Vehicle Diagnostic Software

[Jimmyd]

Any of you guys any experience with vehicle diagnostic software? Is the stuff off ebay of any use? I'm thinking of the general fault code reading and resetting. It would be handy of multi makes and models but also looking at this, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Diagnostic-Cable-car-coding-Software-/170709866422?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item27bf19d7b6

[skov]

I got a cheapo one off ebay for a tenner or so.
Looks like this one, but I'm not 100% sure if it's the same one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIAG-ScanTool-Interface-CAN-BUS-ODB-EODB-ODB2-Scanner-/140598843030?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item20bc581696

It's worked fine on the few cars I've plugged it into (Hyundai Accent, Alfa 147, and a Rover 75), and has allowed me to view/reset fault codes, and see live data from various sensors (O2, MAF, temp, RPM, etc...).

[twinturbo]

Most of them work, but usualy only for the engine codes. Body codes and othe sub modules usualy don't get read.

Despite the fact that OBD-2 is supposed to be a standard, it comes in all sorts of incompatible variants KPWR, ISO, CAN, etc....

A lot of the cheap leads are like budget DVD players compared to a £300 sony. The budget one does everything but not necesarily well.

The Blue USB one is common, I have one for running VAG-COM on my galaxy, but I also have a £150 (well it was when it was new) vehicle-explorer cable. These two combined have not failed me so far on an OBD-2 car.


I don't have a hand held scanner, should really buy one! And unless you want live data then it's possibly the best route.

You could also look at "Torque" for android phones and use that with a bluetooth OBD-2 adapter. It's quite cool.

TT

[Davey]

Vehicle diagnostics software is a minefield. In theory if you have a petrol engined, European marketed car built after '96 then you can buy any cheapo scanner ad read codes, clear faults etc. The reality is that while it will often do some things it will rarely do much more than read generic engine codes. I have one I bought a few years ago and it has helped, I also have the bluetooth interface and "torque" on my android phone. A lot depends on what car you're dealing with and what issues you need to handle. Most of the cheap ones won't be able to reset airbags for example.

D.

[robo]

We were toying with with the idea of buying a diagnostic set up but were put off the idea by the guy that does our stuff mobile. He has got about 20k tied up in his set up with a yearly subscription fee on top of that, without the top up he reckons he would be out of date in no time. I would still like a decent code reader but cant see a 20/50 quid unit being much cop.

Bob

[Davey]

http://www.memoscan.cn/en/showproducts.asp?Cid=10
Hi Rob, this is the one I have, it can be had for around £50 or so off evilbay and it works fairly well for generic stuff. Unfortunately most of my work is on diesel light commercials and they didn't adopt the OBD II standard until recently. It has saved my bacon on a couple of important occasions, like when I inadvertently switched the ignition on while the throttle pedal was disconnected on a 2010 Ducato camper. This threw a major fault up and even after the pedal was reconnected it wouldn't respond till I had cleared the fault code. For £55 quid or so its worth having just for the one time it gets you out of the soft and sticky.

D.

[baz-r]

my experince is there is a market awash with cheap chiniese clones of almost any kind with hacked software (laptop ones) and as everyone has said basic obd2 stuff for basic engine codes. i even have a obd2 program that can calculate a bhp graph from a some data added to it like tyre size, cars mass and it works out gear ratios to work out if it has more or less power but i would take it with a pinch of salt
all the car makers add a thing called extended obd for thair own systems used eg abs airbags and so on. there is a few good ones for each make or group but no one fits all thing sadly

[flyerncle]

Got to agree with Bob,unless you want to make a living with diagnostics a cheap little code reader will help with minor eml faults,most software driven readers a specific to one vehicle range and not much help on general OBD,as TT mentioned VagCom or VCDS as it is known now is excellent for VAG cars and updateable for free with the pro version.

We have Launch,Solus and VagCom and updating is a fortune ranging from £400 to £600 per year with the exception of VagCom.