OBDII Code Reader

[Oxide™]

Because MikeHiow posts here, and also you've been asking this on here for months the answer is always the same. Buy Carsoft 6.5 and a cable off Ebay for not much money, and you have access to everything you need for fault code reading from ALL the fault code memories in your car. The fact it isnt 8.5 doesnt matter as you drive a 2001 car.

Fair enough

Every time you ask for advice on your car you come across as if you know better and you generally tend to ignore everyones advice anyway.

That's rich coming from you

Thats how you ended up with a £500 bill at an indy for about 200 quids worth of work and its how you'll probably end up with an OBD2 reader that can only read the basic codes from your car.

I've already got a thread explaining all the costs, it's more than £200 but yes I agree £500 was a bit steep - damm my 6 months of researching the right indi on various bmw specific forums - will try harder.

At least ask on a BMW forum first - you need to know if it'll read codes from places like the LCM or it's a waste of money.

I have here and here

Should be copies on Ebay?

No copies that I can find on ebay

Its worth asking if that thing will read all the codes - I honestly dont know. If it does then great, but check, as I suspect it wont. As I said, codes are stored all over the place on the E46 depending on whats failed. I had to read and clear a seperate fault code memory in order to sort my airbag light once..

I don't think it resets the airbags but then I'm only looking for something that reads codes and resets them along with the service indicator

 

[[TW]Fox]

That's rich coming from you

Is it? Show me where I ask for advice and then decide I know better

I've already got a thread explaining all the costs, it's more than £200 but yes I agree £500 was a bit steep - damm my 6 months of researching the right indi on various bmw specific forums - will try harder.

Sounds like you need too

I have here and here

Have asked the question for you on that thread If people have got codes from all areas of the car, its worth it. If they cant, it's not worth the bother for your car.

I don't think it resets the airbags but then I'm only looking for something that reads codes and resets them along with the service indicator

Thats my point - the airbag thing is simply a fault code, which when cleared clears the light, but if you cant get to those codes then there will be loads of other codes you cant get to as well and thats my worry. I had a DSC/ABS light flashing session 18 months back - I was able to read and reset the code instantly, but if I had a device that only read the DME it wouldnt have worked as the code wasn't stored there, if you see my point.

 

[Oxide™]

I aint getting in a slug fest with you because believe it or not I value your opinion even though I sometimes disagree or have a different opinion

I don't know if it reads all the codes, will have to see. If it does then score! if not then least I got a cool android app that will work on my friends cars for a laugh etc

According to the developers webpage http://torque-bhp.com/software/torque-and-extended-eobd-pid-support/ it does support extended manufacturer codes and you can add them in manually if they are not listed, where it reads these from, hopefully people reply to you in that thread with the answer

I'm assuming extended codes are manufacturer's own specific codes so hopefully they have bmw's

 

[[TW]Fox]

Supporting manufacturer specific codes is one thing - it means if you pull a BMW specific code from the DME it'll tell you what it is - but it doesn't imply it can pull codes from anywhere but the DME. Effectively that means you may be limited only to being able to read codes from the DME. Quite a lot of stuff isnt stored there - ie the entire DSC system for one.

 

[Wicksta]

Another vote for Carsoft 6.5 here, I have a generic code reader and a Carsoft interface and the difference is amazing. It tells you specific problems from various modules and you can even program stuff like locking when you drive away etc. I use mine fine with a USB to serial adapter.

Generic bluetooth reader for show, Carsoft for a pro.

Seriously, don't consider anything else for an E46. Have a look on youtube and there are lots of videos of it in action showing how useful it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM7lCCYj3GE

 

[MikeHiow]

Given the pricing of these things, is it not fair to assume that the OP can easily get a Carsoft cable as well if this does not work.

It may even be the case that the carsoft software will work with the ELM interface, which is worth a go as he is going to end up with a pirate copy anyway if he orders the cable from eBay.

As I've also said, there are many software packages that support the ELM interface even if the Carsoft software does not, one of these may be able to perform the specific functions Fox speaks of if 'Torque' does not.

I personally bought mine for a toy - I have a few fault code readers from ELM interfaces, VAGCOM and a couple of hardware jobbies, but wirelessly showing engine data etc. with your phone is cool and something that any geek should be at least a little excited by.

 

[LEK-89]

I just bought the wireless bluetooth one to use with my laptop but I just wondered what you meant by this?

Basically on the iPhones (well on the 2G, 3G & 3GS anyway) the bluetooth can only be used to work with bluetooth headsets only, not data transfer or anything else.

I purchased the same ELM327 version 1.4 USB reader and I can't fault it either Heck for the price of that new Bluetooth one I may purchase that soon too!

Liam

 

[Wicksta]

Given the pricing of these things, is it not fair to assume that the OP can easily get a Carsoft cable as well if this does not work.

It may even be the case that the carsoft software will work with the ELM interface, which is worth a go as he is going to end up with a pirate copy anyway if he orders the cable from eBay.

