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Tin Top Warning Lights and ODB11 reader advice
Slater - 30/6/20 at 08:11 AM

Hello, last week during the mega hot weather my 2012 VW Passat suddenly gave my 5 warning lights on the dash.

Tire Pressure
ABS
Power Steering
ESC
Auto start stop

My thinking is one or more of the sensors got cooked in the heat. I did check the tyre pressures which were too high and let some air out then tried to reset it, but it now just says sensors are not available. I've tried disconnecting the battery, but same faults appear.

The plan is to check the fuses one by one, if all OK then buy a Foseal OBD11 code reader for 24 quid of Amazon.


Linker to ODB11 reader

Hopefully that will tell me which sensors are kaput, then I can replace them if required.

Any advice?
Is that Foseal ODB11 reader any good? I see Halfords sell a Foxwell model for 65 quid, and you can pay 300 for some.

How do the tyre pressure sensors work anyway?


gremlin1234 - 30/6/20 at 08:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Slater
...How do the tyre pressure sensors work anyway?

there are two common ways
firstly, use the abs/speed sensors on each wheel, and if one is reading differently it can 'flag' it as a fault
the other is a sensor in each tyre, usually attached to the valve stem. and this occasionally transmits pressure via radio (433MHz)

both will require a little drive around after setting the pressure correctly to re-read.

edit to add
thinking about it, all the items listed are wheel speed related, so could simply be one abs sensor

[Edited on 30/6/20 by gremlin1234]


HowardB - 30/6/20 at 08:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by Slater
...How do the tyre pressure sensors work anyway?

there are two common ways
firstly, use the abs/speed sensors on each wheel, and if one is reading differently it can 'flag' it as a fault
the other is a sensor in each tyre, usually attached to the valve stem. and this occasionally transmits pressure via radio (433MHz)

both will require a little drive around after setting the pressure correctly to re-read.

edit to add
thinking about it, all the items listed are wheel speed related, so could simply be one abs sensor

[Edited on 30/6/20 by gremlin1234]


ABS sensor is my guess - my Merc did the same


Slimy38 - 30/6/20 at 09:26 AM

I would also agree ABS sensor, unfortunately that adds a complication in that a lot of readers can't access ABS fault codes. So many times I hear of people saying that they have an ABS fault but no fault codes.

You'll probably need to pay a little extra for one that covers VAG and their ABS codes. This one says both (although I don't know how accurate the description is);

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ANCEL-Diagnostic-Volkswagen-Diagnosis-Throttle/dp/B07BS7PDC2


steve m - 30/6/20 at 10:31 AM

I had a very similar obd reader to the Foseal one, and to be honest its crap,
It also does NOT do ABS or Aibags, even though some of them say they do,

If it was my car, I would be inclined to take each wheel off, find the sensor wire, unplug it, and clean the contacts up
Modern sensors are pretty reliable

steve


nick205 - 30/6/20 at 10:47 AM

The ESC light came on on SWMBOs 2007 VW Touran. A bit of Googling suggested turning the steering wheel from full left to right locks with the ignition off. Once that was done I switched the ignition on and ESC light was off (as it should be). I tink it's linked to a sensor in the steering column and presumably the manual left/right lock to lock with ignition off overcomes the fault. Worth a try as it's free before you spend any money on kit or with a garage.


Mr Whippy - 30/6/20 at 11:52 AM

just your VW telling you it's about to become an...




nick205 - 30/6/20 at 12:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
just your VW telling you it's about to become an...







As nearly all cars do IMHO, hence car manufacturers and dealers stay in business selling new ones.

I've watched a few of Scotty Kilmer's YouTube videos. Some are mildly amusing, but in general if you know much of anything about cars, tools, workshop practice etc it's a bit monotinous. He could also do to tidy up his garage as well. He must end up buying tools he's already got, but can't find.


Slater - 30/6/20 at 07:47 PM

Thanks chaps, I've tried nick205's suggestion but no dice, so ordered the 55 quid VW OBD11 reader and see how that goes, my wife has a VW polo so the reader will probs be handy for that car too. I'll report back once Amazon deliver the device and I've plugged it in.

