Best diagnostic, test & measurement tools according to redditors

Would you be able to provide a link to the $10 bluetooth adapter? I did some looking at the link provided in google play store app and it listed adapters in a very wide range of prices.

Edit: Link to the one I am getting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2LSIJ8LSS1TOE&colid=2W3R0OMRJ15R6

I have 2 of them. 10 dollars each


Edit: I can't find the $10 ones I have but here is one for $20

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

Edit: obligatory Thank you kind stranger for giving me gold!

For like $12 on Amazon. They're great. https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Diagnostic-Scanner-Adapter-Windows/dp/B00B3K2X4M

Get one of these, plug it into your car in the port hidden under your steering wheel, download app called Torque, get error code, google error code, see if it's something you can fix yourself (often it is).

Edit: These only work on Android. You can buy dedicated units (also cheap) or you can buy an iOS version that costs 4x as much. Similarly cheap priced models claim to work on iOS, but I have yet to see anyone actually get one of them to work.

I thought this would qualify, but I misremembered the price, it's $23.99, but it's the best I could do

BAFX Products (TM) - PIC18F2480 Bluetooth OBD2 scan tool - For check engine light and other diagnostics - Android compatible

Yes - I bought a cheap $15 bluetooth ODB2 module that links to my phone. From there, I use Torque to manage everything. Great for testing sensors, checking codes, etc... Also cool to have it in my glovebox for when my coworkers need one out of the blue - makes you look cool for half a second.

EDIT: Here is what I use for the module:
https://www.amazon.com/Kitbest-Bluetooth-Scanner-Diagnostic-Warranty/dp/B01BY2CK32

As for the app, I use Torque Pro:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque

Just so you know there are much cheaper alternatives to the Bluedriver. I personally use this one and it provides all the same stuff the Bluedriver provides for 1/5 the cost so you only have to work an hour and a half.

Why would you pay $75 for an OBDII scanner when you can buy the same thing on Amazon for $24?

Even if your vehicle is not fitted with OnStar and even if you have replaced the stereo, GM still reports Latitude and Longitude data to the ECU.

Buying an ECU Scanner can report all of the data, then use an app like Torque to see what is tracked by the system.
https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Foseal-Diagnostic-Scanner-Automotive/dp/B00T5G53ZM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484759940&sr=8-3&keywords=ecu+bluetooth

Not that you'd have the time to fix it yourself(or even be allowed to) but if you're curious you can get an ELM 327 ODB Bluetooth code reader for like $20.

This is the one I got. It's a true ELM 327 reader and not some Chinese reverse engineered hacked together crap. I keep it plugged into my ODB reader all the time.

The reason these are so cheap compared to a professional shop reader is because the reader is just an interface and knows how to talk to the computer. It just "translates" and passes stuff along to your phone/tablet which does the real heavy lifting. Torque Pro or Forscan(for Ford/Mazda) apps on your phone. You'd at least be able to see "oh shit, low oil pressure" or "shit water temps are through the roof, that's why it wont go above 95" so I'm about to be sitting on the side of the road for an hour. Or if it's just like some random dead O2 sensor or an occasional misfire on a cylinder or some vacuum leak that's making it run weird. You'd at least have some peace of mind.

Or spend $20 on an OBDII scanner that pairs to your phone, with a free app to read the codes.

This way, anything 1996 or newer (except for some exotic cars) can be read without having to jump on one foot backwards while humming the star spangled banner and cycling the ignition 5 times.

Here's one you can buy on Amazon that hooks to your Android via Bluetooth - Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/

There are already apps available that link via Bluetooth to a ODB2 sensor that will diagnose your vehicles. The sensors are really cheap and can be found on sites like amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420159880&sr=8-1&keywords=odb2

Got this one for $12 and it works great with Torque and other apps on Android.

