[fossil01]

I see the RAC is going to be marching out a 'matchbox device' for finding faults on vehicles

.Seems that this might cost RAC Members less than £10 pcm, as it will be added onto their existing membership/rescue fee.
Interesting, as it will be similar to that used by manufacturers, for fault diagnostics, and should give the 'independant garages' a chance to earn a living!
I wonder, if you don't have any faults in any 12 month period, whether they [RAC], will offer a discount to members for a future period as good faith

.

 

[makem]

If you have an Android phone, buy the so called 'matchbox device' (OBD2) from Ebay for a one-off cost of a tenner and the app for less than £4. Then you have control.

If anybody buys the miniature one, tell me if you can still close the compartment with it in situ please.

It seems the RAC are out to make a buck (£120 quid!) from those who are not aware of what is available.

http://www.ccl-la.com/blog/index.php/review-torque-for-android-reads-obd-ii-engine-codes/

 

[Davis_Zadian]

Wow... I never knew you could do that... After seeing your prompt, I went off to see what else you could 'plug in' ... amazon has quite a few things, including the 'car 2 usb' lead..presumablyfor connecting the lead directly to a laptop.. (with the software installed)..

Take a look :http://www.amazon.co.uk/tag/obd2/products


Update:http://www.amazon.co.uk/WIFI-OBD2-Scanner-iPhone-Touch/dp/B005JRI5AQ
This would have been better, as you could poke about your cars issues when it's in the drive way, while you're nice and warm in the house... but they appear to be out of stock..


Edited by: Davis_Zadian

 

[makem]

What do you mean by '
car 2 usb' lead?

Do you mean a cigarette lighter to two usb adapter?

If so, they are only power outlets of course so cant power a laptop?

Edited by: makem

 

[Davis_Zadian]

apparentlyyou connect one end to the car in the usual way that RAC and all the rest of them want you to, and then connect the other end of the wire to your laptop..

<div style="text-align: center;">

 

[makem]

Sorry, I had a senior moment and thought you meant usb to power your laptop!

Yes you could connect a computer if you don't have an Android phone. The lead supplier appear to provide the software.

The OBD2 unit I showed is BT enabled and does not need a lead with a BT broacaster.

If you get hold of a copy of the software you could be soft and sit indoors with your computer LOL as you suggest while your car runs outside and is easily stolen!

You could do the same with an Android phone too.

I just bought a mini EiioX Mini ELM327 Interface V1.5 Bluetooth OBD-II & Car for £8.88 from Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0098T6FZ8/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I will buy the Android app. Torque Pro (OBD2 & Car) for £2.95. This is recommended and I have seen it working.

http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

Edited by: makem

 

[Davis_Zadian]

Ahhh engine needs to be on.. I thought it was a data log viewer, not live telemetry thing... I sit corrected

 

[makem]

I also may be wrong!!!!

As soon as it was plugged in I started the engine to read the real-time output. Maybe you can read the data with no engine. I have always assumed it must be running because all the data I am interested in is real-time and that is the advantage of being able to see the output when you change things. I will ask tonight.

snip>
See what your car is doing in realtime, get OBD fault codes, car performance, sensor data and more!
snip>


Edited by: makem

 

[fossil01]

Android

? I thought that was a robot of some sort

. Anyway, perhaps you could tell me what a phone has to do with a car engine

.
As for Apps - isn't that something to do with accomodation [as in Apartments?], I'm totally confused here

.
I would have thought that if the engine ain't working, then how could something plugged into it tell you what's broken

, but if you left it running outside, isn't there a spare key with the car that you could lock it with, while your on your settee??

WHY do you think I have a nickname that's used on this site

????????? Cus I'm not technically minded, that's WHY

, never have been, and probably never will be! At my age who gives a s**t.
See, people like me would pay for that gizmo from the RAC, as a 'just in case'. No, I'm not gulliable, just not technically savvie

!

 

[makem]

It takes all sorts to make a world

 

[Davis_Zadian]

think of Television. You have the studio -> Transmitter -> Television toreceivecontent.

In this case for this device, you have the studio (your car) -> Transmitter (RAC device) -> Android phone display (television). Your car outputs information though the RAC device, which is then readable on an android phone. You need a specific application (or app as the hip and groovy abbreviation has now been accepted as) on the phone in conjunction with the RAC device in order for them to talk to each other.


If the engine is broken, there are still error codes and date stamps stored by the car that can tell the engineer when it happened and what may have happened prior to the major failure. For example if the starter motor was starting to struggle, or if the car had missed it's service after X amount of miles...