Mr Whippy, I did watch some Scotty Kilmer just now, thanks...... he's like an old rocker smokin' some kind of weed!


britishtrident - 30/6/20 at 07:54 PM

I would think it really needs a scantool not a basic OBD II reader.

There are proper Youtube auto diagnostic ---- Scannerdanner, Pine Hollow, DiagnosticDan, DeadOnDiagnostics,

[Edited on 30/6/20 by britishtrident]


ian locostzx9rc2 - 30/6/20 at 09:38 PM

Definitely an abs sensor fault had one go on one of my customers car last week 13 plate Passat exactly as you said will need it read with a scan tool and some of the lights go out once you have changed the sensor but a couple don’t


nick205 - 1/7/20 at 07:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Slater
Thanks chaps, I've tried nick205's suggestion but no dice, so ordered the 55 quid VW OBD11 reader and see how that goes, my wife has a VW polo so the reader will probs be handy for that car too. I'll report back once Amazon deliver the device and I've plugged it in.

Mr Whippy, I did watch some Scotty Kilmer just now, thanks...... he's like an old rocker smokin' some kind of weed!


a pretty good analogy


James - 3/7/20 at 04:44 PM

Has anyone tried the Carly scanner?

https://www.mycarly.com/

It's advertised by Samcrac one of the US youtube channels I follow who refurbs, and occasionally even finishes, old cars.

He reckoned it was great but I looked it up before recommending it and not all the reviews were that great!

[Edited on 3/7/20 by James]


hobbsy - 3/7/20 at 04:50 PM

I had almost the same fault on my Mk7 Golf recently - turned out to be a rear ABS sensor.

None of my cheap bluetooth fault code readers would list it.

I was getting the aircon re-gassed and they put a Snap-On reader on it and it found it.

Then I remember I've got a VCDS (aka VAGCOM) cable and I was also able to read it with that.

Speed/ABS sensors used to many different things - mine has the adaptive cruise and auto hold etc so was showing errors on that also.

Make sure you get a new sensor using the part number off the old one. I ordered one using the registration and it was incorrect (different sensor for cars with ACC).


roadrunner - 3/7/20 at 06:44 PM

I would also check your battery. You can start to get warning lights when the battery is on its way out.


hobbsy - 3/7/20 at 06:48 PM

I also suspected that and even when I saw the output of the Snap On I wasn't 100% sure but started spot on and I put it on a conditioner overnight, and it was still doing it.

The fact that all 4 or 5 errors pointed to a speed/abs sensor also made it more likely to be that and in the end ~£20 for a sensor was cheaper than >£120 for an AGM stop start spec battery...


Slater - 7/7/20 at 01:11 PM

Just to provide update:

The ANCEL VD500 OBD II Diagnostic Scanner arrived and showed Rear Right ABS sensor was faulty along with 5 other faults.

[img] Faulty ABS Sensor 7Jul20
Faulty ABS Sensor 7Jul20
[/img]

I removed sensor, cleaned plug and refitted, but had same fault showing

Ebay was quoting 11 quid for new sensor, but I didn't trust them, Europarts was 73. I then bought replacement from VW for 74.

Fitted it and all the warning lights went out within 20 secs.



Thanks to Slimy38 for his suggestion on the ODB scanner:

quote:

You'll probably need to pay a little extra for one that covers VAG and their ABS codes. This one says both (although I don't know how accurate the description is);

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ANCEL-Diagnostic-Volkswagen-Diagnosis-Throttle/dp/B07BS7PDC2


hobbsy - 7/7/20 at 01:28 PM

Yowch! £74

After two false starts on eBay (1 wrong part, 1 "we thought we had stock but don't" I used mister-auto.co.uk ~£13 posted. Local factors wanted £50, didn't even bother calling VW as they are an hours round trip from me and were always going to be >£50.


ian locostzx9rc2 - 7/7/20 at 04:33 PM

Wow got a febi one from my local motor factors about £25


hobbsy - 7/7/20 at 04:37 PM

The black one for non adaptive cruise cars was easy to find for cheap, about £15 onebah or £20 from motor factors. The grey one for ACC cars was coming out generally more expensive. So that might be the difference


perksy - 7/7/20 at 07:56 PM

The Ancel stuff is pretty good to be fair
I bought their battery tester awhile back and have been very impressed with it