Also, check this little guy out. If your car is model year 1996 or newer, it should have an onboard diagnostic port- usually located underneath the steering wheel in the foot well. Plug that scanner into it and pair it to your phone via bluetooth and you can read the fault codes that caused your check engine light. It eliminates A LOT of worry or guesswork.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

Is the one I usually see recommended. Cheaper ones are flaky, more expensive ones are a waste of money.

• Screwdrivers
  
  
• Needle nose pliers
  
  
• Sockets
  
  
• Electric Drill
  
  
• Putty knife and spackle
  
  
• Level
  
  
• Hammer
  
  
• Work gloves
  
  
• Stud finder
  
  
• Tape Measure
  
  
• A good, small flashlight--keep one in the car and one in the home
  
  
• A toolbox to store it all
  
  
  Specifically for my truck I have:
  
  a flexing spark plug socket like this one and spark plug pullers
  
  An OBD II Scanner
  
  Auto jack(s)
  
  An oil pan and an oil filter wrench or other tool that makes the filter easier to remove
  
  And, of course, jumper cables, a poncho or two, some spare water bottles and all that good stuff that stays in the truck too.
  
  
  Edit: Honestly, this is a great place to start--Stanley 65-Piece Homeowner's Tool Kit
  
  

I'm just a tinker too, but if he doesn't have a scan tool to reader error codes, look at the new Bluetooth sets. Plug in to the OBD2 port and download the app to you phone. Get all the codes and internet research in one, plus see engine manager info on some models.

They're not expense and are available on Amazon. This is similar the one I have. and there are a lot of options out there.

Screw that Groupon one. Here's one from Amazon that is the same price all the time and is better. I ordered one and can't be more pleased. Read the reviews and answered questions on Amazon for some great tips, including how to reset the check engine light.

Protip 1: a lot of autopart stores will check what the light means for free.

Protip 2: Get this And this and be able to check the lights and reset them yourself along with monitoring a ton of other vehicle functions

Bluetooth versions generally work with Android phones. They will not work with iPhones, however.

I bought one of these that works fairly well with an old Galaxy SII phone. I use the torque app to read live info and codes: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

On a related note, for anyone looking to do this with a car you can buy cheap bluetooth OBD2 modules on Amazon for about $25.

On Android most people use the app Torque.

I use the $5 paid version of torque, I don't remember what the limitations are for the free version of it but it's money well spent because you can view a lot of diag data, check engine codes etc.

There are a couple times where I connected it to peoples cars, texted them the CEL codes, and cleared the light for them when its something simple. It was money well spent.

A lot of places will try to charge you like $40 for this, even though it takes literally zero expertise or effort. You can get a bluetooth OBD reader for 11ish bucks and any one of a number of free apps for an Android or iPhone to connect to it and read codes, reset the light, etc.

How about a diagnostic reader? Something like this. Basically if your car has the engine (or another) light on you can plug that in and your phone will tell you what the problem is. You'll need an app like Torque for it to work.

A dashcam is another gift that is something anyone could benefit from, but not everyone would necessarily think to buy for themselves. Over on /r/dashcam they have some really good guides on what to get. Expect to spend about $100, though. It seems like this one is the best bang for your buck according to their guide.

For those who aren't aware you just need a bluetooth OBDII dongle to use the Torque/Torque Pro app with any android phone or tablet. For example, lots of folks find that this cheap one works great: http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS.

Similar IOS apps require a wifi rather than bluetooth dongle, such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B3K2X4M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687602&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00AOIM2CC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0R28R3007FHNY5Q2RS73

uhh yeah, not sure if you understand how much faster computers are than you at math, but it would take the entire population of mankind to compete with my GPU at mathematics.

it could easily be a OBD RF transmitter. tech already exists. look now i just need to run a real time simulation oh noes! if only we could do that on a phone...

EDIT: for example a $70 GPU does over a trillion floating point operations a second, I doubt you could get 7 billion people to do that. Did i mention it did that with a mere 80 Watts of power...

