8.5R Gremlins

[Booth11]

25 minutes ago, nn7man said:

https://support.obdeleven.com/en/articles/9187989-does-obdeleven-work-with-vag-and-bmw-vehicles-manufactured-from-2024

 

They admit the nextgen black dongle can only scan the gateway module but not all the others on VW 2024+ :

 

Volkswagen Group (VAG) vehicles

New Volkswagen Group (VAG) models from 2024 have updated security features (UNECE R155 and R156) to protect the car’s software. This new layer of protection, sometimes called “SFD2,” safeguards the car’s control units from unauthorized access, particularly for updates performed over the air (OTA).

 

Under these new security measures, OBDeleven can only fully communicate with the car's main diagnostic part – the gateway control unit. This means we can’t fully scan or interact with other control units as we do with other car models.

When I did a scan on mine end of Jan this year it only scanned the Gateway (19) control unit.  But when I scanned the car on Saturday it scanned 35 control units. 

[nn7man]

2 minutes ago, Booth11 said:

When I did a scan on mine end of Jan this year it only scanned the Gateway (19) control unit.  But when I scanned the car on Saturday it scanned 35 control units. 

That article was a couple of months old so hopefully they've now completed the upgrade 🙏

[AHG]

1 hour ago, Scudgie said:

Good shout @AHG

 

I am sorry to be right on this

but the good part is that your car is fine

and you just need to cough up 60 pounds and get a next gen dongle
(or borrow if you have someone that has it)

[Booth11]

36 minutes ago, nn7man said:

That article was a couple of months old so hopefully they've now completed the upgrade 🙏

It would appear so. 🙂

[dv52]

15 hours ago, Scudgie said:

@dv52

 

In response to your questions:

1. No, I'm using the white dongle.

 

@Scudgie: Wow - an absolute crescendo of replies to your question above - and the deluge is remarkably consistent (very unusual in a forum of this type) !!

 

Allow me to invite that you consider a matter that has NOT been raised in the other responses. As others have advised, your OBD11 dongle is obsolete for MQB-evo platform cars like this Golf. 

 

BUT (yes, there is always a "but") - the fact of you using a white-dongle almost certainly makes you are a very special OBD11 user because you very likely have the advantage of being what the deities on the OBD11 mother-ship call a "lifetime member". These very special folk (I'm one too) get a lifetime subscription to the PRO version OBD11.

 

So, do NOT buy the PRO version account when ordering the next-gen dongle. And more importantly, when you get the dongle - do NOT re-register as a new OBD11 user because doing this will mean that you must pay an annual subscription fee for the PRO function. Instead, do NOT change any aspect of your current OBD11 account details  - simply fire-up the OBD11 software and connect to the new module in the usual way.

 

Don

[Booth11]

@Scudgie, echo what Don has said about you being a obdeleven Lifetime Pro member and not needing to get the Pro subscription if you upgrade.  I originally had a first gen white obdeleven dongle (which was Android only) and so have lifetime membership; I upgraded several years back to the next gen black dongle (as these are compatible with iOS) and just logged in with my original account details and the Lifetime Pro membership is retained.  
 

I’m glad that with help from here, you’ve got to the bottom of the obdeleven matter and it’s nothing to do with your car. 

[tommymortago]

On 12/05/2025 at 10:46, Scudgie said:

Now my Engine warning light is on 100% of the time.

 

My nearest dealer is Group 1 VW and their attitude is that if the warning light is static and not flashing, then it's safe to drive and I should use VW Recovery if I break down.

 

When I complained about this I was then bounced around different departments before ending up with the booking line again. I won't be using them again.

Mine did the same and the engine warning stays on now, will try to get into dealer as soon as possible. 

[Scudgie]

5 hours ago, Booth11 said:

@Scudgie, echo what Don has said about you being a obdeleven Lifetime Pro member and not needing to get the Pro subscription if you upgrade.  I originally had a first gen white obdeleven dongle (which was Android only) and so have lifetime membership; I upgraded several years back to the next gen black dongle (as these are compatible with iOS) and just logged in with my original account details and the Lifetime Pro membership is retained.  
 

I’m glad that with help from here, you’ve got to the bottom of the obdeleven matter and it’s nothing to do with your car. 

Whats really weird about the dongle side of things, and perhaps subconsciously the reason why I didn't think of it earlier, is the fact I connected to the car with the old dongle in March.

 

Yes, it threw up 2 errors which were attributable to comms with SFD2 protected modules IIRC, but it doesn't really make sense how that could happen if the dongle doesn't work. Unless, and you know I love a good conspiracy theory 🤣, it's...... how should I put this .... more of a push to get people to buy their new hardware 🤔

 

Either way, I bet the dongle becomes largely redundant now because the blasted Engine Management warning light disappeared this morning (after I'd ordered the next gen dongle last night) and I suspect the fault will have disappeared altogether and there'll be no trace of it when I run a scan.

[AHG]

I think a check engine light always registers 

so you should be able to see it

 

Goos thing you got a dongle

now you can buy an iPhone 🙂

 

I am paying 30-50$ a year for the pro subscription, so I think the lifetime subscription makes this one time cost of the dongle a good deal.

 

[Booth11]

51 minutes ago, Scudgie said:

Whats really weird about the dongle side of things, and perhaps subconsciously the reason why I didn't think of it earlier, is the fact I connected to the car with the old dongle in March.

 

Yes, it threw up 2 errors which were attributable to comms with SFD2 protected modules IIRC, but it doesn't really make sense how that could happen if the dongle doesn't work. Unless, and you know I love a good conspiracy theory 🤣, it's...... how should I put this .... more of a push to get people to buy their new hardware 🤔

 

Either way, I bet the dongle becomes largely redundant now because the blasted Engine Management warning light disappeared this morning (after I'd ordered the next gen dongle last night) and I suspect the fault will have disappeared altogether and there'll be no trace of it when I run a scan.

 

Maybe (and I'm just guessing) first gen dongle did work originally but the next gen version didn't (not back in Jan anyway except for Gateway CU), but now they have got next gen dongle to work on all CU's, they've disabled first gen dongle.  Did you mention conspiracy theories!  🤣

 

When you do do a scan we can compete on who has the most faults logged.  The number to beat is 81.  😂

[Scudgie]

41 minutes ago, Booth11 said:

When you do do a scan we can compete on who has the most faults logged.  The number to beat is 81.  😂

 

81? Wow!!!

[Scudgie]

46 minutes ago, AHG said:

Goos thing you got a dongle

now you can buy an iPhone 🙂

 

 

I use an iPhone for work and theres no incentive that I can think of that would make me want to use one as my personal phone too 🤣

[AHG]

1 minute ago, Scudgie said:

I use an iPhone for work and theres no incentive that I can think of that would make me want to use one as my personal phone too 🤣

 

If you don’t love yourself enough

I can’t do it for you 🙂

[Booth11]

6 minutes ago, Scudgie said:

 

81? Wow!!!

I feel quite proud of that huge number 😂

[Booth11]

3 minutes ago, Scudgie said:

I use an iPhone for work and theres no incentive that I can think of that would make me want to use one as my personal phone too 🤣

I had an android phone for work and I gave it back.  I’d decided I’d rather use my own iPhone and bear the cost of work calls etc myself than use the android phone, 😜