Changing rear brakes - OBDeleven to retract EPB - not working

[audi-puck]

OK, super frustrating.....

2015 S4.

Reviewing Audi and VW board posts, Youtube videos & OBDeleven info for OBDeleven steps for retracting electric parking brake in order to replace rear pads and rotors. It appears all info is there to perform the task.

Purchase OBDeleven from ECStuning, register acct and connect to phone with it in S4. Can scans for codes (none), and walk thru all menus and features of ODBeleven. Go to EPB menu. I see the different functions listed (all good).

Go to Basic Settings.
with car running (or not), toggle EPB to release, then re-engage.
Then go to Basic Functions and select:
- Start Line Change
> Observe: (22) - Function Cancelled, marginal conditions have not been met

I pop open the hood
Connect battery charger (per some VW instructions...)

Same thing.

After 3+ weeks of trying to get OBDeleven support to reply, I finally get response that I need to purchase credits for the "one touch App" features to work ?!?!?

No info on how many or how much ??

Does this sound right ??


ECStuning said it was good to go out of the box for this feature.

Help !!

thanks in advance.....


22 - Marginal cond not met.jpg

[Smac770]

The EPB in the B8.0 is a CAN protocol control module, and the basic settings are invoked by a channel number. 007 to release the EPB, 006 to resecure the EPB.
The EPB in the B8.5 is a UDS protocol control module, and the basic settings are invoked by action names, in a drop list. Same results, just different access process.

In either case, the actions are "basic settings". Same doing the headlamp level basic setting. Basic settings are not accessible in OBDeleven unless you have the PRO subscription. Same for "long coding" and "adaptations" (the battery change task, e.g., is to update an adaptation value).

Did you get the PRO purchase, or just the device? If you don't have direct access to "PRO" functions, you can indirectly access them with OBDeleven's one button apps. Which cost credits. Which you have to buy. There's not even a one button app for doing the battery change, not sure about the headlamp level basic setting.

All of this is the same as it's always been with OBDeleven, except that the PRO license long ago was a one time $30 purchase, and now it is a $54 annual subscription. 5 credits is basically a dollar.

[SwankPeRFection]

Exact silly reasons why I always suggest people just buy VagCom if they’re going to own a VW group car and do work on it. None of this silly ass credit shit and you can use it on all your friends cars too to help them. And it’s also far superior in its scanning and coding capabilities.

[PenttisHSR]

Regarding retracting the pistons, I find it a whole lot easier just to just take off the motors and retract them manually, no need for VagCom or OBDeleven
Simply unbolt the motor from the back of the caliper (2 X Torx ).
Then there is a Torx in the centre to wind back the screw.
Then squeeze bacK the piston using the old pad as normal (no screwing)

Plenty of info on the internet, example here..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34G3qDPNldE

[Smac770]

"I find it a whole lot easier"

[audi-puck]

thanks for replies everyone...

I purchased OBDeleven - Pro. Yes, I have the pull down menu under Basic Settings shoing: Start Line Change (retract) and EndLine Change (close). But, these don't work. I get the (22) message.

Do I need to buy credits with Pro ??

thanks again.

[Smac770]

If you have Pro, you do not need to do anything with credits. You have direct access to the basic setting action.

What is your battery voltage? This has come up before with the B8.5 UDS EPB module, I feel. I think they had low battery voltage so the car was not permitting the action. The proper process is to hook up a battery charger anyway for the duration of the rear brake change.

Also, I assume the EPB is released? You can't do this with the EPB engaged. The process I recall, as I don't use EPB hardly ever, is ignition on, engage EPB, release EPB, perform basic setting to retract EPB.

[SwankPeRFection]

Make sure your engine isn’t running when you try to do this. It only requires ignition On, so key in and press once without foot on brake or press Start button once without foot on brake. Same for when you close them back up after you change out the pads and remount everything. Don’t start the engine. Once closed, then you can start it.

[audi-puck]

thanks again for replies.

Conflicting info in these relies wrt ignition on or off.

Here is what I have tried:

I have OBDeleven Pro.


Engine running and off (both ways...).
battery charger on ( for 20-25 mins - in case battery voltage was low). and off. Charger ON is NOT listed as step on OBDeleven process. I do see it listed on VW forum steps, BUT is this voltage measurement truly a step and has to be > xx volts, or is this just a recommended step ??
Hood open
Level ground
EPB ON (I haven't tried it with it off yet). Though instructions from OBDeleven and VW forums all state: ( engage EPB, disengage, re-engage, then retract via OBDeleven command).


thanks again !

[SwankPeRFection]

OMFG!!! Turn the parking brake off man! Jesus! How do you expect it to back off the brake calipers with EPB On?! Listen, it’s pretty simple. Turn ignition On WITHOUT engine running. You can’t talk to the modules without them being powered up and this is the only way they’ll have power. Make sure your parking brake is OFF. Then issue the command to back off the rear calipers for service. Then turn the ignition Off and work on the car. DO NOT issue command to put rear brakes back into normal until everything is back together again, NO EXCEPTIONS.

If your car is DSG and it’s in Park, you’re fine, it won’t roll on you. If you’re manual, put the shit in first if you’re worried about it rolling. There’s no reason to have the parking brake On when doing this because that’s the whole point behind this procedure… it back off the screw that IS the parking brake so that you can compress the calipers back to make room for the new pads.

[SwankPeRFection]

EPB ON (I haven't tried it with it off yet). Though instructions from OBDeleven and VW forums all state: ( engage EPB, disengage, re-engage, then retract via OBDeleven command).

I dunno where you got these instructions from, but they’re wrong. I seriously doubt it’s like this on other VW’s, it would be impossible for the car to retract the EPB with it engaged. I see it as a safety issue and the module simply will not respond to the request as it doesn’t know if the car will roll or not or whatever. With EPB disengaged, the module is free to back off the screw since the back caliper isn’t clamping down for any reason, so it presumes it’s safe to do so.

[sacandagaD]

I dunno where you got these instructions from, but they’re wrong. I seriously doubt it’s like this on other VW’s, it would be impossible for the car to retract the EPB with it engaged. I see it as a safety issue and the module simply will not respond to the request as it doesn’t know if the car will roll or not or whatever. With EPB disengaged, the module is free to back off the screw since the back caliper isn’t clamping down for any reason, so it presumes it’s safe to do so.

Definitely sound like OP has the instructions backward, where they tell you to "Cycle the EPB on and then OFF" before starting the procedure, and not the other way around.