You have to buy an OBD2 for about $20 from eBay or Amazon and download the “Dr. Prius” app. Then you pay $12 on the Dr. Prius app and you have unlimited scans. The total cost is $32 but it’s yours forever. Check it out on YouTube. Here’s the link for the one I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_5CIzDbMQT06AZ

Oh, I completely understand passing on that car. Sounds like nothing was maintained.

Still, get one, they are very very useful, and cheap. Only $13 for an Android BT reader on Amazon - $18 if you need iOS. If you have Android, download Torque ($5 for paid version, but even free is very good.)

That under $25 set will have more features than the $200-$400+ readers still sold in autostores... and are more up to date, and can easily interface with the web for more code information.

Pioneer Bluetooth media receiver Play music, make hands free calls, Pandora

Bluetooth OBD clear codes, vehicle diagnostics, avg speed, fuel economy

I'll go first, personally any type of wireless OBDII blutooth device that links with a smart phone. Troubleshoot check engine and get live stats of how your car is running. Not to mention it's usually cheaper than a full blown code reader.


https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1479145100&sr=1-4&keywords=obdii+bluetooth

50's Kid (Super Awesome): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCml-eeSLJZ38Q5_sUnUXrZw

Shop Life TV (Pretty effen gewd): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5jnm5CEnLSEmoQ-ktgAj6g

Well the people in the forums are the people with the problems, but that's not to say they aren't the most knowledgeable group of people about the e46. But the youngest E46 is 12 years old, so unless it's a garage kept car from an old couple, it'll have to be fixed a little soon into your ownership. You'll be advised to do $300,000 in preventative maintenance when on the forums, don't. I love my car but I only paid $3,000 for mine had I done everything the forum members suggested I would've spent another $3,000 in repairs. Keep up on your plugs and coils. If I'm not mistaken the 328s and 325s have transmissions made by GM and no one cares for them, so wait for a 330. I'm sure I'll get corrected on the transmissions but whatevs enjoy the plethora of links.

A Bosche fuel pump from Amazon is $130 and the gasket is $20.

Pump:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BZJE9C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gasket:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054JTTFO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The exact fuel filter $60:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006Q7HDII/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OEM plugs are $35, again Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DERDU44/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

DISA rebuild kit is $80 (DO THIS ONE ASAP, It's the one thing I always tell people, it'll prevent a steel pin from falling into a cylinder and ruining your engine) I bought mine from G.A.S. German Auto Sport I think. I love their warranty, if my DISA fails they'll give me that $80 towards one of their DISA units, like $400

Coolant system:
Expansion tank - $30 (Amazon) - known as the most likely failure

Radiator -$150 (AutoZone)
Lower radiator hose - $30 (Advance)

Temp sensor in lower hose - $8 (Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FU9H9PO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Upper radiator hose - $30 (AutoZone)
Water pump - $55 (AutoZone)
Thermostat - $55 (AutoZone)

Transmission intercooler thermostat - $16 (Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-Cooler-Expansion-Thermostat-17111437362/dp/B074K8SXL8/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1522204403&sr=1-2-fkmr1&keywords=e46+transmission+intercooler+thermostat

I was able to remove the radiator without being about to tell the water pump had an issue. Installed the new radiator, gave my fan a wiggle and then knew I had replaced two hoses, an expansion tank, and a radiator for nothing. Cost: confidence as myself as a mechanic and an engineer and $295 (didn't replace the temp sensor or thermostat, and I was lucky enough to reuse the transmission intercooler thermostat!!!!!!11!1!!11!!)


I paid $90 for a pack of coils 40,000 miles ago. The entire CCV is $55, you guessed it, Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/11617501566-11611432559-11617504535-11157532649-11617504536/dp/B00I3RBDDK/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1522204499&sr=1-2&keywords=e46+CCV


One pair of HID headlights - $28
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GRTEMCO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1



For two years of ownership starting at 153,000 miles and currently at 197,000, 8 months of driving 110 miles a day, five days a week, and now I drive 800 miles a week.

