I have a registered VCDS lite + third party cable set-up, which does what I tend to need on the cars I own/look after.

 

I've recently got a little more ambitious with things than previous use for just scans/fault finding, and, for instance, recently successfully changed the steering assistance level on my Polo (recoding PAS module).

 

I answered a post recently about washer fluid level sensing in a Mk1 Fabia, where the OP had a car with a malfunction such that the level was indicating low even though it wasn't.  He wasn't able to look at the level sensor and wiring easily, so I suggested that it might be possible to code out the function with VCDS, if he didn't need it (which I think he said was the case). He liked the idea of that and we have agreed to meet up in the near future for me to have a go.  I found that the coding change involved was just to decrement the 5-digit cluster coding number by 4 (to remove the function).

 

I thought I should get some practice, so set about re-coding my car - which doesn't have the level sensor - to 'think' that it does, and expected then to see warnings of low fluid level, until such time as I reversed the change.

 

What happened was this: the original cluster coding was 01441, which I changed to 01445. At the time it appeared to accept the change, but I can't remember clearly whether I went out of the controller and back in, cycled the ignition or what, but I didn't get any level warnings when next driven.  Then a few days later I went back in to check, and found that the coding change hadn't 'stuck'. It was still showing as 01441.

 

I can think of a couple of possible reasons for this, that I could do with understanding before I try to do anything with anyone else's car.

 

1. While doing the re-coding, the only other thing on the screen which had a field that could be filled in apart from the coding number was a WSC box, which was pre-filled with 00000. I left this alone. Previous scans show the same 00000 for WSC. There was no indication that this hadn't been accepted.

 

2. I see that instrument clusters with the washer fluid sensing function have a different part number from those that don't, so may have hardware differences, or at least software differences?  So maybe my cluster wouldn't accept the coding change to have the function, because it 'knew' it couldn't implement it?

 

If the reason for the failure is 1, is there any way around not having a WSC other than 00000?  If the reason is 2, would it be a fair assumption that a cluster that did have the necessary hardware/software for washer fluid level sensing could be coded to not use the function?

 

Are there any other reasons my coding change might not have worked?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

 

I think I've figured out my mistake, please review latest posts here if you have any interest: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/465045-windscreen-washer-warning-light/

 

Exec summary - noob misunderstanding of required change to coding.

 

Job done.

Glad I experimented on my own car first - learnt what I needed to.

Edited 15 May, 20197 yr by Wino