Let's talk blue tooth code readers for phones

[signcrafter]

I've seen these mentioned many times but don't have any experience with them. Is there one that can do bidirectional controls? Live data? Vehicle specific codes? ABS codes?

Or are they just a basic code reader? Anyone have a specific one they would recommend? What else is there to know about these things? Do you just use the torque app I can download onto my droid phone or is there better software you can get?

 

[DieselSaves]

I don't have any experience with any of them but I do see that Launch makes adapters for iPhones and pads to, I believe, do everything. The Launch Pad looks like a windows based tablet with a super duty case and some extra adapters and a steep price tag.

 

[skamp]

I've seen these mentioned many times but don't have any experience with them. Is there one that can do bidirectional controls? Live data? Vehicle specific codes? ABS codes?

Or are they just a basic code reader? Anyone have a specific one they would recommend? What else is there to know about these things? Do you just use the torque app I can download onto my droid phone or is there better software you can get?

If you have an android phone, torque is a great app.

Steve

 

[signcrafter]

If you have an android phone, torque is a great app.

Steve

What would I need to make torque work? Just any adapter?

Does torque do live data and bi directional control?

 

[ChevyEFI]

What would I need to make torque work? Just any adapter?

Does torque do live data and bi directional control?

Yes.

Don't know.

I have this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[beamrider]

Torque does live data, check it out if you get the chance. For the price, it's a neat and useful tool.

 

[Cyclones6]

Ive always though about getting a cheap tablet with bluetooth and app capability to download Torque and pair it with one of the amazon scan things. Just an idea.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[Rakoprtr]

Depends on the program ur running with it I have a elm 327 china knock off and forscan (mostly work in ford) and it does live data abd even will bleed abs it's like a knock off ids system but I'm not sure of other more universal programs

 

[signcrafter]

Torque does live data, check it out if you get the chance. For the price, it's a neat and useful tool.

I've heard a lot of good things about torque. So these will do live data and manufacturer specific codes. In the live data do they do things like fuel trims?

Do they do any KOEO or KOER tests that the better scan tools do?

 

[signcrafter]

Depends on the program ur running with it I have a elm 327 china knock off and forscan (mostly work in ford) and it does live data abd even will bleed abs it's like a knock off ids system but I'm not sure of other more universal programs

I would love to find one that will bleed ABS! So forscan is the software and works with fords? Do they make other software for other manufacturers?

 

[devoncoolman]

They do not do bi-directional controls. You need a real scan tool for that. Some you need the factory scan tool to do all the bi-directional controls. Most of the bluetooth scaners i belive dont do abs either.

 

[Rakoprtr]

I would love to find one that will bleed ABS! So forscan is the software and works with fords? Do they make other software for other manufacturers?

Not that I know of then again I haven't really looked I heard torque is good but haven't tried it I can tell u for free forscan gets pretty close to a factory scan tool if u know what ur doing

 

[devoncoolman]

The ids is the only way to go for fords.

 

[Rakoprtr]

The ids is the only way to go for fords.

It is but for garage Joe free ain't a bad price I am lookin at getting ids soon as soon as my wallet and wife want to agree with me I hate chasing down the one computer in the shop

 

[signcrafter]

Seems to be some conflicting info on weather they can do bi directional and bleed ABS or not?

Basically I'm trying to figure out if they are better then my cheap code reader I have now, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVWDAK/?tag=atomicindus08-20. If it does live data and some bi directional controls then it looks like a cheap way to get a decent scan tool. I can't afford any of the good stuff so would be great if this could do some of the stuff the good scanners can for the price it is.

 

[CDD]

Do they make other software for other manufacturers?

Yes and just to name a few.

Toyota = Toyota Techstream

Ford = FORScan (Ford, Mazda, Lincoln and Mercury) and compatible with ELM327

Honda = HDS ( Honda Diagnostic System )


For the ability to do bi-directional I think you will need a specialized tool.

 

[dogmir]

I have this adapter http://www.amazon.com/Newest-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Adapter/dp/B009F4JHHO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387639472&sr=8-2&keywords=odb2+bluetooth

I purchased Torque Pro as well as Car Gauge Pro. They both have some crossover, but Car Gauge Pro had Ford specific pids so for an extra $5 I said the hell with it and bought them both. So I have $20 in my scanning setup and it out performs any handheld scanner I am aware of. It will pull abs, airbag codes, standard fault codes, etc.

The real magic is you get all of that, plus everything coming live over the can bus from the ecu. You can actually log that info with gps data embedded. So you know exactly where you had the issue, which can sometimes be helpful. It can even tell you what % ethanol you are burning, and do an emissions test. Plus 100s of other very detailed pieces of live data.

Well worth as far as I am concerned. It is cheap, tiny, and more powerful than I will mostly like ever need.


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

 

[signcrafter]

Alright, just so I"m totally clear on this. I can get pretty much any bluetooth adapter to plug into my OBDII port and then just use whatever software? Sorry I'm a little slow when it comes to some of this stuff!

I will buy an adapter and then get the torque app for now since I've read nothing but good about that. Then look into some more vehicle specific software if needed.

Seems like for the price these are the way to go unless you get into the big dollar scanners.

 

[netcaretaker]

Alright, just so I"m totally clear on this. I can get pretty much any bluetooth adapter to plug into my OBDII port and then just use whatever software? Sorry I'm a little slow when it comes to some of this stuff!

I will buy an adapter and then get the torque app for now since I've read nothing but good about that. Then look into some more vehicle specific software if needed.

Seems like for the price these are the way to go unless you get into the big dollar scanners.

No, you cannot buy any bluetooth adapter - you have to get one that will work with the software and the phone that you own - if it is android is will most likely be torque. So, look for the reviews on amazon or on the Torque site to make sure that whatever you are buying works with the software.

So, what I got that works well with torque is this bluetooth ODB II
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I KNOW that one will work with android and torque I used it this week, I ordered it 2 weeks ago and it has been flawless. On my car I have vendor codes that it does not know (Smart Car), but links to a web site that explains the codes for you. I used it to reset a fault and have been playing with the real time stuff for fun, it could be scary to play with when you are driving, i do not suggest that

You can also save all the files and codes, upload them to web servers, email them to yourself, change the look and feel, background, it works very well.

IF you have an iPhone this bluetooth OBD II adapter will not work and the software will be something else, I looked quickly and could not find if you had that OS or not.

So - Android - Torque with the OBDII link in this reply

iPhone/iOS - I do not know what software is the best, look on iTunes and make sure the OBDII works with that software.

Hope that helps....

 

[jhall0712]

I have a jailbroken iphone 5 and use torque app and a bluetooth ELM327 adapter just fine. Key there is the jailbreak though.

 

[signcrafter]

My phone is a droid so will start out with the torque app and play with that.

Thanks for all the help with this. I have a cheaper code reader I linked to above but I don't think it does any manufacturer specific codes and also doesn't do live data so I guess for a few bucks on a bluetooth thingy and some software it will be nice for live data.