The hardest on this list are the fuel filter (unless you have access to a lift, I hate putting my car on stands) and the CCV, to replace the CCV you have to remove the intake manifold.

The DISA takes 10 minutes if you take the time to drink a beer MAKE SURE YOU BUY A KIT THAT INCLUDES A NEW GASKET

If you have problems head to here or the forums, I feel like I've written a book, but I spent forever tracking a couple issues only to find out it was the plugs. Check the plugs first.




Essential tools:

OBD2 WIFI adapter: $20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W0SDLRY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Regular socket set: $73

https://www.amazon.com/Kobalt-64-piece-Standard-metric-Mechanics/dp/B00GR8WEDU/ref=sr_1_24?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1522203667&sr=1-24&keywords=Kobalt+Socket+set

(5mm to 16mm or so, and includes bits you'll really want a wide flathead, Torx 25 or 30 for the cabin air filter mounting screws, and Philips, double check what this one includes)


Torque wrench: $35
https://www.amazon.com/Tacklife-Calibrated-13-6-108-5Nm-Certification-Extension/dp/B073VLDLQR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1522203362&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=torque+wrench&psc=1


6”-8" Socket extension: $10
https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-4966-8-Inch-Extension-3-Piece/dp/B000NW85F2/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1522203436&sr=1-6&keywords=8%22+socket+extension


Fan removal tool set - $20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MTV8EO4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc150=1


Including all tools that's $850 Hope this helps, the car is really easy to work on, I enjoy driving it. One last piece of advice never short trip your car, especially in cold weather, you could fill the CCV with mayo and it could lead to hydrolocking/self destruction of the engine. If you live South of Pennsylvania you shouldn't have to worry too much, some people put an ounce or so of Seafoam into the CCV a month. You don't need to follow these links to the tee but they should help.

Hey! I started much where you are and had no real way of learning from someone else on what to buy, what to look for, etc. etc. I've got a few tips for you!

​

When I first started wrenching, I thought I needed air tools. Every mechanic's shop has airtools. Cars are big and mechanical, and it made sense that I'd need something beefy to pull them apart. TOTALLY FALSE. I'll let you know that 90% of my tools are handtools from harbor freight and I probably spent no more than $200 on the collection. Here's a rundown of my most used/invaluable tools:

• 3/8" drive socket wrench from harbor freight. Composite handle, great mechanism, very comfortable, very light. I have a nice set of kobalt socket wrenches. They don't shine a light on this bad boy in my experience. I have and use 2 pretty regularly. You might be able to get away with just an adjustable wrench.
  
• Impact sockets. Little bit beefier than regular sockets, but I very rarely come across an instance when these are not the answer.
  
• Color coded deep sockets. When the impacts aren't the answer, these are. I've only got a set of metric, and haven't needed to buy the SAE set yet. I won't buy them until I need them. The color coding seems trivial, but is HUGE when you're sick and tired of being under the car, just want to finish since the sun went down and your tired. Going for the blue socket is much easier than sliding around in relative dark trying every socket to see if it's right. That fucking sucks.
  
• Universal joints. Not 100% necessary, so don't buy them until you need them, but holy hell do they make life easier.
  
• Extensions. Access is everything when it comes to wrenching. These ones wobble, you might not like that. Try them in the store. Poking 18" of extension up into a crevice is all fun and games until your socket starts flopping around and you can't control it. Double entendre. The alternative are non-wobbling extensions. I have the non-wobbly ones. They've worked totally fine and I don't find that I need the wobble ones.
  
• Adapters to make all your junk work together.
  
• Breaker bar. When your arms fail you, this won't. Don't go for the cheapest. I did and snapped off the end. Totally fucked myself in my work parking lot.
  
