VCDS "No Response From Controller" for Immobilizer and Instruments

[peter]

I have a 2002 A6, 2.7t quattro with manual transmission. Been working on it for a while and finally got it put back together last night with K04's and piggy pipes and a stage 3 clutch and a New Battery. It will fire up, but die right away. I scanned it with my VCDS and I am getting "No Response From Controller" for Immobilizer and Instruments. Checked the Ross-Tech wiki on the immobilizer, that seems to only provide information on the key programming. I only have one key for this car and it locks and unlocks fine. Previous experience with VCDS and "No Response From Controller" usually means it's a bad or bricked control module (at least that's the case with ABS and Engine modules).

So..... anyone out there know if this is a bad unit? Or a bricked unit? and how on earth do I unbrick it? Please help me as this is my only car. thank you in advance...

[Scotty@Advanced]

Is the little key illuminated on the cluster? do you have the correct cluster in the car?

[peter]

Thanks for the fast response Scotty.

As far as I know it's the original cluster (got it used for a good price, knowing I would have to change the clutch and turbos). I'm pretty familiar with these cars, this is my third MT 2.7t a6, but I've also had 2 s4's, 2 a4's and several VW products. I'm pretty sure it was a dead battery about 6 months ago that started the immobilizer problem...

No key is illuminated on the cluster.

[rollerton]

There's really no immobiliZer module in the C5, it's kind of a virtual module or a place holder or something.
Sometimes you can connect to it, but just to view configuration, there are no settings or anything.
The adaptations for the Immo are done mostly at the (17) cluster and the Engine module.
So, for immo problems focus mostly on the cluster- but it'd be worth noting what the engine
Module is reporting- since start authorization comes from the cluster to the engine.
Does the cluster power up and everything seems to function normally?

I'd try unplugging the cluster and re-seating the connectors securely. Make sure the battery is fully charged etc.
Cluster don't just die out of the blue usually, but it's possible.

[peter]

Thanks rollerton. Dash is definitely not working correctly. I didn't notice it earlier today because I kept seeing all of the "usual" lights on the dash, but dash itself isn't lighting up and no reading from fuel, voltage, mileage, etc.

Already checked fuses, took dash out and looked for bad connections, broken pins, cleaned and reassembled. All connectors look good. Codes in engine module are
P1650 missing message from instrument cluster and
P1570 Engine start blocked by immobilizer

As a side note, there is an intermittent buzzing that sounds like it is coming from the dash.

[julex]

It is obvious that you cluster is not getting part of its power. Cluster has a few fuses, it shares some with radio etc. It sounds like the buzzing is some relay that might be the culprit.

[peter]

Thanks julex. I took off the cluster to clean it and double check the connections. Everything appears ok, didn't see any bad solders or loose wires. I did notice fuse #43 for the radio is missing from the fuse panel, and upon further inspection, the connectors that would hold that fuse in are missing too. Radio is also a "No Response From Controller", it will turn on but gives me SAFE code. But prior to all of the work I've done on this car, it was running strong (with the exception of a bad clutch and turbos lol).

Any thoughts on bypassing, overriding, or deleting the immobilizer? I'm running out of options and NEED my car to take me out of state in the very near future. Also, does anyone know if these can be rebuilt/repaired? From all I've read it looks like I can put a cluster from a similar A6 or Allroad but may have more immobilizer problems with whatever else I pick up, and while I do have the 14 digit immobilizer ID, I don't know how to get the PIN from either my existing cluster or a new one (since the immo and instruments aren't communicating).

Otherwise I'm back to ............ ..................

[rollerton]

To retrieve your current PIN:
https://sites.google.com/site/imnuts/

If you can't communicate with the cluster at all I'm not sure having the PIN will really help? Find someone local who will let you swap your cluster with theirs for just a minute and then try and communicate with the (17) cluster. If you CAN, then it sounds like your cluster is probably hosed.
If you can't then...I don't know, could be the K-line? Maybe slide the radio out and pull the fuse from it to see if somehow it's fouling things up; since it's also having a problem.

Not communicating with the Immo ..I don't think means much...but it could.