Diesel Cayenne and VW emission issue
10-06-2020, 04:14 PM
#6751
Rennlist Member
I don't remember if I read it on this thread or not, but someone has recommended throwing the trailer light converter (https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Tow-Ready/TR20141.html) into the towing plug to "trick" the vehicle into tow mode for improved transmission behavior.
Well while changing my oil this weekend I decided to pop it in and see what happened. I went on to work on my other car the rest of the day and completely forgot about it. Today going to work, I seriously thought to myself "wow this thing is shifting nicer, that's weird". My terrible 1st - 2nd gear hesitation under light acceleration was gone and it seemed a little more willing to downshift. I honestly didn't know why until I hit the turn signal and noticed the additional indicator light up for the brake lights. There is a noticeable change in the shifting, but not sure if there are any downsides.
I'll report back if I find any, but I'm leaving it for now!
Well while changing my oil this weekend I decided to pop it in and see what happened. I went on to work on my other car the rest of the day and completely forgot about it. Today going to work, I seriously thought to myself "wow this thing is shifting nicer, that's weird". My terrible 1st - 2nd gear hesitation under light acceleration was gone and it seemed a little more willing to downshift. I honestly didn't know why until I hit the turn signal and noticed the additional indicator light up for the brake lights. There is a noticeable change in the shifting, but not sure if there are any downsides.
I'll report back if I find any, but I'm leaving it for now!
Because it seems fine before it warms up, I'm wondering, again, if there's a fluid issue with some of us.
Throttle response seems good with the engine, anyway. I have the dead spot but the RPMs are actually going up. Sometimes speed will drop a mile or two before starting to go up and then wham! the transmission engages.
I've talked to my dealership and they want me to authorize up to 3 hours of diagnostic time, to be covered if it proves to be a warranty issue, but paid by me if not. Not sure how to proceed, at the moment.
10-07-2020, 10:48 AM
#6752
So just plugging in a 7 to 4 pin adapter is all you did? That's what that link took me to, anyway.
I've noticed when mine is cold, it performs normally. But once the vehicle warms up, the transmission, or maybe TC, is sloppy. I don't think it's an dieselgate thing, though maybe a by product, but the TC or actual transmission. Or TCU.
Because it seems fine before it warms up, I'm wondering, again, if there's a fluid issue with some of us.
Throttle response seems good with the engine, anyway. I have the dead spot but the RPMs are actually going up. Sometimes speed will drop a mile or two before starting to go up and then wham! the transmission engages.
I've talked to my dealership and they want me to authorize up to 3 hours of diagnostic time, to be covered if it proves to be a warranty issue, but paid by me if not. Not sure how to proceed, at the moment.
I've noticed when mine is cold, it performs normally. But once the vehicle warms up, the transmission, or maybe TC, is sloppy. I don't think it's an dieselgate thing, though maybe a by product, but the TC or actual transmission. Or TCU.
Because it seems fine before it warms up, I'm wondering, again, if there's a fluid issue with some of us.
Throttle response seems good with the engine, anyway. I have the dead spot but the RPMs are actually going up. Sometimes speed will drop a mile or two before starting to go up and then wham! the transmission engages.
I've talked to my dealership and they want me to authorize up to 3 hours of diagnostic time, to be covered if it proves to be a warranty issue, but paid by me if not. Not sure how to proceed, at the moment.
Save your money. It is almost a guarantee it will be found to be operating as intended unless there is a check engine light on or the transmission literally falls out of the car on shifts.
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Rupert16 (10-22-2020)
10-28-2020, 06:53 PM
#6754
I came back from my self-imposed exile one last time to share the following:
https://www.clubtouareg.com/threads/...mation.293713/
The TCU guy is back. Sounds like he had some seriously bad health issues - brain dead, or died on the table.... like, for real, serious issues. He's back to health and flashing TCU's again, to try to help pay off his medical bills.
I bit the bullet and had mine done and paid for his service the day I found out he was back.
I've only had it back a few days, and admittedly have not driven it much (trying to squeeze the last few days of enjoyment out of my Cayman before I park it for the winter) but the difference is pretty staggering so far. I've forgotten how these drove pre-fix.
Shifts overall are MUCH crisper... almost like it's got a shift kit installed. It shifts MUCH sooner - it now actually rides the whole wave of torque. I remember playing around with the paddles, trying to shift it manually, earlier in the revs - and where this TCU flash shifts, the fixed TCU in manual mode would NOT let me. As in... in boost, making torque, click "upshift" at 1700 and it would just ignore it. NOW? It shifts itself at 1700-1800 and just keeps pouring on the torque. At part throttle once you're in 3rd gear and accelerating up to, say, 50mph, it's upshifting at 1700-1800 rpm and it's SMOOTH. The shifts just click off, PDK-style... click click click with 0 drop in torque or power. A heavier pedal will let this thing use the whole torque band and still upshift sooner, putting you back at the start of the beef to pull through. Part throttle it just feels much quicker.
