Engine ECU won't communicate??

phatchoonz1 · 06-08-2006, 18:27

Hi,

A friend of mine has a Fabia 1.4 automatic which has the engine management light showing on the dashboard. It still seems to drive ok, he's mentioned possibly a slight lack of power but I couldnt' really fault it and there's certainly nothing seriously out of the ordinary.

So i've plugged into it with VAG COM and gone to read the fault codes from the engine ECU only to find that it won't communicate. I know that my copy of VAG COM is working fine and it will communicate with all the other ECUs except the engine.

Would I be right in thinking the ECU itself is at fault? All of the connections to it look good, and i've un-done the main connectors checked them over and re-connected them but still no joy.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I ended up looking a bit of a fool after saying yes, come round, i'll read your fault codes, then find I can't...

Thanks!!

Chris_55 · 06-08-2006, 19:33

Do you get "Cant Synch Baud Rate"?

I used to when I used a 'dumb' interface with the same model.

If so set the initial baud rate to 9600

See:

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

phatchoonz1 · 06-08-2006, 23:11

Yes, I do get that message, but thought it had to be something to do with the car due to the other control modules all communicating perfectly ok, never crossed my mind it might be to do with vagcom and my "dumb" interface.
I shall try your suggestion and let you know!

Thanks

Chris_55 · 07-08-2006, 08:58

I have the same model car.

My recent experience with the MIL light being on intermittently and no codes stored may be of use.

After several weeks I eventually managed to get a stored code for the engine temperature sensor. I replaced this and the car has been OK since.

For info, the faulty sensor showed 4k Ohms cold and the new one 2k.

The other symtoms were:

Temperature gauge slow to show a reading, but as the car often only does 1 mile trips it was difficult to identify this as a fault.

Occasionally the car would be difficult to start from cold.

Fuel comsumption a bit high, but due to the normal usage this was not noticed.

Goochie · 07-08-2006, 09:07

Sounds to me like a faulty/cheap cable.

First one I had via. ebay did this, secodn oen from a different seller was fine.

06-08-2006, 18:27	#1
phatchoonz1 Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South east UK Posts: 3 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Engine ECU won't communicate?? Hi, A friend of mine has a Fabia 1.4 automatic which has the engine management light showing on the dashboard. It still seems to drive ok, he's mentioned possibly a slight lack of power but I couldnt' really fault it and there's certainly nothing seriously out of the ordinary. So i've plugged into it with VAG COM and gone to read the fault codes from the engine ECU only to find that it won't communicate. I know that my copy of VAG COM is working fine and it will communicate with all the other ECUs except the engine. Would I be right in thinking the ECU itself is at fault? All of the connections to it look good, and i've un-done the main connectors checked them over and re-connected them but still no joy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I ended up looking a bit of a fool after saying yes, come round, i'll read your fault codes, then find I can't... Thanks!!

06-08-2006, 19:33	#2
Chris_55 Briskodian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: KENT UK Posts: 99 Members Car: Thanks: 1 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Engine ECU won't communicate?? Do you get "Cant Synch Baud Rate"? I used to when I used a 'dumb' interface with the same model. If so set the initial baud rate to 9600 See: http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/issues.html

06-08-2006, 23:11	#3
phatchoonz1 Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South east UK Posts: 3 Members Car: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Engine ECU won't communicate?? Yes, I do get that message, but thought it had to be something to do with the car due to the other control modules all communicating perfectly ok, never crossed my mind it might be to do with vagcom and my "dumb" interface. I shall try your suggestion and let you know! Thanks

07-08-2006, 08:58	#4
Chris_55 Briskodian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: KENT UK Posts: 99 Members Car: Thanks: 1 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Engine ECU won't communicate?? I have the same model car. My recent experience with the MIL light being on intermittently and no codes stored may be of use. After several weeks I eventually managed to get a stored code for the engine temperature sensor. I replaced this and the car has been OK since. For info, the faulty sensor showed 4k Ohms cold and the new one 2k. The other symtoms were: Temperature gauge slow to show a reading, but as the car often only does 1 mile trips it was difficult to identify this as a fault. Occasionally the car would be difficult to start from cold. Fuel comsumption a bit high, but due to the normal usage this was not noticed.

07-08-2006, 09:07	#5
Goochie Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Up a tree. Posts: 12,363 Members Car: Thanks: 7 Thanked 27 Times in 25 Posts	Re: Engine ECU won't communicate?? Sounds to me like a faulty/cheap cable. First one I had via. ebay did this, secodn oen from a different seller was fine.

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