Coding turns on what the factory switched off
Every computer in the car has settings that decide what the car does. The factory leaves some of them switched off, even though the car has the part for that feature. Coding is how we switch them on.
We connect our computer by cable to the car's OBD port, the same one diagnostics connects to. We do not remove any parts for coding. On cars from model year 2015 on, we open the bonnet before we start, because an open bonnet switches off the protection that otherwise blocks changes in the computers.
Features turned on most often
Mirrors, windows and seat
The mirrors fold by themselves when you lock the carThe car must have mirrors that fold at the press of a button. On the Golf 6, older and newer cars have a different computer in the doors, so this feature is turned on in a different way on each.
The right mirror dips in reverseYou see the kerb while parking. Turn the knob you use to adjust the mirrors to the right mirror, marked R. On the Golf 7, after coding, also switch the feature on in the screen menu.
The windows close with the remoteHold the lock button on the key for about 3 seconds. First the car locks, then the windows start to close. Then let go of the button, and the windows close all the way by themselves. If the car has a sunroof, it closes too.
The windows work after switching offWhen you switch the car off and open the door, you can still raise or lower the windows.- The mirrors heat with the rear windowSwitch on the rear window heater and the mirrors heat by themselves. You do not have to turn the mirror knob.
- The seat moves back when you get outWhen you switch the car off and open the door, the seat moves back, so getting out is easier. The car must have an electric seat.
Lights and wipers
Coming-home lights switch on by themselvesWhen you get out in the dark, the headlights stay on for a while after the door closes. You do not have to pull the light stalk.
The fog light comes on when you turnAt low speed the fog light on the side you are turning to comes on. This helps in a narrow street and at a roundabout. The car must have front fog lights.- The lights flash when you brake hardOn the Golf 7 the indicators flash, and on the Passat B6 the brake lights.
- The rear wiper works with the front wipersWhen you switch on the front wipers, the rear wiper starts wiping by itself.
Dashboard, sound and phone
The needles sweep to the end at start-upWhen you start the car, the needles on the dashboard sweep to the end and back. On the Golf 6 this works on cars from the end of 2009, and on the Golf 7.5 also on the digital dashboard.
Oil temperature on the dashboardThe oil temperature shows on the dashboard screen. On the Audi A4 B8 it appears next to the stopwatch.- Battery charge on the dashboardOn the Golf 7, switch the car off and hold the trip reset button. The dashboard first resets the trip to zero, then shows the clock setting, then the battery. Then let go of the button and the dashboard shows for a few seconds how full the battery is.
- A sound when you lock the carThe car gives a sound when you lock and unlock it, so you know it is locked. On the Golf 7 it is also switched on in the screen menu after coding.
Two phones at the same timeYou connect two phones to the car's screen over Bluetooth at once.
Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto on the Golf 8The phone connects to the screen without a cable. The car must already have CarPlay over a cable.
Driving
- Start-stop stays offThe engine no longer switches off by itself when you stop. Not possible on every car: on some Golf 7 cars from 2019 this change no longer works.
What is possible on which model
The same model does not have the same options in every year and trim. That is why, before we start, we read your car's computers and see what it really has.
Golf 6, Octavia 2 and Passat B6
On these cars we turn on coming-home lights, the fog light when turning, closing the windows with the remote and flashing lights when braking hard. A lot depends on the year. On the Golf 6, coming-home lights are coded differently on cars from before and after the end of 2009. On the Passat B6, the fog light when turning is not possible with every version of the computer.
Golf 7, Octavia 3, Superb 3, Audi A3 and SEAT Leon 3
These cars from the same years are built on the same base. On all of them we turn on mirror folding, coming-home lights, the fog light when turning and the sound when locking. On them we also code the car after a reversing camera or a tow bar is fitted.
Audi A4 B8
On the Audi A4 B8 we turn on the needle sweep at start-up, mirror folding with a setting in the screen menu, the right mirror dipping in reverse, the fog light when turning and the oil temperature on the dashboard.
Golf 8, Octavia 4 and the newer Audi A3: the computers are locked
On some cars from model year 2020 on, the computers are locked. Reading fault codes works as before, but before coding the computer has to be unlocked. We unlock it online, and only then do we code it.
On the Golf 8 this is the case, for example, for wireless CarPlay and for registering a new battery.
Some computers in the newest cars have even stronger protection. On them, a feature the car did not have from the factory mostly cannot be turned on, especially driver assistance systems. We'll tell you what your car can have when you send the make, model and year.
No part in the car, no feature
Coding does not add a part the car does not have, a camera for example. For such a feature the part is fitted first, and then we code the car to recognise it.
After a reversing camera is fitted, the screen shows the picture only once we code the car. The same goes for a new USB port for CarPlay. After a tow bar is fitted on a Golf 7, up to 12 settings change in several computers, and after front fog lights are fitted, 15. More about fitting a reversing camera
A new battery is registered in the car's computer
On VW, Škoda, Audi and SEAT, a new battery is registered in the car's computer with a special device. The details of that exact battery are entered into the computer: capacity, type and maker.
Without it, start-stop may stop working and the car uses more fuel. More about battery replacement
Can coding be undone
It can, if the factory state was saved before the change.
Coding changes settings in the car's computers, but it does not change engine power.
What the price of coding depends on
There is no single price, because every model and every feature means different work.
The coding price depends on this
- How many features we turn on.
- How much work each feature takes. The needle sweep on a Golf 7 takes one change, and mirror folding 5.
- Whether the computer is locked, as on some cars from 2020 on.
- Whether coding goes with fitting a part or a new battery.
We'll tell you the price when you send the make, model, year and the features you want.
