a few years ago, I wasn't able to do anything and it wouldn't pick up all codes. Hence last year i bought the real thing. Well worth the money!

The cheap cables need some fertlin to work properly on some cars.  Our Sear Leon was particularly tricky to work with, no problem with the proper cable though.

You may find this does what you want:

 

http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGVG2.html

Thanks for the feedback folks. I may give it a miss for now then, and maybe approach a member with a proper cable in the future for sorting my fuel consumption display out

I'm using Gendan cable on VCDS Lite, payed version. £30 eBay Toshiba Windows XP laptop. Only issue was getting it to read different cars. Always read mine okay but disconecting the car battery for a minute saw connection to my son's 1.6 Octy sorted

Links to copied versions of VCDS will not be tolerated. Please ensure that you check all links are GENUINE Ross-Tech related before posting.

 

Current version of VCDS software is 12.12.0, any software that states anything below and you have to use their disk and "do not upgrade" is clearly a fake.

 

Thanks.