I now see the difference with the "engine braking" (I don't remember this behavior... but it's been a few years now!) - as you slow from 50mph down to a stop, I'm actually using much less brake... this TCU downshifts on the way down vs just sitting there in high gear until you stop or step on it.
There is still some minor "delay" when rolling a corner and getting back on the throttle... but its not as noticeable. I think the significantly quicker shifting helps a lot because even downshifts feel more like PDK than automatic. Step in it and the transmission snaps down to the right gear vs. giving you the sensation of, "Allll right Wilbur... give me a second..."
For $250 + shipping - this is, IMO, WELL worth it. Guy turned it around the same day he received it.
Last edited by User 52121; 10-28-2020 at 06:55 PM.
10-28-2020, 07:12 PM
#6755
This is great news. Please come back out of your exile again as you continue driving 
Was the TCU easy to take out? With shipping back and forth, I should plan on about a week without the vehicle?
Was the TCU easy to take out? With shipping back and forth, I should plan on about a week without the vehicle?
10-28-2020, 07:25 PM
#6756
Most of the forums say to actually remove the entire passenger seat but I didn't find that remotely necessary. I even have big club hands and was still able to dig the module out fine. Took me 2 minutes.
The guy recommends a padded envelope and USPS. I have a plastic electronics case that's full of foam and preferred to use that. I put the module in the case, took it to a UPS store, paid them to box it and ship it UPS ground. All in it was 20 bucks including the boxing service. I then put a pre-paid return UPS Ground tag inside the box for the guy to use to send it back. (He says he covers the return shipping but that being USPS, I opted to cover it myself and send it UPS.)
I shipped it late Monday afternoon. He got it late Wednesday, flashed it, and took it to UPS that night. UPS had it back at the Palatine depot by Saturday morning but sat on it until Monday when it got back to me.
I inquired about overnight shipping - so I could get it back sooner - and the UPS price went from 12 bucks to 90, and then the UPS guy gave me the COVID disclaimer "we can't guarantee even with overnight it won't be there before Wednesday" so I just went ground.
As he states in his paperwork - it WILL come back full of codes. Mine had over a dozen... all complaints, obviously from when he powered it up on the bench to flash it, that the module can't talk to the engine, etc. If you don't have a PIWIS you'll need to do the battery reset to clear them. I haven't had a lot of luck in the last year or two getting the VAGCOM to talk to the Cayenne anymore. It used to work... but not anymore. VAGCOM seems to have locked out Cayenne usage.
Last edited by User 52121; 10-28-2020 at 07:26 PM.
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skiahh (11-01-2020)
10-29-2020, 10:55 PM
#6757
Hello,
I own a VW Touareg TDI, this is exactly the same car that the Porsche Cayenne. Everything is identical.
Diesel issue does impact Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg.
I have being dealing with this issue for the last year, and somehow have become an expert on this (expensive education)
The TDIs V6 were recalled, directly or indirectly. This means that if you car goes to an official dealer, it will be connected to the VAG or VCDS and several changes will be made to the car, including: Transmission Control Module, Engine Control Module, etc..
These changes can NOT be undone so easily, so unless you want to go through several hurdles, avoid totally the car to be connected to the VW/Porsche system.
I bought my car 18 months ago out of a dealer. It was an offlease and ofcourse it had been totally destroyed by VW. The car shifted terribly and had a rough acceleration curve.
Solution: Replaced the TCM with a new one programmed by someone that I found on Clubtouareg. Kept the original to take the car to the dealer.
Installed an Stage 2 from Malone. The car works flawless, better mpg, better performance, smooth acceleration curve.
Solutions for Porsche Cayenne are exactly the same, as Engine, transmission, wireharness, etc.. is exactly the same. Both cars are produced in the same production line in Slovakia.
Hope you find this info interesting.
JAB
I own a VW Touareg TDI, this is exactly the same car that the Porsche Cayenne. Everything is identical.
Diesel issue does impact Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg.
I have being dealing with this issue for the last year, and somehow have become an expert on this (expensive education)
The TDIs V6 were recalled, directly or indirectly. This means that if you car goes to an official dealer, it will be connected to the VAG or VCDS and several changes will be made to the car, including: Transmission Control Module, Engine Control Module, etc..
