Volkswagen & Audi introduced component lock (anti-theft/immobilizer) function to their newer transmission control modules to help fighting unauthorized swap of the control unit. If a TCU/TCM is faulty and has been replaced, a component unlock is therefore required.
Note: You don’t need to unlock the unit if you choose to clone the SW from your original unit to the new one.
Typical error messages:
- Contains Component protection (Component protection active)
- The control unit is currently associated with a VIN other than the vehicle VIN or the control unit VIN
You need the following tools to perform component unlock:
- VAG diagnosis tool to connect to your vehicle
- ODIS
- A VW/Audi account depending on the vehicle
Procedure for unlocking TCU:
- Run a diagnosis in your ODIS
- Locate and select the entry “Component protection”
- Click “Perform test…”
- Click “Done/Continue”
- Enter the required information. (Activation number can be your own record number)
- Enter your VW/Audi online account credentials
- Click “OK”
- On success, ODIS should display “The component protection base programming has been carried out successfully.”
- Click “Done”
- Follow the instructions provided by ODIS
- End of your component base programming
- Go back to the test screen and you should see a green check mark before component protection
- Perform basic settings using guided functions
- Erase your previous fault codes
- You may now load your SW into the TCU if needed. If you don’t have the flash program, you may contact your Shing Hoi representative.