Anyone using a smartphone (Android) OBDII reader and have any opinions on them?

I'm looking for something to go WAY beyond what my ScangaugeII can do. I want to read the deep/obscure codes and understand what they mean and clear them. I figure a Smartphone enabled tool would be better since the codes can be easily updated where a fixed tool might not provide as much coverage.

No problems right now, just looking to the future and being able to deal with things either myself or know what I'm talking about when I take it to the dealer.

Thanks in advance.

Torque Pro. Not much it won't tell you.

I'm using iOS, but I've been using OBDFusion. If you use get the Carista OBD adapter, you can use it with OBD Fusion for reading codes and setting up gauges, and Carista to program a lot of settings that normally require the dealer to use Techstream to program.

I bought a Scantool OBDII for Android about 1.5yrs ago. I use Torque Pro with it. I have found it's abilities are fully dependent on the vehicle its connected too. Some vehicles display different info. It is normally connected to my Dodge Diesel. My Dodge diesel dash has a bad RPM indicator. It's more trouble than its worth to repair. When towing I prefer to know the exact RPM(manual transmission). I use a spare smartphone as the RPM display. The same spare smartphone is no longer connected to my main Google account. I use the spare smartphone if I need to connect to unsecured wifi.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...rch_detailpage

Torque pro and some elm327 dongle I got off Amazon or ebay.

Dash Command is another option for iOS...

My only gripe is that the dongle I have is WiFi, and stays on when the truck is off, requiring me to choose my home network when I get home.

Ditto here for Torque pro and ebay elm327. I have never had a problem with it what so ever. Many said it has an inferior refresh rate to better readers, but I have never found it to be a problem for speedo or RMPs and can't really imagine anything I would need to read more times per second.

Check out the thread on extended PIDs to get the most out of it.

Thanks for the input everyone.

I've decided to get Torque Pro and use a Vgate Bluetooth Scan Tool for the OBDII interface (it's advertised as being 100% compatible with Torque Pro).

OK, after playing with Torque Pro for a little while I decided it wasn't what I wanted. After researching (searching on google play) I downloaded Carista OBD2 and found it had many features I liked, including the ability to set programmable features.

After faking a failure that Torque Pro couldn't find (I disconnected the battery, disconnected an air bag, reconnected the battery without the air bag) , Clarista found the error but wouldn't give me details. It offered a pay-2-play upgrade for $19.95 which I went with. Then the code's details where opened. There appears to be secondary info on the error code that Clarista still didn't report, just the primary code (B1865). I think the secondary info might have isolated to the exact air bag or type of air bag failure detected but don't know for sure.

Combined with the ability to set programmable features and reading deep codes, the pay version of Clarista is the way to go for me.

I suggest those using other smartphone OBDII apps check it out, at least the free version. Sorry iPhone users, I don't know if there's a version for you.

Hope this helps others looking for a tool to help fix, maintain, tweak their 4R.

Not to hijack your thread but what's a good reader that works with an iPad (iOS)?

I don't know who makes the best IOS version. ScanTool does make a wifi version that is compatible with IOS. I have read Apple does not like to open the Bluetooth connection to 3rd parties.



Scantool on WiFi

No problem with the hijack, everyone's welcome.

It seems that the preferred method is currently a OBDII interface, and then an app to interrupt the data. The interface can be either WiFi or BlueTooth. I chose the BlueTooth 'cause it seemed to be the most pervasive and therefore probably the most refined. My precise choice was based on reviews that said it was a 'quick' interface. Even so it can take several minutes to do a 'deep' or full scan of everything.

For the app, I switched 'cause I wanted something that would do give me the most data and allow me to tweak setting that normally would require me to go to the dealer.

Best luck finding an app that meets your needs.

Bumping this post up again. Does anyone have a link to a RELIABLE Bluetooth dongle compatible with Android for the Carista App? I bought 2 different cheap ones off Amazon, and had to send both of them back because they would not connect via Bluetooth.

I've been using this one for 2+ years now with Android on multiple vehicles. Never had an issue with it and connecting via Bluetooth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS..._r58BzbKRZJJ73

Thank you! What app are you using?