VW Virtus Electrical Issues: Navigation & ECU Failures

As someone with a fair amount of experience working on VWs, I had a very similar software malfunction on my VW Passat 2018. The symptoms matched yours exactly, navigation failure and control module errors appeared out of nowhere. After some troubleshooting, it turned out the ECU problems were caused by a software bug in the control unit. The workshop performed a complete software reset and reprogramming of the control module, which resolved all electrical issues. The total repair cost was 240€. The technician explained these software malfunctions can occur after routine updates or sometimes spontaneously due to corrupted data in the ECU. A full reset and reprogram is often the most reliable fix. Before suggesting more specific solutions, could you share: Current mileage on your Virtus, Any recent software updates or maintenance, Exact error codes showing on the display, Whether other electrical systems are affected (lights, windows, etc.) This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced and whether a similar fix might work for you.

Thanks for the detailed response. My Virtus has 34364km on the odometer and had its last service 2 months ago. The onboard diagnostics shows error code P0601, which apparently relates to the control module. The power windows and exterior lights work fine, but the climate control system has also started acting erratically along with the navigation issues. Your experience with the software reset solution sounds promising, especially since my symptoms are nearly identical. Will call the workshop to check if they can perform a full control unit reprogramming.

Thanks for the additional details about your Virtus. The P0601 code definitely points to control module issues, just like I experienced. The climate control problems along with navigation failures strengthen my initial suspicion about the software bug in the ECU. When my Passat had these issues, the workshop found corrupted data blocks in the control unit affecting multiple systems. The timing after your recent service is interesting, sometimes ECU problems can emerge after routine maintenance if the software update process gets interrupted. The full software reset and ECU reprogramming took about 2 hours in my case. Make sure the workshop has the latest software version for your specific control module, there was a software update released that specifically addressed these electrical malfunctions. The fact your power windows and lights still work is actually a good sign. It suggests the core control unit is still partially functional, similar to what I experienced. The repair should be straightforward for any workshop with VW diagnostic equipment. Keep us posted on what the workshop finds. Based on my case, this should be resolved with a proper software update to the control module.

I really appreciate all the insights, especially about the software reset fixing similar issues. Just got off the phone with my regular workshop and they confirmed they can do the control unit reprogramming tomorrow. They mentioned having the latest vehicle software version that should address these electrical malfunctions. The workshop quoted 280€ for the complete software update and ECU recalibration, which seems reasonable based on the costs shared here. They estimated about 2-3 hours for the full procedure. Will definitely update once the repair is done, but feeling more confident now that this is a known issue with a clear fix. The matching symptoms with your Passat case and the timing after my recent service makes a lot of sense regarding potential software corruption during maintenance.