I've owned 5 different Mk4 VW Golfs over the last 15 years and this blog is based on the information I've learned about maintaining them over that time. I currently drive a 2002 PD150 TDI Golf, badged as a GTI despite being diesel
Having fitted the VW Connect to my 2008 Passat there are a few things I've found that don't seem to be very clearly explained in the Volkswagen documentation or website for the Connect data plug
Does the VW Connect plug store journey data?
No, the VW Connect does not store any data. It only communicates with a mobile phone when the car is running and without a phone connected then no data will be stored. If you forget to have your phone in the car or the car is used by someone else then the journey will not be recorded.
Does the VW Connect plug store journey data?
Do I need my phone in the car to use the VW Connect?
Yes. If you forget to have your phone in the car or the car is used by someone else then the journey will not be recorded. Next time you have your phone in the car then that journey will be recorded with the mileage starting from the current value.
Can I connect 2 phones to the VW Connect?
Yes you can install VW Connect on multiple phones but only one can be in use at a time. So if two or more people use the same car then each could install VW Connect on their phone to record their own journeys. If two phones are in the car at the same time then it will be a lucky dip which one connects to the VW Connect for that journey. To force a certain phone to connect then you'd need to switch off bluetooth on the other phone.
How does the VW Connect access my mobile phone?
The VW Connect uses bluetooth technology to access your phone so you need to ensure that Bluetooth is switched on to be able to use it.
Can I remove the VW Connect Plug?
Yes. The VW Connect can safely be removed and refitted to your car at any point. You can even use it in a different car as long as it's supported by the application. In general this means that any car from 2008 onwards can be used with the VW Connect data plug.
Some time ago I shot a quick video showing how to remove the rear seat bases from the VW Golf Mk4. From the feedback the video wasn't as clear as it should have been so I've now done another version from a better angle.
I have used this sequence to enable AUX input on my 2008 VW Passat RCD 300 radio but any updates are done at your own risk. I accept no liability if your system behaves in a different way! Always remember to record the values that are shown in VCDS before making any changes!
I believe this only works with the RCD300 Plus model identified by the MP3 logo on the front above CD player
How to Setup AUX input on VW Passat RCD 300 radio
To enable AUX input on 2007+ unit do the following using VCDS/VagCOM.
Open VCDS, Go to 56 - RADIO, then choose Coding and change last digit to 1. Once done then press the "Do It" button.
Close VCDS and you should find that when you press the CD button that AUX appears on the radio screen.
I've got a new VW Passat (well new to me, it's a 2008 model) and I'm looking to add AUX capability to the radio. I have a JVC double DIN radio from my old Passat that I could move over but I'm investigating other options too.
VW RCD300 radio in 2007 Passat
The radio fitted to the 2008 Passat looks to be slightly different to the 2007 Passat I had before. The previous one was a RCD300 but this looks to be a RCD 300+/300 Plus radio. The key difference from what I can see is that it has the word MP3 on the front and on the model description to the rear.
Difference between RCD300 and RCD300 Plus/300+ radios
This designation also appears to mean that you can connect a simple plug to the rear connector of the 300+ to enable Aux input. The RCD300 requires more hardware to do this.
So if your VW radio has the MP3 designation then it is the Plus model and will be easier to enable Aux input.
When collecting my father's new VW Golf I noticed that there was an advert playing in the dealership for a device called VW Connect that allows you to monitor various data sets about your Volkswagen car.
VW Passat B6 TDI Volkswagen Connect Data Plug
Checking online it appears to show that the 2008 Passat B6 2.0 TDI isn't supported from checking the model details but using the VIN code it shows it is despite the disclaimer that pre 2010 VIN codes are not supported.
Having got hold of a VW Connect data plug from my local VW dealer for free I tried the data plug on my 2008 Passat 2.0 CR TDI it does work fine. I suspect that the later Common Rail diesel is different to the earlier PD diesel and may have different software that does work especially as it was also affected by the VW diesel emissions scandal.
So if you have a CR (Common Rail) VW Passat 2008 onwards it should be compatible with the Connect data plug. I can't confirm if the earlier PD diesel will work with it.
