VCDS Mods for Front Seats D4 A8 S8: heating stepdown timer & massage time + intensity
02-09-2017, 04:28 PM
#1
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VCDS Mods for Front Seats D4 A8 S8: heating stepdown timer & massage time + intensity
Here are a set of seat related VCDS mods for the D4 A8 and S8 I am documenting, both for the heating as well as the massage feature. The latter of course is for those who have the massage seats. All tested and successfully implemented without any drama on my 2015 D4 S8. Screen shots below for the visual flyby.
Ideas were courtesy of a long string of mods for C7 A6/S6/A7/S7/RS7 from Audizine board I play with from time to time, sorted for D4 applicability and interest. I checked Jack’s D4 VCDS thread and didn’t see mods for the seats. Also not a subject in general I have seen posts about (beyond 'I wish it were more ___') across a variety of boards, including this one. But, I definitely know the sentiment about wanting more default massage time, and occasionally someone notes the seat heater step down time. "More is better" is the common refrain. Read on for the step by step “how to’s.”
Ideas were courtesy of a long string of mods for C7 A6/S6/A7/S7/RS7 from Audizine board I play with from time to time, sorted for D4 applicability and interest. I checked Jack’s D4 VCDS thread and didn’t see mods for the seats. Also not a subject in general I have seen posts about (beyond 'I wish it were more ___') across a variety of boards, including this one. But, I definitely know the sentiment about wanting more default massage time, and occasionally someone notes the seat heater step down time. "More is better" is the common refrain. Read on for the step by step “how to’s.”
1. Change the time before the heated seats auto-change from level 3 to level 2
When the heated seat is set to full (level 3) it will only stay on full power (level 3) for 10 minutes before automatically dropping to level 2. To increase (or decrease) the amount of time this takes, go to:
The default is 10, which is 10 minutes. I set it to 15 minutes. Change it to zero to prevent it from auto-switching from level 3 to level 2.
There is also an almost identical option in the pull down menu choices of adaptation for auto-change from Level 2 to Level 1. This is disabled by default (set to zero.) If you want to enable this, enter a value in minutes. I likewise set it for 15 minutes for the auto step down. Matches to my sense on a cold day 2 is nice, but after that cumulative half hour (if I start on 3), even 2 is getting to be a bit much. But I can leave it on 1 for much of winter, most all the time.
I tested it through at least the first step down on my 2015 S8 to confirm it now made the switch down at the 15 minute point. Affects both seats the same. First and second pics below show it being dialed in w/ VCDS.
2. For massage function, change the auto shut off time from 10 minutes to a greater time. First I tried 15 minutes, but then settled on 20 so far. The seat massage related changes are done separately for the driver and front passenger seats since they are different modules. The approach is identical:
The default is 600 s (10 minutes). I first went to 900 s (15 min) for a test drive, and then later 1200 s (20 min). Confirmed both increases were accepted and auto timed off only after the respective 15 and 20 minutes. Third picture below is an example for driver’s seat.
There are actually a good number of possible tweaks to the massage function. See fourth picture for all the things listed in the pull down menu.When the heated seat is set to full (level 3) it will only stay on full power (level 3) for 10 minutes before automatically dropping to level 2. To increase (or decrease) the amount of time this takes, go to:
Module 08 (HVAC) -> Adaptation -> drop in down box select the option 'Time until heated seat power withdrawal stage 3 to stage 2'.
Enter a new value. Do It!
Enter a new value. Do It!
There is also an almost identical option in the pull down menu choices of adaptation for auto-change from Level 2 to Level 1. This is disabled by default (set to zero.) If you want to enable this, enter a value in minutes. I likewise set it for 15 minutes for the auto step down. Matches to my sense on a cold day 2 is nice, but after that cumulative half hour (if I start on 3), even 2 is getting to be a bit much. But I can leave it on 1 for much of winter, most all the time.
I tested it through at least the first step down on my 2015 S8 to confirm it now made the switch down at the 15 minute point. Affects both seats the same. First and second pics below show it being dialed in w/ VCDS.
2. For massage function, change the auto shut off time from 10 minutes to a greater time. First I tried 15 minutes, but then settled on 20 so far. The seat massage related changes are done separately for the driver and front passenger seats since they are different modules. The approach is identical:
Module 88 (Multicont. Seat Driver) OR its sister Module 89 (Multicont. Seat Pass.) -> Adaptation -> drop down box select the option “Running time of massage function”. Enter a new value. Do It!
3. The other I tried was increasing the intensity of the massage function—more oomph if you will. From having it in the D3, already better dialed up (and lots more massage types) in D4, but what the heck, more is better. I focused only on the highest setting (5), but all could be calibrated.
