Watch & Learn: How to Clone a Module with TOPDON Tools
“How do I clone a module?” is a common question we receive at TOPDON. Increasingly, technicians encounter repairs when it’s necessary to copy data and software from an old control unit to a new one. For example, you may find that a damaged module may need to be replaced, or discovered an update made by the car manufacturer. It’s also important to make the appropriate updates when a customer requests custom modifications to their vehicle.
While it may seem to be an intimidating process, with the right training, every technician can learn the ins-and-outs of cloning a module. At the TOPDON USA YouTube channel, National Training and Development Manager Haakan Light walks you through the process in the video Module Cloning Training from TOPDON. Every cloning operation has its own details, but this video is a perfect guide to module cloning using a 2010 Audi A4 as an example. The CVT transmission was being replaced, so technicians needed to clone the original module so the car would properly operate following the installation of the new transmission and module.
As Light explains in the video, the first step to module cloning involves having the proper tools. All TOPDON Phoenix Professional Series diagnostic tools are capable of cloning functions. Technicians will also need a T-Ninja Box accessory kit used in conjunction with their Phoenix tool. “When you order your T-Ninja Box, you will get a nice blow-molded plastic case with a number of accessories inside which you can use specifically for Eprom module cloning as well as key cloning and programming,” Haakan explains.
Finally, module cloning requires a steady power supply, as provided by Professional Series battery chargers by TOPDON, such as the Tornado30000, Tornado90000, and Tornado120000. “Standard battery chargers do not provide steady voltage. Steady voltage is a requirement for module programming and cloning operations,” Light notes in the video.
Light gives an overview of the module cloning process step-by-step, including operations to undertake before executing the cloning process, such as pre-scanning the module and making sure there are no communication faults. All the essential steps are covered, with video of what the module cloning process looks like on the scan tool.
You can also check out TOPDON’s training playlist on YouTube for additional examples of how to clone specific modules, along with many other videos on how to use and get the most from your TOPDON tools.