Golf mk7: Auto Start/Stop disable switch - who wants to help?

[mattaus]

I see it now. Thank you! I'll give it a shot tomorrow - I was late home from work after a doctors appointment started an hour and a half after my appointment time so I'm not in the kind of mood conducive to pulling expensive toys apart lol.

[AJW]

Here's a picture of my finished PCB with components.
You can see it's fairly small compared to the 20cent piece.

[mattaus]

Here's a picture of my finished PCB with components.
You can see it's fairly small compared to the 20cent piece.

Jebus that's tiny! Did you make that PCB yourself? If you used Eagle you could probably get the whole thing down to somewhere between a 10c and 20c piece...in all dimensions.

So anyway, I installed my device this afternoon. Had one issue with adding the wires as the one's on my S/S device were too thick and I didn't have replacement wire. I also didn't have the patience to buy some different wire either given an issue I had as a result of the S/S system yesterday. So anyway - done in a rush but here it all is:

Taking the console apart.

Taking the connector apart.

Pulling the pins out.

Adding the first wire.

Adding the final wire. Apologies for holding the switch off camera.

Testing the S/S device.

Putting it all back together.

Basically I just filmed it in bits because it was easier. I hate my voice.

[DV52]

Jebus that's tiny! Did you make that PCB yourself? If you used Eagle you could probably get the whole thing down to somewhere between a 10c and 20c piece...in all dimensions.

So anyway, I installed my device this afternoon. Had one issue with adding the wires as the one's on my S/S device were too thick and I didn't have replacement wire. I also didn't have the patience to buy some different wire either given an issue I had as a result of the S/S system yesterday. So anyway - done in a rush but here it all is:

Taking the console apart.

Taking the connector apart.

Pulling the pins out.

Adding the first wire.

Adding the final wire. Apologies for holding the switch off camera.

Testing the S/S device.

Putting it all back together.

Basically I just filmed it in bits because it was easier. I hate my voice.

Matt: ain't nothing wrong with you voice at all, An excellent Aussie twang to be proud of - I reckon that you have another calling as a film maker if you ever want to leave the day job!!

Seriously, great effort and thanks for taking the time to help-out with the project - much appreciated.

I like that your video shows the quick way of taking-off the gear lever gaiter and the easy way of removing the "C" section plastic bit. I'm certain that it will now be a lot easier for others to get access to these bits given that they have access to your video.

My apology for not thinking about the wire size issue when I made the test unit that I sent up (careless of me). I will add notes to all my designs stressing this point in the instructions (btw: the actual size of the VW wires is 0.35 mm2).

Again, my thanks for your help - this is a good example of how forums like this should operate (i.e. as a collegiate exercise)
Don

[mattaus]

Haha thanks Don. I guess I'm so used to hearing Americans presenting Youtube tutorials that it sounds odd to hear any other accent!

My apology for not thinking about the wire size issue when I made the test unit that I sent up (careless of me). I will add notes to all my designs stressing this point in the instructions (btw: the actual size of the VW wires is 0.35 mm2).

No need to apologise. I had the wire in front of me and didn't even think about it until I tried sticking the receptacle back in. The end solution isn't as clean as AJW's, but I still like it better than cutting the wire's altogether as I was initially going to do. I'm happy with the results

[bloggo]

What brilliant posts, photos and videos by all concerned.

[mattaus]

So I did a fair bit of driving over the weekend. Happy to report zero issues this far. Works exactly as I want it to

[monkeysrus]

Anyone going to start selling kits???

[DV52]

Anyone going to start selling kits???

Monkeysrus: Hello and thanks for expressing an interest in these units.

Selling kits?? Now there's a great idea - perhaps AJW, matteus and I should have copyrighted the IP (only kidding) - LOL!

I have a number of bit's and pieces left-over from the development phase - probably enough to make-up a few of each version. If I knew where "monkeyland" was (in your forum location header), I'd be more confident of providing an offer (to manufacture, not to install). Why don't you PM and we can negotiate a mutually acceptable trade ( not money, perhaps something else)
Don

[DV52]

So I did a fair bit of driving over the weekend. Happy to report zero issues this far. Works exactly as I want it to

matteaus: Good to hear-thanks for the feedback.

