Component protection removal

[phc606]

Hello helpful folks.

BLUF: Dealer 'not allowed' to remove component protection, any known places in/near Hants?


I've recently bought a 64plate 2014 6c polo, high milage but great condition, bought as first car for friend and been doing a few cosmetic and mechanical fixes prior to handing over.
on the list was the Apple Carplay ask, original glovebox infotainment unit was a 3Q0 035 842 - Composition Media box, all working fine. replaced with a 3Q0 035 842 B unit and the inevitable 'component protection' process has kicked in.

As part of some other work, asked the local dealer to remove the protection (no challenge on book in) on collection all other work done, but the CP was not done as their not allowed to remove, but oddly referred me to a local-ish specialist who might be able to help.

I've contacted said specialist who's going to check if it's possible prior to trying, but guides that unless it's exactly the same (inc letter) code unit they may not be able to help.

all of this seems rather odd and counter to the experience I've had in the past with other (non vw) vag cars.


Question
Anyone know of a place dealer or otherwise in the north hants ish area that would be willing to solve this (on the assumption it's possible) any first hand experiences or recommendations out there please?

[RUM4MO]

Just in case you do not know what happens, this is as far as I know needs to be done, and I've had a VAG Indie Specialist who has all the necessary licences to operate VAG specific equipment.

Who ever carries out this work in strict accordance to what VW Group, connects the car with the "new" components fitted to VW Mothership, the newly fitted but locked out component is checked against records for components listed as been reported as being stolen, if that component is on a stolen list, the work stops there - although the workshop that discovers this are expected to contact local police etc to pursue action against, in the first place, the owner of this car who bought that stolen component. If that newly fitted component passes this check, it gets rendered as being a "virgin" component and is now added to this car's list of components, both onboard this car, and with VW records. Job complete.

Surely you can use the usual online resources to locate your nearest VW Group Indie specialist, that is what I did a long time ago, ie a bit of self help.

So to round up, getting component protection removed is a recognised VW Group and no doubt other marques, operation, VW Group workshops in UK and maybe elsewhere are just being petty, lazy and/or both, they really should look after their own workshop staff in respect of providing them with enough of a work load, and not just accept bookings and then at point of collection say "no" and insisting that new parts supplied by them are the only way.

Edit:- the only time that VW Group workshops turn down this work should be when they know that fitting an alternative component has been proved to cause other issues in that car - but even then, just how many people would trust their judgement.

[phc606]

Understood, and thanks for the process clarification, makes sense, and in someway is encouraging behaviour.

as mentioned in my post I've reached out to the local specialist, however the first response about the lettered version of the same unit eluding to 'it might not be possible' is what's spooked me.

I did my research before starting the journey so had reasonably high confidence that (subject to VW help) this should/is workable. Simply hadn't expected the current challenges.

The reason for the original posting was to check if I had made a mistake in my research and what I was trying to do wasn't possible after all, and secondly to shortcut the process by using a known specialist willing to help, rather than fumbling around aimlessly with various plausible but incorrect answers.


I'll post the update accordingly to help the forum. The current dealer refusing to help is in Andover, Hants, and the specialist I'm waiting to hear back from is AccuTek in Winchester.

[RUM4MO]

Good enough!

I might have been lucky as I just emailed a localish VW Group Indie that I had heard was very trustworthy, but I had only used to change a cambelt on my older daughter's 2009 Ibiza 1.4. They instantly replied saying that they could provide this service and I booked my Audi in. I have a more local VW Group Indie, but they seem to have a few branded up company cars and are the local APR agent, so I thought that I'd try elsewhere first, though now, some years on, it seems that they are now servicing VW Group. BMW and M-B cars.

The job only took 20 > 30 minutes, so I was charged only for that time.

So, maybe you need to search out specific VW Group Indies localish to you and send them an email detailing what you want doing and explain that you understand it is at your own risk as to if this change works out.

The bottom line being, if this turns out to be not possible, then you will need to pay again to get component protection removed on your original unit and have it re-assigned to your car, and then try some other way round this issue/desire.

Phoning up in my mind means that all questions can be asked and answered immediately, but emailing might work better as a first point of contact.

I'm guessing that you have or can get, someone that has VCDS or some other fully complaint scan tool, to make all the necessary other changes for the car to accept this new unit - where/if necessary?

[phc606]

Agreed.

Yup i have a VCDS and OBeleven cable/dongle.

we have 2 audi's and this polo in the family so familiar with how the audi stuff works and have remove CP via the dealer previously. just this odd behaviour from VW that's catching me out, but now I feel a little spooked that though i thought this was 'doable' having spent the time to make sure i wasn't going to advanced in tech to an older car etc, seems this has a few unexpected twists, knowing it can be done and finding someone willing/capable would be half the journey, currently still don't know if technically is is possible, which would seem to fly against the results other have gained as detailed on this board etc.

still saving grace at the moment is the glove box out is hours easier in a polo than an a6, much prefer the polo to work on currently.

[phc606]

ok, a little update to this thread just incase anyone else has something similar.

the local audio specialist recommended by VW after 3 and a bit weeks concluded they couldn't help, they said they had access to ODIS etc, but couldn't remove the protection, but could try a more 'invasive approach' and reluctantly I agreed, however this also led to a 'sorry we can't do it' answer.

today I collected the head unit and drove an hour to another inde vw specialist with ODIS, they have removed the component protection which is great, however this now means the next stage is the carplay activation, for which I need a code etc.
still trying to figure that bit out. I'm aware I can pay for this from VW at a few hundred quid, but before that simply looking to see if there's an alternative that's applicable to the head unit I have (non-nav)

(I know the unit will work with carplay as I had that working prior, simply the component protection was invoked, and in fixing that, its reset the head unit, 2 steps forward...)

[RUM4MO]

Maybe the "enhancements" made to that system were not carried out officially as if they had been, the master records held at VW Mothership would have reflected any official changes and so leave the unit as it had been before CP had been sorted out.

[CarbonChaos]

If you want to add CarPlay etc look here
https://northeastvagadaptions.co.uk/

They do a postal service,which means removing the 5F unit in the glove box and posting it off.

[phc606]

yup, did spot northeast in my hunt for an answer.

given the time and energy i'd spent on trying to get it going I bailed, bought a dual sd card nav unit locally that was already fettled with in software, and gave my single sd version in part payment
now everything is as it should be, and I can swap head units in less than 10mins