OBD II Scanner

The most basic is a ten buck bluetooth thingie off Ebay with free software such as Torque Pro on your phone - this set-up even enable you to clear basic error codes

Having said that I suspect this is a fairly regular question with many different replies ! Did you find any other recommendations ?

 

Dude I am soooo cheap. I bought this one.

Amazon.com: Autel MaxiScan MS300 CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII Vehicles: Automotive

If you can get the more advanced version go for it... but this will give you any codes.

 

If you were really cheap, you'd just drive to Autozone and use theirs for free!

 

Here is my rundown from a previous post: OBD 2 Reader
Autel makes some full featured products. By my comparison, it looks like the Autel AL519 is the way to go for that brand (right now).

Autel AL519:
List $160
Amazon: $90

Innova 3130: (3130,3140,3160 all graph, the 3150 does not)
Retail: $350
Amazon: $169

Innova 3160:
Retail: $459
Amazon: $179

If I was to buy a new one today, I would likely get the Autel, assuming it works as well as the Innova 3130 which has been a priceless tool in my automotive tool box.

Comparison Chart: *A little outdated, only has the AL510
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http://www.autel.us/downloads/Tool%2...n%20chart6.pdf

 

BTDT.

 

They stopped loaning out free scanners a couple of years ago (at least here).

 

Well, if you are at the store, they should still allow you to use it for free....Autozone, Advance Auto, O'Reillys, and even NAPA I think all carries one and is free for your use at the store.

 

Here are a couple....they all interface with the Torque Pro program.....

I have this one but it is a little bigger....all these ones listed interface wirelessly via bluetooth

BAFX Products (TM) - PIC18F2480 Bluetooth OBD2 scan tool - For check engine light and other diagnostics - Android compatible : Amazon.com : Automotive

Don't have this one....

Super Mini Small ELM327 V1 5 OBD2 OBDII Bluetooth Adapter Scanner Torque Android | eBay



I actually have this one....

Comes with some PC software: Autotalky

OBD-MX adapter. It costs a little more but it is the smallest OBD Bluetooth reader you can get and it has auto-shutoff so it won't drain your battery. It also comes with it's own software to load on a laptop or android phone or tablet but also uses Torque-Pro for better customizable display
ScanTool.net LLC - OBDLink MX Scan Tool | OBD Interface | App Accelerator - ScanTool.net

 

Especially if they get a chance to sit in your car!

I got the Innova 3160 because like Trent said it graphs the data. And you can view the data on your laptop. Only thing is that it can only plot 4 parameters at a time (usually enough) but also you canlt export it to EXCEL to play with the data. Don't ask me why I want or need to do that, I just do.

 

got mine from harbor freight works great and was under 100

 

Innova 3150 has worked very well for me. Had it for about five years now. Don't remember the price though.

 

You can also get the OBD adapters with usb so you could connect to an Apple laptop with windows emulator software to run torque pro

Or if you get the fifteen buck unit when there's a code you can't figure out you'll probably ask here anyway or maybe google it yourself so it hardly seems worrying about the list being incomplete or only on pc

 

Yes I do and swear by it. Bought a lead on ebay for around £15 and use it on my iphone with Rev and Dashcommand. Both are pretyy much the same as Torque for android although I don't know how much they are as my phone is jailbroken so they were gratis for me. Make sure you get a wifi lead and not a bluetooth one by the way, as the connection is a lot faster.

The apps do everything a proper reader car do and you can just leave it in your car without worry. Do watch though that it is reading both ecu's which can sometimes take a few mins but this is the car causing the delay rather than the reader.

 

spend a little extra and get a unit that displays real time data while the car is running....nice for checking o2 sensors, etc that should function certain ways and the only way to diagnose some things are the real time data units. Mine just reads and clears codes but I am presently trying to figure a toyota code issue and can't determine which o2 sensor is the issue without the real time unit....thinking of getting one today actually...I have seen threads on this....hmmm...I'll look around if I get time.

 

^^ the apps you can get for android and iphone do all this as well. Maf sensors, o2, fuel trims, temps, batt voltage etc. all in real time. In fact they are better to use than a standard odb as you can customise displays to for example show revs, mafs and o2 on one screen for instance and have it displayed wirelessly as you are driving.

 

Jailbroken iPhones can use these Bluetooth devices, sure, but you may as well just give us all your SSN, CC, DOB, Bank logons, etc. Because once you jailbreak they are all fair game. Good luck with that!

 

PLX II works great. You can get a wifi or Bluetooth variant. Great free apps.

 

sweet! I'll look into doing that...

 

Can you please give us the name of the hardware and software for purchase? thanks a lot. regards-e

 

I'm missing something here : the software is clearly named as is half the hardware - there is a clue to the other half too 'Ebay' - try 'code reader wifi '