• Torque wrench. Almost the most expensive tool in my arsenal. Torque specs are very important. This wrench is cheap as fuck, and people say it's a comparable buy to the snap on wrench. I love mine to death.
  
• Adjustable wrench Like having an entire socket wrench set in one single tool. More elbow grease, but very convenient.
  
• Body panel pry bars. You will need these for general "gentle" prying on body panel snaps. Where a screwdriver would mess up the paint, these are surprisingly effective.
  
• My crown jewel: The impact driver. This is my singularly most used tool. Get this with a set of bits, and you'll be unstoppable. Of course it's not necessary, but it makes 2 minutes of wrenching a 2 second affair. Add it up and it saves a lot of time. These and These are what make my impact driver the best tool in my arsenal.
  
• JACK STANDS. Cars are heavy, make sure it's safely supported and you'll be confident every time you go under your car.
  
• Jack to actually get your car up.
  
• Plywood squares to put under your jack stands, and jack. Jackstands have small feet that sink in grass and asphalt. Plywood stops them from sinking
  
• PB Blaster, or penetrating oil. This stuff will pay for itself the first time you use it. Loosens the bullshittiest of bullshit.
  
• OBD2 reader This bad boy combined with a $10 app on your phone (DashCommand) will let you communicate with your car's computer. I can read codes, clear codes, see voltage, and boost and vacuum pressures. I can see RPMs, engine timing, rich/lean conditions and any other shit that I'll never need to see. Troubleshooting is 100 times easier with this. Most auto stores will read codes for free, but they won't clear them.
  
  And that's basically it. Lift your car on level ground. Use jackstands. "Getting to" the actual issue is always like 80% of the work. The work itself is pretty easy generally. Youtube and reddit ( r/mechanicadvice, r/cars, and r/justrolledintotheshop ) are invaluable resources. These people know their shit and they know yours too. PB Blaster is magic oil. If something goes wrong, get it on video for the experts to see and hear instead of describing a skrrt skrrt sound when you're turning left then right, you know? Get cheap tools to start with. When they break, you know that you use them enough to justify better ones. If I've told you not to skimp somewhere, it's because I've skimped there before and I don't want you sitting there defeated. Buy tools as you need them. Start basic, then expand. It's not called a collection because you bought them all at the same time from the same place.
  
  ​
  
  I got my start by changing my oil. Then my brakes. Then replacing this, then that, and now I'd feel comfortable working on a brand new vehicle. I'm no expert either. Just casual stuff. Building confidence is a big part of it. I wish you luck my man. If you ever need anything, let me know and if I don't have the answer, I'll find it for you.
  
  ​
  
  To clarify. The tools I listed above are 99% of what I use.

"My parents owe me some money." ಠ_ಠ

Most bang for buck:

1. Nexus 5 + one year of t-mobile's $30 5GB data plan
   
2. Leatherman multitool
   
3. Have a car? OBDII scan tool + Torque app for Android

>It is normally an $80 minimum charge at a shop to get your codes pulled, and it only takes a second.

Or you can buy a reader for $20.

This is the one I have, a couple more bucks but works great. The app for your phone (Android for me, it's called Torque) is $5.

An actual mechanic would probably have some super fancy diagnostic tool, but you can buy a personal OBDII that bluetooths to your phone really well for like $20 on Amazon

If your car is 1996 or later, you should have an ODB2 port (with some exceptions, google your specific car). The port is usually somewhere under the the dash on the driver side, but a quick google search will tell your where yours is for your car. It looks something like this.

I have used this bluetooth version to hook up to my car, and paired it with my android phone. Take a look at the responses to this comment for the various apps that know how to use the data. I liked Torque, personally.

The CX-7 turbo has a smaller compressor wheel as well as a smaller compressor wheel housing. This gives you a better low-end torque curve as well as faster spool-up and throttle response. This sort of turbo brings the torque needed for a small SUV with a turbo. The Speed3/6 K04 has a slightly larger compressor wheel and housing, which leads to higher top-end boost translating to more top-end power while sacrificing low end torque and response.

