Cascade German Parts, Inc. — Local services in Gresham

Gentlemen: I contacted you regarding a used replacement ECU for a 2002 VW Jetta TDI, manual transmission, that I purchased in September of 2021. Due to health issues with my wife, I have only recently been able to install the unit in the Jetta within the last month, January 2022. The “immobilizer deleted” unit performed as advertised with the exception of a passenger side airbag warning light and error code, 01222 – Crash Sensor Side Airbag; Passenger Side (G180). On January 22 I connected the Ross-Tech dongle to the OBD-II port and ran an overall analysis of the various systems in the Jetta. Engine fault codes included 18020 – Engine Control Module Incorrectly Coded (P1612) and 18034 – Powertrain Data Bus (P1626). Another code was 01777 – Engine Control Unit 64-10 – Not Currently Testable – Intermittent. No other fault codes were evident in this run. After attempting to delete the Airbag fault code, I started the car and it ran fine, but it displayed a flashing glow plug warning light after about 15 seconds of run time, followed by a check engine light that was probably spawned by the glow plug warning. Other attempts to delete these error codes proved fruitless. Since I’m not a computer technician, I’m not sure if any of these codes were stored from the ECU’s donor car. During my troubleshooting of the flickering instrument panel lights and the inability to start the car on a regular basis I noted that the negative cable and connection to the battery terminal was hot to the touch. I supposed that there was excessive resistance in the ground, but all of the ground points and terminals have been corrosion free and have been disassembled, cleaned and reassembled several times. I also ran continuity checks of the primary ground cables and found no resistance. Also, all of the fuses had been checked for voltage and continuity. Eventually, I found that the threads on the negative battery cable pinch clamp were galled near the bottom of the clamp threads that made the clamp feel tight, but it was not soundly secured to the battery terminal. Replacement of the cable pinch bolt provided a secure connection to the battery and eliminated the no start problem. I called and spoke to both Matt and Aaron at Cascade German on Thursday, February 2, and explained my dilemma and asked them if they still had my original ECU laying around the shop. After speaking with Matt and then Aaron they found my ECU and offered to ship it back to me at no charge. I explained that I wasn’t looking for a free lunch for my diagnostic error(s) and that I would purchase the unit back from them and pay for shipping. The said that it wouldn’t be necessary. My original ECU showed up via FEDEX on my doorstep at about 10:30 AM on Saturday, February 4, in Reno, Nevada. My only complaint about Cascade German is that they are based in Gresham, Oregon and not Reno. In closing I offer many thank to Matt and Aaron for running an honest and first class business and for going above and beyond the call of duty regarding...

Outstanding! I bought my B5.5 TDI wagon knowing that the tiptronic transmission would soon need rebuilt or replaced. When it finally crapped out, I got a few quotes for a rebuild. I also went on Cascade German's web site and saw that they had two available manual swap kits for my car, that I could purchase and have installed for pretty much the same price as the tiptronic rebuild. The kit came with a BRAND NEW (old stock, not rebuilt) 5 speed transmission that is specific to the torque requirements of the TDI. These transmissions had to be imported as the B5.5 TDI was never sold as a manual in the US. I had many questions, so I called and was fortunate enough to have the call answered by Aaron, the owner of Cascade German. He was very patient in answering all of my questions, and I was sold. I can't lie, I've had some extremely dissatisfactory experiences with the shops I've had work on this car since I bought it, so I asked Aaron if he could recommend someone to perform the swap. He set me up with a genius who more than outperformed my expectations. Once the swap was complete, he returned my car to Cascade German so they could install the Malone Stage 2 tune (which was also included with the kit). There was an issue with the tune, and Cascade had to spend a little extra time to figure it out and make everything work right, which they cheerfully did. I LOVE my car again, and Cascade German deserves much of the credit for that. Their professionalism and customer service are second to none, and they have more than earned my loyalty as a customer. Thanks...

I’ve know Aaron for a long time through mutual VW and TDI groups and have met him several times at various get togethers over the years. When I started to look into getting a little performance upgrade for my TDI Touareg I contacted Aaron and made arrangements to drive down from Victoria BC Canada to have my vehicle tuned at Cascade. It was an excuse to make a trip down and make a mini vacation out of it since it had been over 10 years since I’d been to Portland.

The level of customer service Aaron and his crew put out is unmatched! As he was showing me around their facilities, and setting up my tune, he was fielding calls and solving problems and dealing with customer and the entire time his demeanor remained professional and calm and he never missed a step! And this happened to be while he was preparing for Cascade’s traditional summer bbq event the next day!

As a member of many VW and TDI groups online, I never hesitate to refer people to Cascade German Parts for their needs, from oil change kits to timing belt kits to specialized tools or parts, they’re the one-stop shop for your European...