[Closed] Recommend an engine code diagnosis reader.

Elm 327?

Connect to a smartphone to read and clear codes.

Go on amazon.

Yeah I picked up an ELM327 recently off of eBay

This one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331146001214 - £7 inc P&P

Connects to phone or PC via Bluetooth. Worked okay.

will that work with any car then? mate came round yesterday with his little laptop to read my octavias fault code and told me it was my left rear wheel speed sensor that wasnt working. i asked him about his kit and he told me it cost him £1200.

would that ELM327 have done the same thing??

As I understand it (I.e. Not well) it [i]should[/i] work on any OBD2 compliant car, which is most modern ones (there are lists you can check against).

A ELM327 base reader will read any code but it depends if the codes are standard PID http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBD-II_PIDs or manufacturer specific ones as to ig you can find out what that code means. To have access to the manufacture codes are what cost the money. Also recoding parts of the system require passwords e.t.c that you will not be able to access with a ELM327 based reader. E.g. Sometime you have to reprogram one ecu to talk to another ecu if you replace one of them. For this you need the manufactures reader and software.

Although more than just what a standard reader does this website interesting if you're into technical things and explains more

http://www.canbushack.com/.

The ELM should work for your Micra, more modern cars might have problems due to new CAN interfaces. If you want something futureproof I'd look at an OBDLink MX, will cost £100 from the states though (or £150 here)

Got one of these to clear the code telling me I have a coolant sensor fault, even though it's been replaced along with the water pump etc.

http://tinyurl.com/o6z9mul

Common fault code on my car so ignore it (at my peril)

Thanks for all the info. ELM327 now on order.

Codes for ABS are not covered under OBD2/EOBD they will read in the main only codes that are to do with engine and anything that effects the emissions. Just remember the fault code is at best an indication, it is not 100% that is what is wrong with your vehicle.

Also you can download programs that will read non standard codes.

I have iphone software for 90's BMW's. But the car doesn't have obd2 or eobd. Tried a converter cable but no luck.

I've read and cleared BMW E39's after 2001, Mondeo's air bag, misfires, Hyundai and Mercs.

Also cleared service lights after I've serviced a car.

Just read up on wifi obd address but the bluetooth is the easiest version.

Also you can download programs that will read non standard codes.

And then you can go on a wild Goose chase ...

All of the cheap ELM hardware is a clone/counterfeit. Look here:

[url= https://www.scantool.net/forum/index.php?topic=2379.0 ]Genuine ELM Interface[/url]

Marko

There may well be model specific software you can download, for example MultiECU works with most Italian cars and is free (apart from some later models which need the full version, like my MiTo but even then its only £30 or so).

Use itunes and never had a problem.

My elm was from amazon with a genuine chip.

I paid £7 and it has saved me hundreds.

iTunes will refund if there is dodgy software but I've never had to pay for a car app.

Clones aren't necessarily bad, I just got one for £7 off ebay and for the sake of reading and clearing codes it does the job fine.

I'd have loved to be able to afford a £100 OBDLink MAX but tbh I don't need one that good. Once the WIFI version comes out I'd look again as I like the lifetime firmware upgrades and protocol support and would look to having a car PC at some point to run live feeds into.

What ever you do ... Do not leave these things plugged into your car unattended , as marko alludes alot of them are fake and they may work.

But word of warning

When working on my mates saab before i got my tech 2 on the case , he had one of them cheap elms plugged into his car , went for dinner and came back to find the module was actually on fire in the socket. Under the steeringwheel, lucky he caught it before it did any major damage but enough to remember not to do it again .

I use a generic u340 and then a tech 2 for my gm cars and im on the look out for my own lexia interface for my peugeot ....the u340 is ok at picking up generic codes for the easy stuff but the tech 2 and lexia are car specific and much better than the generics at picking up the actual fault code rather than sending you on a parts chase....

OBDLink MX has a power saver which I'd imagine would go a long way to preventing that (they say it's good to leave in).

Good advice though!