Tip & How-To about Audi A4
If you have an Audi or VW, and have ever had to take it to a dealership for work, you know how expensive it is. When your check-engine light comes on, you're looking at an hour's labor just for the five minutes it takes them to scan the computer and find the fault code(s). That's up to $126 for a five minute scan that doesn't even fix your problem.
Forget that - you can do it yourself if you have a laptop computer. Go to www.ross-tech.com and download the factory diagnostic software (called VAGCom, for VW/Audi Group Communicator) to your laptop. The shareware version is free of charge, and will work for scanning fault codes that are set by the check-engine light, turning off airbag warning lights, ABS failure warnings, and some other tweaking and tuning (you can enable your key fob to open and close the windows and sunroof, delete the horn beep when you arm the alarm, or set the locks to lock the doors automatically at 15 mph and unlock when the key is removed, just to name a few). For the more serious home mechanic, you can buy the unlocked "real deal" version for $100. For most people, the shared free version is more than enough for your needs.
The only other item you need is an interface cable. This can be purchased on eBay for about $20. You need an OBD2 to USB diagnostic cable, readily available on eBay. Mine has worked without a hiccup for over three years, so don't worry about longevity on the cable.
Once you have this stuff, you're ready to go - plug the cable into your laptop, into the OBD2 port on your car, start VAGCom, and follow the on-screen instructions. It's very much worthwhile for anyone who owns a VW or an Audi, as many of the issues you come across can be taken care of at home, yourself, without paying hundreds of dollars to a dealership.
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