The unit that I installed in my car (version 2 -with the memory module) has likewise worked faultlessly for about 1.5 months. In fact, the device has operated so seamlessly that I no longer look for the SS disable light on the centre console button after I turn-on the ignition (it just happens every time). I think that we can confidently say that proof-of-concept has been successful! I'm interested to hear how AJW's design is operating?

Many thanks again for your valuable assistance - take $20 out of the petty cash tin!
Cheers
Don

[mattaus]

matteaus: Good to hear-thanks for the feedback.

The unit that I installed in my car (version 2 -with the memory module) has likewise worked faultlessly for about 1.5 months. In fact, the device has operated so seamlessly that I no longer look for the SS disable light on the centre console button after I turn-on the ignition (it just happens every time). I think that we can confidently say that proof-of-concept has been successful! I'm interested to hear how AJW's design is operating?

Many thanks again for your valuable assistance - take $20 out of the petty cash tin!
Cheers
Don

Yup, I stopped looking go see if it has turned on a long time a go. It works, hasn't missed a beat and does exactly what it supposed to do. I've also got taking the gear shift ahroud off with my bare hands down pat so its super easy to remove if I need to in a pinch.

I did have one scare when I thought it had stopped working, but the auto S/S had come back on because I put the car in eco mode. When I took it out of eco mode S/S was still activated. That's a limitation of the car, not the device. IMO the eco mode should return to the last setting when you switch to a different driving mode, but that's probably well beyond anyone here!

TL;DR: love it and it works perfectly

[Talle]

Hmm, you guys are aware that you can just change this logic with coding in VCDS ? There is no need for a hardware hack.

[DV52]

Hmm, you guys are aware that you can just change this logic with coding in VCDS ? There is no need for a hardware hack.

Talle: Hello and thanks for the post. You aren't the first to have highlighted the fact that SS can be disabled via a VCDS tweak and I've referred to this matter in a couple of previous posts. I have written instructions in the VCDS thread for the three options for doing this and I had implemented the "temperature" method on my car for about two years prior to designing the kill switch.

However, the VCDS tweak really only tricks the car by using one of SS's limiting controls. The problem with the tweak is that it leaves the tell-tale symbol (letter A with a slash) on the dash whenever the car comes to a halt.

When last I had the car serviced, I had a hard time convincing the mechanic that saw the tell-tale message that there wasn't a fault with the car. He even discussed the problem with the muppet-boffins at HQ and he booked my car for a further investigation which I won't meet (he still doesn't believe that it's possible to defeat SS).

Much better method of dealing with SS (IMO) is the Automatic SS kill switch. The good thing about the kill switch is that it uses the car's own disabling facility.

Don

[Talle]

??? Then you dont have the correct procedure. On the audi A6 2012, 4G the pocedure is as follows:

Go to 09 - cent. elec.
Login (code for the A6 is 20113, dont know if this is the same for the golf)
Adapt channel 34
-4 SS at ignition on off
+4 SS always off
+32 last status SS after ignition off

Works like charm on the A6, no fault codes, no symbols

[DV52]

??? Then you dont have the correct procedure. On the audi A6 2012, 4G the pocedure is as follows:

Go to 09 - cent. elec.
Login (code for the A6 is 20113, dont know if this is the same for the golf)
Adapt channel 34
-4 SS at ignition on off
+4 SS always off
+32 last status SS after ignition off

Works like charm on the A6, no fault codes, no symbols

Talle: Hello again - thank you for your reply. the Audi A6 is certainly a very impressive car but I'm not entirely sure that your instructions are pertinent to those vehicles that are built on the MQB platform (your car is designated 4G where as mk7s are designated "5G").

I'm certainly not an expert where VCDS cables are concerned but I'm not aware of "Adapt channel 34" on a mk7 and the settings for adapatation channels tend to be straight alpha numeric entries (i.e. they don't include "+", or "-" signs). But there may well be a similar adaption channel (there are over 3,000 adaptation channels on a mk7) buried deep in one of the control modules in the km7 that does the same thing (I haven't found it yet). If there is such a facility, and when someone finds it and if the intention is to disable SS permanently - then those that choose to do so, can use the VCDS option.
For me and for now, I prefer the kill switch because it enables me to re-energise SS any time that I want in the journey whilst still having SS switch off automatically when the ignition turns on.

Thanks again for the reply and for highlighting the A6 methodology
Don