My father has just bought a new Skoda Fabia (I think 1.4, it's certainly automatic).

This is the first car we've owned with any form of electronic engine management, and I have no real experience of such systems. I do have considerable electronic experience, though.

We have the factory workshop manual giving the diagnostic codes, etc

I understand I need a CAN bus diagnostic tool (an ODB-2 interface won't give access to most of the controllers). I can probably find enough information on CAN to make an interface to it, but I'd have no idea what bytes to send to the car, or what I'd get back.

Can anyone provide pointers to DIY-type solutions. I'd have no problems soldering up my own interface, for example. Or should I just 'bite the bullet', buy a Windows laptop (until now I've religiously avoided Microsoft OSes...) and buy VAG-COM?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I used an OBD-2 diagnostic cable and VAG-COM on my Windows () laptop and it was able to read all the control blocks of the car I got my cable from www.andywhittaker.com

Chris

I have one of these cars, a 2001 model, they do not need a CAN BUS interface.

You can use a simple RS232 to ISO 9141 interface with VAG-COM.

However you would be better off with a modern interface (as Ross-Tech call them) or a HEX-COM lead. The engine controller needs to see a baud rate of 9600 and won't auto synch with VAG-COM if you use an old opto type interface. You will need to set the initial baud rate at 9600 in VAG-COM for the engine. All the other controllers are OK.

Although it's possible to write the software to communicate with the car (I've done it for another make) I think you would find the work involved is just not worth it as VAG-COM is so cheap.

Interested in where you got the manuals from and the price.

As I understand it, you can use an ISO9141 interface on pre-2002 models. After that, you need the CAN bus interface to access all the controllers.

As regards buying VAG-COM. It appears it'll cost me about £200 to get it with the interface cable, and then I need to buy a machine that runs Windows 95 or later. Hmm.. I've certainly spent more than that on tools and test gear in the past, but then again, I am not adverse to DIY if it saves money.

I've got a 2005 Fabia which works fine with a serial non CANBUS interface.

I've got a 2005 Fabia which works fine with a serial non CANBUS interface.

I have a CANbus interface and the CAN bit doesn't provide anything on my 2004 Fabia vRS.