These changes can NOT be undone so easily, so unless you want to go through several hurdles, avoid totally the car to be connected to the VW/Porsche system.
I bought my car 18 months ago out of a dealer. It was an offlease and ofcourse it had been totally destroyed by VW. The car shifted terribly and had a rough acceleration curve.
Solution: Replaced the TCM with a new one programmed by someone that I found on Clubtouareg. Kept the original to take the car to the dealer.
Installed an Stage 2 from Malone. The car works flawless, better mpg, better performance, smooth acceleration curve.
Solutions for Porsche Cayenne are exactly the same, as Engine, transmission, wireharness, etc.. is exactly the same. Both cars are produced in the same production line in Slovakia.
Hope you find this info interesting.
JAB
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Rupert16 (10-30-2020)
10-30-2020, 07:52 PM
#6758
Three Wheelin'
OUCH. At my dealer that'd be a $750 risk... for them to, quite frankly, come back and say, "It's normal - they all do it."
I came back from my self-imposed exile one last time to share the following:
https://www.clubtouareg.com/threads/...mation.293713/
The TCU guy is back. Sounds like he had some seriously bad health issues - brain dead, or died on the table.... like, for real, serious issues. He's back to health and flashing TCU's again, to try to help pay off his medical bills.
I bit the bullet and had mine done and paid for his service the day I found out he was back.
I've only had it back a few days, and admittedly have not driven it much (trying to squeeze the last few days of enjoyment out of my Cayman before I park it for the winter) but the difference is pretty staggering so far. I've forgotten how these drove pre-fix.
Shifts overall are MUCH crisper... almost like it's got a shift kit installed. It shifts MUCH sooner - it now actually rides the whole wave of torque. I remember playing around with the paddles, trying to shift it manually, earlier in the revs - and where this TCU flash shifts, the fixed TCU in manual mode would NOT let me. As in... in boost, making torque, click "upshift" at 1700 and it would just ignore it. NOW? It shifts itself at 1700-1800 and just keeps pouring on the torque. At part throttle once you're in 3rd gear and accelerating up to, say, 50mph, it's upshifting at 1700-1800 rpm and it's SMOOTH. The shifts just click off, PDK-style... click click click with 0 drop in torque or power. A heavier pedal will let this thing use the whole torque band and still upshift sooner, putting you back at the start of the beef to pull through. Part throttle it just feels much quicker.
I now see the difference with the "engine braking" (I don't remember this behavior... but it's been a few years now!) - as you slow from 50mph down to a stop, I'm actually using much less brake... this TCU downshifts on the way down vs just sitting there in high gear until you stop or step on it.
There is still some minor "delay" when rolling a corner and getting back on the throttle... but its not as noticeable. I think the significantly quicker shifting helps a lot because even downshifts feel more like PDK than automatic. Step in it and the transmission snaps down to the right gear vs. giving you the sensation of, "Allll right Wilbur... give me a second..."
For $250 + shipping - this is, IMO, WELL worth it. Guy turned it around the same day he received it.
I came back from my self-imposed exile one last time to share the following:
https://www.clubtouareg.com/threads/...mation.293713/
The TCU guy is back. Sounds like he had some seriously bad health issues - brain dead, or died on the table.... like, for real, serious issues. He's back to health and flashing TCU's again, to try to help pay off his medical bills.
I bit the bullet and had mine done and paid for his service the day I found out he was back.
I've only had it back a few days, and admittedly have not driven it much (trying to squeeze the last few days of enjoyment out of my Cayman before I park it for the winter) but the difference is pretty staggering so far. I've forgotten how these drove pre-fix.
Shifts overall are MUCH crisper... almost like it's got a shift kit installed. It shifts MUCH sooner - it now actually rides the whole wave of torque. I remember playing around with the paddles, trying to shift it manually, earlier in the revs - and where this TCU flash shifts, the fixed TCU in manual mode would NOT let me. As in... in boost, making torque, click "upshift" at 1700 and it would just ignore it. NOW? It shifts itself at 1700-1800 and just keeps pouring on the torque. At part throttle once you're in 3rd gear and accelerating up to, say, 50mph, it's upshifting at 1700-1800 rpm and it's SMOOTH. The shifts just click off, PDK-style... click click click with 0 drop in torque or power. A heavier pedal will let this thing use the whole torque band and still upshift sooner, putting you back at the start of the beef to pull through. Part throttle it just feels much quicker.
I now see the difference with the "engine braking" (I don't remember this behavior... but it's been a few years now!) - as you slow from 50mph down to a stop, I'm actually using much less brake... this TCU downshifts on the way down vs just sitting there in high gear until you stop or step on it.
