I have run my Ross-Tech VAG-COM cable on SHMBO's 2004 Fiesta, it will read most of the sensors (fuel, air, temp, rpm etc) but cannot check for any fault codes or make any changes.

What software do people use on non VAG cars to read and clear the fault codes?

This may do the job, but on reading his feedback it appears that nobody has actually used it on a car before they left the feedback.

TIA

is there anything specifically wrong with the Fiesta or are you just wanting to see if you can do things

i think you will need a special lead to adjust anything , thats if you can adjust anything , and probably Fords own software

No, nothing wrong with the car, but a scan for any DTC fault coded would be nice.

VAG-COM should be able to read EOBD fault codes from the engine ECU.

The only thing it read was the emissions - no faults, nothing else was available.

VAG-COM only supports the version of OBD that the VAG group uses. There are two forms - one that is called PWM and the one I just mentioned. Sorry can't remember all the tech terms.

What we know is that many European cars use the same method. Ford, GM, Chrysler do not. Most of their subsidiaries do not.

Many of the Japanese cars use the same protocol as VAG.

So, the true answer is that if it works, great. We only support the generic OBD functions on VAG cars.

-Bruce-

Ross-Tech, LLC

[email protected]

Cheers Bruce, my post was never intended as a criticism of Ross Tech (i bought the cable to do what you intended it for - VAG cars ) it was merely a question to see if it could do even more than you intended

Sorry if I came off as offended. Didn't mean to convey that tone. Simply wanted to explain what we have to offer. OBD support on VAG-COM may work on some cars but does not work on all.

Well I can't see this.

If VAG-COM will communicate with the car to read live data

(" have run my Ross-Tech VAG-COM cable on SHMBO's 2004 Fiesta, it will read most of the sensors (fuel, air, temp, rpm etc) but cannot check for any fault codes or make any changes.")

then it must be using a protocol that the VAG-COM interface supports (probably KWP 2000).

If PWM was used on the car then it would not communicate at all.

So I still can't see why fault codes cannot be read from the vehicle.

This is not a criticism of Ross-Tech, but I would like to understand the issue.

Just tried on my mates '02 MG ZR and it was able to read some data, throttle position, RPM, vehicle speed etc. I couldn't do a scan however.