These patches for enabling needle sweep were devised and created by “Bodie” and details are noted from Graeme’s Website I take no credit for the information.
There are many many many hours of work involved in development and testing. If you would like to make a small donation via paypal to the author to show your appreciation, please click here.
IMPORTANT NOTE
If you have ANY other software version besides VWK503MH and have ANY other ROM ID besides 00AE, this patch WILL NOT WORK
This needle sweep patch will only work on VDO Midline (half height MFA display) or Highline (full height FIS display) clusters running software version VWK503MH with ROM ID 00AE
Do NOT use on Lowline (no central display) clusters, they have different software!
The patch is specifically customised to address the correct ROM ID
DO NOT TRY TO LOAD A PATCH INTO YOUR CLUSTER IF THE ROM ID DOES NOT MATCH – IT WILL NOT WORK!
There is currently only one ROM ID identified for Midline (half height MFA display) or Highline (full height FIS display) clusters with software version VWK503MH
The only valid patch developed and tested so far is this 00AE ROM version
This ROM ID is commonly used in Passat 3BG, W8 and US MkIV Golf/Jetta. Some Škoda Superb and Octavia without encrypted Micronas also use the same software and ROM ID. In any case, you must still check you have the correct ROM ID, as detailed in the “Finding the ROM ID” below.
The needle sweep patch overwrites any existing factory patch, but this new patch includes all the existing known factory updates
This patch also includes many safeguards to ensure it’s correct operation
For example, if there is a low voltage condition or needles are not zeroed on the dials, then the sweep will not activate
During the sweep, the WELCOME message is also displayed in FIS (if the appropriate byte is also activated in the EEPROM)
However, any open door/hatch/bonnet etc requiring the display of the Car Icon or any Level 1 High Priority Warnings (e.g. Low coolant) or Level 2 Advisory Warnings will override the WELCOME message display (same as standard)
This patch updates the Micronas MCU via a simple update to the EEPROM data
There are no other modifications required to the cluster to enable the needle sweep
Finding the ROM ID
The ROM ID can be identified as follows:
Method 1
If you have the original part number sticker on your cluster, the ROM ID is encoded on the sticker:
Code 09.00 = ROM ID 00AE
This is the sticker for ROM ID 00AE:
Method 2
If you obtain an EEPROM dump and there is an existing factory patch in the cluster, there will be data commencing from the address 0x4F6 onwards
The ROM ID is located at address 0x4FA and 0x4FB
For example, this screenshot shows a cluster with an existing factory patch with the ROM ID of 00AE:
If you do not have the original sticker, or you do not have any existing patch, then you cannot easily establish the correct ROM ID for your cluster.
DO NOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER!
Installation
Back up existing EEPROM
Read EEPROM and write new data to the indicated addresses
Please ensure you use the correct patch data listed below for your ROM ID
Carefully check the new data – IT MUST BE EXACT
Data is checksummed and will not work if anything is incorrect.
If you are using the XVI32 hex reader program, there is an option under “Edit” tab to “Overwrite string” from a Hex String.
Highlight the byte address where you want to begin overwriting new patch data and paste the hex string patch data into the field box.
Press “OK” and it will overwrite the new patch data into EEPROM.
Confirm that patch data is correctly written into EEPROM file.
Load new EEPROM into cluster.
Log out, switch off ignition and remove key.
Sweep only activates after cluster performs an RPZD once, roughly 30 seconds after turning everything off.
If you watch closely, most needles will twitch as the RPZD drives them backwards against stops just before cluster enters “sleep mode”.
Patch Data for ROM ID 00AE
Insert the following data, beginning at address 0x4F6 and ending at address 0x6B9
56 1A A4 01 00 AE 5A AC C1 0C A5 8A C9 0E F0 06 9C 20 0F 4C 1B 0F AD 1F 0F F0 09 E0 0E D0 F4 9C 1F 0F 80 EF AD 20 0F D0 19 C0 03 B0 E6 E0 06 F0 0A E0 08 F0 0D E0 1E F0 09 80 63 A2 25 8E 37 0B A2 1E A9 01 8D 20 0F C0 03 90 18 C0 0E B0 14 A9 CF 8D 70 02 A9 F1 8D 72 02 A9 0F 8D 73 02 8D 71 02 80 10 C0 1B B0 37 9C 70 02 9C 71 02 9C 72 02 9C 73 02 AD A8 16 8D 74 02 AD A9 16 9C 75 02 AD 08 17 8D 6E 02 AD 09 17 8D 6F 02 A9 02 14 81 A9 20 1C 36 0B 7A 68 68 A9 56 48 A9 0D 48 5A 7A 7C 0F 55 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 39 2C F0 18 8A 29 3F C9 0C F0 04 C9 0B D0 0D A9 23 CD D5 15 B0 06 8D D5 15 20 F4 8A A9 00 60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 A9 40 2C 0F 16 F0 0F A9 08 24 36 F0 09 AD 13 16 29 F0 C9 30 D0 03 4C 65 E7 A9 01 2C F6 0A F0 01 60 4C 0F E7 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 55 F9 4C 00 55 FA 83 00 55 FB 0E 01 66 86 0F 01 06 53 0F 01 36 E9 0F 00 7F
This is what it should look like in the EEPROM if it is input correctly:
