Hi, i am having trouble getting MES to connect to my ECU.
It keeps saying 'Timed out'.

Car is mk2b 1.2 8v and laptop is running windows 7

I have changed the settings to OBDII Link and I have specified the port.

It has one red LED on when I plug it into the laptop. Other lights flash then go out when I plug it into the port on the fusebox.

It just doesn't want to connect. Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

This is the cable i have:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150852545917?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

Thanks in advance

Did you get a driver cd with the cable? Are the drivers installed correctly?

latency too high?

I set the latency to '1' as described in the user guide.

There was no driver cd with the lead but windows installed a driver when I plugged into the laptop.

Driver properties are as follows:

Provider : FTDI
Date : 10/04/12
Version: 2.8.24.0
Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher

Is it Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit?

First port of call would be to try them from here instead of Windows Update:-

http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

It say's it's the same version but it's worth trying.

ChrisUK said:

Is it Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit?

First port of call would be to try them from here instead of Windows Update:-

http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

It say's it's the same version but it's worth trying.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll give it a try when I can get back on (its a shared laptop), probably tomorrow.

Nothing else I could have overlooked?
Have I picked the right setting for that cable?

Ignition key position perhaps ....my elm only works in 2 or 3

atom0007 said:

Ignition key position perhaps ....my elm only works in 2 or 3

Click to expand...

No, the engine was running. Hopefully I'll get to the bottom of it tomorrow

Still having no luck with this:bang: Checked the settings in MES and scanned for the cable, so it changed the cable setting to ELM327 and the speed to 38400bps.

So I clicked test and it all came back 'OK' like so


If I try to connect it gives me this error


When I click simulate it gives me this


And the Advanced settings for the cable via Device Manager


Is there something I'm doing wrong?
The cable is OBDII but MES changed the settings to ELM327. Do I have the wrong cable?

I'll feel pretty embarassed if its the latter.

Any help appreciated

edit: Forgot to mention that I downloaded the cable driver from the link provided. Disconnected from the net, uninstalled the driver and then installed the downloaded driver, but no change

cable is right i have same one

try outside uk version?

Are you 100% sure the cable isn't faulty ?

Cable is ok, you can see the elm commands being issued on self test screen, and the responses.

I would guess that the settings loaded when you click on "punto 03"are incompatible with your ecu. After all, these are just lookups to a list of e.g. Baud rate.

Try going into manual mode if you can and issuing a basic command. If nothing, try changing the elm baud rate, not the serial baud rate.

To be clear


Elm327 is a chip that supports various protocols. When you select car type, the software will be configuring the elm327 into various states.

Changing the port settings on windows is a red herring, this only controls the comms between the laptop and the ftdi chip, which in turn taks to the elm327.

All the ecu scan software does is configure the elm, and translate elm commands into more intelligible stuff, as well as mapping dtcs to readable texts etc

AndyRKett said:

Are you 100% sure the cable isn't faulty ?

Click to expand...

Yes, not 100% sure my brain isn't faulty though....

Managed to work it after thoroughly reading the instuction manual

Sorry to have wasted people's time