As I've also said, there are many software packages that support the ELM interface even if the Carsoft software does not, one of these may be able to perform the specific functions Fox speaks of if 'Torque' does not.

I personally bought mine for a toy - I have a few fault code readers from ELM interfaces, VAGCOM and a couple of hardware jobbies, but wirelessly showing engine data etc. with your phone is cool and something that any geek should be at least a little excited by.

Mike why must you have to put across an opinion about pretty much every subject, even (as in most cases) if you don't have a clue?

Saying "you might be able to do this though" when you have no idea adds absolutely nothing to the thread and only adds to the confusion of the OP. If you have something specific to say/show then fine but apart from that 90% of your posts are just white noise.

To clarify your above "you might be able to do this" post:

- You need a specific interface for CarSoft

- There is nothing else that works with an ELM interface that touches carsoft when it comes to E46 diagnostics/coding for the price.

Beleive you me I've tried everything, including specific products similar to Carsoft like BMW Scanner. I have an iBus interface, an ELM interface and a Carsoft interface currently.

 

[Oxide™]

Would carsoft 6.5 work with win7 64? That's the only OS I have easy access to.

Then is it just this cable that I would need?

I always thought when you guys mentioned carsoft you meant v8.5 which requires a specific usb key to work, aka £250+

 

[Wicksta]

Would carsoft 6.5 work with win7 64? That's the only OS I have easy access to.

Then is it just this cable that I would need?

I always thought when you guys mentioned carsoft you meant v8.5 which requires a specific usb key to work, aka £250+

I don't have a Win 7 64 bit laptop I can test this on I'm afraid - however according to various posters it works in XP compatibility mode running as administrator:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1441250
(post by maxic)

Even if you have problems then just install a virtual machine with XP on for running Carsoft with?

That cable in the link is the one I have by the way - works fine with a serial to USB adapter I have. I guess he's put that because a lot of cheap USB to serial adapters are a pain in the bum and would be a support nightmare for him. There is a certain chipset which people recommended to me as a reliable cheap one, I'll try and dig up what it was (something like FEC).

 

[Oxide™]

I'd rather avoid installing vm on my wife's laptop but if it boils down to it then ok.

Ye please let me know what serial to usb adaptor it is, the laptop doesn't have a serial interface

 

[MikeHiow]

Mike why must you have to put across an opinion about pretty much every subject, even (as in most cases) if you don't have a clue?

Calm down dear.

Why not just inform us of this instead of putting your own little attack with it? Fox's argument since the beginning has been based on what you may or may not be able to do, yet I see you go after me Not that I'm surprised.

Your post however seems to indicate I am correct in the fact that there is BMW specific software that can use the ELM interface (regardless whether you consider them as good as Carsoft or not - as I never mentioned which is better, now did I?).

 

[Wicksta]

Your post however seems to indicate I am correct in the fact that there is BMW specific software that can use the ELM interface (regardless whether you consider them as good as Carsoft or not - as I never mentioned which is better, now did I?).

Stop doing your usual and putting words into my mouth/changing what you said Mike - I haven't mentioned anything about BMW specific ELM software. We all know that you can 'use' ELM readers on BMWs and read codes. You can't read or program things like the LKM or LCM unless things have changed recently - that's the whole point of why Carsoft is so much better.

Can you point out the BMW specific ELM software you speak of though? Maybe things have changed now. Or maybe it's just more white noise.

 

[MikeHiow]

I'm not putting words in anyone's mouth. The following appeared to imply just that;

There is nothing else that works with an ELM interface that touches carsoft when it comes to E46 diagnostics/coding for the price.

Beleive you me I've tried everything, including specific products similar to Carsoft like BMW Scanner.

I do not care enough to go searching for software, so if someone tells me with 100% certainty that there is nothing that works with an ELM interface on here, I'll simply believe them, but as I said, your post appeared to imply otherwise by my interpretation.

 

[Wicksta]

BMW Scanner has it's own interface like CarSoft.

More white noise then.

 

[MikeHiow]

I'm not making any claims, merely trying to decipher your posts. I made it abundantly clear how I interpreted your post, yet you still attempt to defame my post as if I've been making wild claims.

 

[Wicksta]

Whatever Mike. I think I'll leave this particular conversation now and just say thanks for your usual high standard of contribution.

 

[MikeHiow]

Got mine this morning - works brilliantly with Torque on the Focus, however Torque cannot communicate with the Mondeo. I'll stick a windows VM on my Macbook later and see if Scantool will work.

Edit: Oh, almost forgot - They sent me some nice anodised blue dust caps with my order as well

 

[[TW]Fox]

Would carsoft 6.5 work with win7 64? That's the only OS I have easy access to.

Yes it does - my laptop is a Dell D620 running Windows 7 64bit and it works perfectly.

 

[rG-tom]

I have both and can verify that the bluetooth elm are ok but give no where near as much detail. IE when the wheel speed sensor died last year, the elm one gave me the code to say that a wheel speed sensor had failed. Carsoft told me it was the rear drivers side wheel sensor, which saved a lot of time/money sorting it!