Bluetooth odb2 readers

Soldato
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Bluetooth OBD2 readers

Are these any good? The EML has come on on the gfs 2008 Swift. Suzuki want 70 quid just to plug it in their computer..

Are results from the cheap bt readers accurate? Any brands to avoid?
 
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Only thing I found was that the cheap one I had didn't work with iPhones (the bluetooth protocol they used wasn't compatible). Ended up using a wifi one
 
Generic OBD readers will only give access to standard DTC's, this will direct you to a certain system to investigate but probably not with enough specifics as to identify the exact component. Manufacturer specific DTC's can usually only be read with their own/expensive diagnostic readers.

If you find Suzuki's prices too much then ring around some independent auto electrical specialists, they should have the kit and be cheaper than a main dealer.
 
I've used a cheap chinese OBD reader a number of times just to get codes to point me in the right direction and its worked really well. As above - if you are in iPhone user you need a Wifi one, not a bluetooth unit. That said I now have a Scangauge which among other things can code read and again never had any trouble identifying problems with it.
 
The light came on on my E46 recently, so i bought a cheap chinese bluetooth reader.

I installed torque on my phone. Told me straight away that it was a lambda sensor and it seems to turn off the light just fine.

A++ Would deal again
 
If you've got an android phone any of the elm327 clones on ebay will work fine with something like Torque to read the generic codes. They've always served me well the couple of times i've ever had an engine light come on.
 
Had one for years, works fine on my car as well as others from VW group. Elm327.
 
Thanks guys. No iphone here, got a nexus 5 and the Torque app.
Will see how I get on. This one is a Konnwei??
 
I've got a cheap one, doesn't work with galaxy nexus, Samsung s5,nexus 5. But does work with galaxy s2 and s3.

Such a pita. Anyone know one that works with nexus 5?
 
Probably not too much of a concern but I got the cheapest odb bluetooth device I could find (auction site), plugged it into my DB9 - got it working great with my Android phone - but I didn't get to the end of my street before my dashboard lit up like a christmas tree and my engine stalled. Needless to say, I unplugged it straight away and haven't used it since (except for clearing codes that got flagged during that incident).

I think it's because this particular ODB reader polled my ECU so frequently that it overloaded it and crashed it. I've read that other, more expensive ODB use more selective polling techniques or register listeners to be informed when a data item changes rather than polling... Complete hearsay and not tested thou.
 
Not sure then. Worked fine on the Swift. P0500 code which is the vehicle speed sensor. ABS light came on too - could they be related?

I've cleared the EML for now but can't clear the ABS light, potentially meaning a wiring issue? :dunno:

would try it on the S2k but I can't find the OBD port:o
 
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Not sure then. Worked fine on the Swift. P0500 code which is the vehicle speed sensor. ABS light came on too - could they be related?

I've cleared the EML for now but can't clear the ABS light, potentially meaning a wiring issue? :dunno:

would try it on the S2k but I can't find the OBD port:o

VSS will be an ABS sensor issue, most likely either a faulty sensor or a broken reluctor ring. The engine ECU takes the speed signal from the ABS, so you need to get the codes read from the ABS system to hopefully find a more specific code, such as no signal from a particular sensor.
 
I picked up a basic code reader off Amazon pretty cheap, it's a wired version which is fine for me.

Also got an ELM327 which obviously is much more capable used with ELMConfig software for Ford Focus. There are bluetooth USB versions of the ELM327 but my software prompts you against using these when you're doing firmware flashing and so on, as there's always a risk of losing the bluetooth connection part way through and losing the module. Obviously for basic code reading and clearing this isn't as much of a concern.
 
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