There is still some minor "delay" when rolling a corner and getting back on the throttle... but its not as noticeable. I think the significantly quicker shifting helps a lot because even downshifts feel more like PDK than automatic. Step in it and the transmission snaps down to the right gear vs. giving you the sensation of, "Allll right Wilbur... give me a second..."
For $250 + shipping - this is, IMO, WELL worth it. Guy turned it around the same day he received it.
10-30-2020, 09:11 PM
#6759
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by twodollardoug
This is the first I have heard of this mod. Is there another more in depth thread on the transmission flash? Is this flash just for diesels? I have a 2012 CTT.
10-30-2020, 10:20 PM
#6761
Rennlist Member
It was a piece of cake. Slide the passenger seat ALL the way forward, and raise it up as high as it will go. From there, in the back seat area, you can pull up the carpet under the passenger seat enough to get your hand in there. I wedged a flashlight to help hold the carpet up + give me some light. The TCU is mounted horizontally and upside-down - it "hangs" from a bracket towards the front of the seat and just clips in. Slide your hand along the side of the module and you'll feel the little tab - just pull it to the side a little and it'll let the TCU drop. Then just fish it out, disconnect it, and ship it.
Most of the forums say to actually remove the entire passenger seat but I didn't find that remotely necessary. I even have big club hands and was still able to dig the module out fine. Took me 2 minutes.
The guy recommends a padded envelope and USPS. I have a plastic electronics case that's full of foam and preferred to use that. I put the module in the case, took it to a UPS store, paid them to box it and ship it UPS ground. All in it was 20 bucks including the boxing service. I then put a pre-paid return UPS Ground tag inside the box for the guy to use to send it back. (He says he covers the return shipping but that being USPS, I opted to cover it myself and send it UPS.)
I shipped it late Monday afternoon. He got it late Wednesday, flashed it, and took it to UPS that night. UPS had it back at the Palatine depot by Saturday morning but sat on it until Monday when it got back to me.
I inquired about overnight shipping - so I could get it back sooner - and the UPS price went from 12 bucks to 90, and then the UPS guy gave me the COVID disclaimer "we can't guarantee even with overnight it won't be there before Wednesday" so I just went ground.
As he states in his paperwork - it WILL come back full of codes. Mine had over a dozen... all complaints, obviously from when he powered it up on the bench to flash it, that the module can't talk to the engine, etc. If you don't have a PIWIS you'll need to do the battery reset to clear them. I haven't had a lot of luck in the last year or two getting the VAGCOM to talk to the Cayenne anymore. It used to work... but not anymore. VAGCOM seems to have locked out Cayenne usage.
Most of the forums say to actually remove the entire passenger seat but I didn't find that remotely necessary. I even have big club hands and was still able to dig the module out fine. Took me 2 minutes.
The guy recommends a padded envelope and USPS. I have a plastic electronics case that's full of foam and preferred to use that. I put the module in the case, took it to a UPS store, paid them to box it and ship it UPS ground. All in it was 20 bucks including the boxing service. I then put a pre-paid return UPS Ground tag inside the box for the guy to use to send it back. (He says he covers the return shipping but that being USPS, I opted to cover it myself and send it UPS.)
I shipped it late Monday afternoon. He got it late Wednesday, flashed it, and took it to UPS that night. UPS had it back at the Palatine depot by Saturday morning but sat on it until Monday when it got back to me.
I inquired about overnight shipping - so I could get it back sooner - and the UPS price went from 12 bucks to 90, and then the UPS guy gave me the COVID disclaimer "we can't guarantee even with overnight it won't be there before Wednesday" so I just went ground.
As he states in his paperwork - it WILL come back full of codes. Mine had over a dozen... all complaints, obviously from when he powered it up on the bench to flash it, that the module can't talk to the engine, etc. If you don't have a PIWIS you'll need to do the battery reset to clear them. I haven't had a lot of luck in the last year or two getting the VAGCOM to talk to the Cayenne anymore. It used to work... but not anymore. VAGCOM seems to have locked out Cayenne usage.
11-01-2020, 12:19 AM
#6762
Burning Brakes
I think the gear display issue was on the VW and Audi because they don’t normally show it
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skiahh (11-01-2020)
11-01-2020, 02:26 PM
#6763
Rennlist Member
I haven't really heard anything bad about this one. I think it's time to arrange to have this done.
11-02-2020, 01:54 PM
#6765
Burning Brakes
If it's any consolation, he rewrites the software revision number, flash count, etc. on the TCU so, to the dealer, it looks like it was ever touched and is still on the "fixed" software.