VIDA / DICE / OBD readers?

Soldato
Joined
10 Apr 2004
Posts
13,496
Just had a 'service required' message on my V50 and this has now prompted me to get a OBD reader because I like doing things myself.

Does anyone have a machine they recommend? Needs to obviously work with Volvos but a machine that has the ability to do more than one make would also be good.

Been googling and found some ~£120ish machines that install software and run via USB.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!
 
Torque isn't bad for reading codes, I quite often use it instead of a full blown obd/laptop/software set-up. I only use that for actuator testing, resetting service indicators or dealing with canbus. Torque offers limited real time value monitoring & won't allow you to reset much more than the check engine light.

I'm not sure what to recommend as a standalone, I use autoenginuity with a laptop, however I'm sure they don't support any Volvo related enhanced features.
 
What year is you're V40? There's loads of things you can't do without Volvo's proprietary tool and software.

August 2008 V50 D5.

All I want is to read codes and (maybe) reset them.

For example the code that was read was the oil level too high (DPF regen issue due to short journeys currently).

If I had read that code, I could have dropped 500ml of oil and been fine.

Thankfully the dealer fixed it for free, so no worries there.



[TW]Fox;23103124 said:
This is a point everyone seems to miss when buying generic stuff.

Hence why I'm posting asking for one that will work properly!!
 
August 2008 V50 D5.

All I want is to read codes and (maybe) reset them.

For example the code that was read was the oil level too high (DPF regen issue due to short journeys currently).

If I had read that code, I could have dropped 500ml of oil and been fine.

Thankfully the dealer fixed it for free, so no worries there.

Any ODB2 reader will give you fault codes and reset them, however if you change parts and need to code them to the ECU, as you'd image, this would be way out of the question. I think there are some service codes that you might not be able to reset either, but they vary from model to model.
 
I bought a ODB2 bluetooth dongle from eBay and used it on my Volvo-based 2005 Aston Martin DB9 so it should be fine on your Volvo.

Note: Do not use when the engine is running - I attempted to log a quick drive around the block and ended up coming to a clattered stalled ending half way up my street with the dash lit up like a Christmas tree... To say I nearly soiled myself at the thought that I'd wrecked my Aston Martin with a £10 ODB2 dongle is probably an understatement. :o
 
Any ODB2 reader will give you fault codes and reset them, however if you change parts and need to code them to the ECU, as you'd image, this would be way out of the question. I think there are some service codes that you might not be able to reset either, but they vary from model to model.

Excellent, in that case I might just buy the cheapest thing I can find.
 
I bought a ODB2 bluetooth dongle from eBay and used it on my Volvo-based 2005 Aston Martin DB9 so it should be fine on your Volvo.

Note: Do not use when the engine is running - I attempted to log a quick drive around the block and ended up coming to a clattered stalled ending half way up my street with the dash lit up like a Christmas tree... To say I nearly soiled myself at the thought that I'd wrecked my Aston Martin with a £10 ODB2 dongle is probably an understatement. :o

i was in my dads car with him driving around with the bluetooth dongle in and the torque app, and it didnt do this atall. just ran like normal.

so you might have something wrong with your car
 
i was in my dads car with him driving around with the bluetooth dongle in and the torque app, and it didnt do this atall. just ran like normal.

so you might have something wrong with your car

Yeh - I've heard other Aston owners having similar issues. It is caused by the OBD device polling the OBD bus frequently enough to overload it, causing ECU/other sensors signals to not get to where they're meant to go - hence the stall etc.

Annoying but another 'feature' to Astons :)
 
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