All modern cars produced since the beginning of 2000 are equipped with a connector for connecting diagnostic tools. Unit status data can be read in real time. This saves time for technical service workers who, without opening the hood, can find out about the causes of the malfunction. Such diagnostic tools used to be quite expensive and were used only in large authorized services. But with the advent of cheap personal computers and mobile devices, everything has changed – you can independently diagnose a car with an iPhone.
Connector
It is enough to purchase an OBDII diagnostic connector and even with the help of iPhone you can find out about the condition of your car. We already reviewed similar devices a couple of years ago. But the other day I looked at gearbest.com in the car accessories section and was surprised at the prices. The price of the device has now become less than the cost of diagnostic services in a car service. So an OBDII scanner is offered there from $ 6 with free shipping. Let's try to figure out what you can get for this money …
The cheapest option I've found on the site is the Super Mini ELM 327 Bluetooth for $ 5.99, marked FREE SHIPPING and promising to ship within 3-4 days. Other sellers can find the same but more expensive. The difference will be only in the price and the box, because the main microcircuit for all such devices is the same.
There are options with WI-FI connection – Jtron OBD2 OBD – II WiFi Auto Car Diagnostic, but in my experience, it is less convenient. You need to create a special network connection by setting a static IP address in the phone settings. It seems to me that WI-FI is better left for the Internet.
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The device is connected to the ODB2 diagnostic connector, which is usually located in the passenger compartment, next to the steering column. After that, the connector through Bluetooth transfers data to a computer, tablet or smartphone. In the case of using a computer, the package includes a disc with software. For iOS devices, the required applications can be installed from Ijuice. If you just need to check for errors in the engine, then almost any program will do.
DashCommand
The most powerful program for car diagnostics on iPhone was and still is DashCommand. Once it was sold for $ 50, and now it is available for 599 rubles. However, the same amount will need to be paid for work with your car brand, for a more accurate determination of the parameters.
In the application you can see all the engine parameters that are transmitted via OBD. Most of them are unlikely to be useful for a simple motorist, this is more information for specialists. But how the car behaves in dynamics is displayed here very clearly. Having driven the route in different modes, you can see how the engine and gearbox worked at each moment of time. DashCommand allows you to write events and engine parameters to a log file, which can then be analyzed on a computer.
The program even has the ability to reset engine errors.
EOBD Facile
A simpler application for diagnosing a car on an iPhone is EOBD Facile. The application reads error codes and can display some engine readings. Not as much as DashCommand, but not bad either. These are data on speed, rpm, coolant temperature, incoming air flow. All these data can also be written to a log file with the inclusion of GPS coordinates for further analysis on a computer.
Thus, if you have the time and desire to do your own car, then this is a good way to find out what is going on under the hood. The main thing is that the arms grow from the right place.