The default is 82 %. I entered 100% and tested it to confirm working. At 100% it does make more noise, which was most obvious when using VCDS when I am parked and shut off everything I can including MMI screen, tunes and HVAC. I drove it and found you can’t hear anything by freeway type speeds, and only when idling at a stop light with no tunes on and modest HVAC do you hear anything noticeable--faintly in the background as it cycles. I backed it off on a second pass to 90% which took some of the incremental background noise out of it even in quiet/idle type scenarios. Probably why factory maxed at 82%. Not a dramatic increase intensity by any means just to manage expectations. For further fine tuning, I may go into a combination of both level 4 and level 5, maybe bumping 4 to approx. 80 and 5 to 100 for freeway type use. Right now I basically always have it on 5 in use anyway, so might as well get a couple of more intensive choices that straddle the running/background noise condition variables.
See fifth picture for basic VCDS screen for this intensity change.
In pull down menu, I also noticed the choice for Speed level of the massage function. I elected not to play with that since the basic rhythm seems fine. But, since there are 5 choices here as well as for the intensity, a lot more customization could be done in theory, including slower and faster but using the 5 choices all just focused on ones at a few choices of higher general intensities.
Module 88 (Multicont. Seat Driver) OR its sister Module 89 (Multicont. Seat Pass.) -> Adaptation -> drop down box select the option “Intensity level 5 of massage function”. Enter a new value. Do It!
See fifth picture for basic VCDS screen for this intensity change.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 02-10-2017 at 07:47 AM.
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09S5 (08-29-2021)
02-12-2017, 08:48 AM
#4
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Further heated seat bonus: I realized in driving it with the heated seat timer mod that on restart it returns to the original setting without regard to the step down. A plus for me. Makes it more worthwhile to me to have then implemented the 2--> 1 medium --> low step down after 15 minutes. Then less need to play with buttons while driving as car comes up to temp, but also ready for the next jaunt with any cool down time.
Thus for real cold, if I pick 3 as my default button position, it cycles 3-2-1 over ensuing 30 minutes, and if I pick 2 for milder coastal type weather it does 2-1 in 15 minutes. The 2-1 auto cycling wouldn't be there absent enabling the lower tier timer step down via the mod.
Thus for real cold, if I pick 3 as my default button position, it cycles 3-2-1 over ensuing 30 minutes, and if I pick 2 for milder coastal type weather it does 2-1 in 15 minutes. The 2-1 auto cycling wouldn't be there absent enabling the lower tier timer step down via the mod.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 02-12-2017 at 08:50 AM.
02-21-2017, 07:57 AM
#7
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Besides possible errors in implementing, also look (from your screen) at:
1. Your hardware revision level for the module vs. mine. Often there is a software version (like a part #) to these modules too, but here it just says long coding. Can get to that later if needed. If module part # changed, no idea on what it involved.
2. Your VCDS software revision/version level. And of course confirming you are using an authentic cable... I realized actually when I was doing some of my work my own version was out of date. I eventually rev'ed mine to what is now 17.1.3. You can see I ran mine for this mod on 15.7.4 shortly before I updated (far upper left corner of screen). Ross Tech did implement a bunch of things to deal with some electronics accessories changes IIRC in the past couple of years. Not clear those bled down to D4 platform, but for ones either brand new like a Q7 or with another revise beyond the D4 like the C7 got recently, you might need to be on a recent version--presumably at least the 15.7.4 version I used to eliminate that potential for problems with mod.
It worked fine for me with no hiccups. As mentioned the mods were in turn following some C7 platform tips so validated there as well.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 02-21-2017 at 08:43 AM.
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02-21-2017, 08:28 AM
#8
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as mentioned, all the other tweaks took and this IMO, was the easiest thing, no clicks just change from 600 to 800 and you cant even dim the 's' (seconds) so there is really nothing to it.... which is more confusing
02-21-2017, 08:47 AM
#9
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verbatim copied what you guys all had, i have a 16 sport and this was the only parameter which did not take, the error was something about a value being outside the parameters
as mentioned, all the other tweaks took and this IMO, was the easiest thing, no clicks just change from 600 to 800 and you cant even dim the 's' (seconds) so there is really nothing to it.... which is more confusing
as mentioned, all the other tweaks took and this IMO, was the easiest thing, no clicks just change from 600 to 800 and you cant even dim the 's' (seconds) so there is really nothing to it.... which is more confusing
Also from my end, I need to press again to ask you to be specific. Post up pics and such. I cannot guess what your screens look like in various subtle details, and too many other variables--hardware and software revs, VCDS legit or not, VCDS software/version level, etc. Some of that can be seen in screen shots, others have to be confirmed supplementally.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 02-21-2017 at 08:50 AM.
02-21-2017, 09:34 AM
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Sorry, re read my reply again. I was editing as you responded--about version numbers for VCDS and such. Please confirm there.
Also from my end, I need to press again to ask you to be specific. Post up pics and such. I cannot guess what your screens look like in various subtle details, and too many other variables--hardware and software revs, VCDS legit or not, VCDS software/version level, etc. Some of that can be seen in screen shots, others have to be confirmed supplementally.
Also from my end, I need to press again to ask you to be specific. Post up pics and such. I cannot guess what your screens look like in various subtle details, and too many other variables--hardware and software revs, VCDS legit or not, VCDS software/version level, etc. Some of that can be seen in screen shots, others have to be confirmed supplementally.
i just ordered this VCDS last week from Ross-tec.