Typically, all the aftermarket turbos are listed as fitting the Speed3/6, CX-7 becuase they are all bolt-in replacements. The problem is if you get a CX-7 turbo, it'll still fit, but your power band WILL change, just like you're describing.

For a short-term problem solver, I might suggest getting a Bluetooth OBD-II scanner and looking at your boost levels. No, it's not the best solution for logging, but it'll do what you need it to. I know my speed3 hits max boost between 3500-3750 RPM; being ~15psi in gears 3 & 4. Why don't you try a 3rd gear pull and see where the motor hits max boost, what that max boost number is, and what RPM it's hit at? This is honestly the only thing I can think of with respect to diagnosing on the cheap, without an AP or pulling the turbo. You may also want to ask the mechanic again for the OEM serial number of the replacement they put in, and compare it to the CX7 vs. Speed3/6 turbos.

The stock MS3/MS6 K04 is typically serialized as K0422-881/882.
The stock CX-7 K04 is serialized as K0422-582.

I bought a car from the auto auction in the late 90's (CAAG in Surrey). Back then it was a risk v reward thing as you're never sure exactly what you're getting. You can browse the cars beforehand, start them up but they are packed in so tight you can't really drive them.

Plenty of deals to be had but its largely influenced by how popular it is that day. Best times is low season (Oct-Feb), and if it's raining. Mid week was better deals than weekends.

To judge prices, ignore blue book; Check Craigslist. Craiglist is the market.

Buy an ODB2 sensor to check diagnostics. (Depending on how old the car is, it may not work). Before every auction the auctioneer will call out any declarations and it will be on a big board (out of province, salvage, not legal etc)

The atmosphere is hectic and crazy and confusing and exciting, but once you've got a couple of times and see how it goes its not bad at all. If you want to bid on a car, have a price in mind and put your hand up if the price is right. An auction worker will come over to you and call the bids out for you so you're not confused by all the hand signals and yelling. If there is a reserve price on the car and you don't meet it, you can negotiate on the spot with the seller (standing near the auctioneer) if they are willing to take less than the reserve.

Try not to feel intimidated or bullied. Get a price in your mind and work with that.

Last note: You're going to have to settle price and insurance quickly, but they do have a broker on site to do transfers/reg/taxes

Hopefully this helps. My experience is close to 20 years old, but I spent a TON of time at the auction place and got a real good feel for how it worked at that time.

Bluetooth OBDII readers are ~$10 on Amazon!

Combine one with an app like torque- lite version that reads codes and does the basics is free, pro is like $5 and has bells and whistles.

This way, as opposed to simply reading the codes, you can get real-time data directly from your car's ecu.

Shits amazing for ~$20. What you save in repairs by catching issues before they turn into expensive problems is amazing.

They go even cheaper so long as you don't mind futzing with the port and cable. Bluetooth would be amazingly more convenient though.

I have a scanner so that when my check engine light turns on, I can see exactly why. The one I have is bluetooth and connects to an app on my phone.

Scanner: http://amzn.com/B005NLQAHS
App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque

If you got a "Check engine" light on, and you want to know what it means but dont want to drop it off at a pricey mechanic just for a diagnosis and potentially expensive repair, head over to amazon and pick up one of these blue tooth OBD2 scanners. That ones for android(I have it, works great), this one works for iphone and android.

That plus a typically free app like "Torque" let you find out the error codes your car is throwing out(and all other kind of basic diagnostic stuff), so you can google it and see if its something you need to fix right away, could easily fix yourself(with youtube), or if its just a minor problem you dont need to worry about yet.

And if you do take it to the shop, you can probably save them some time(and thus money for yourself), and being more informed, keep yourself from being taken for a ride.

If your car is 1996 or newer it should have a port for these(typically under the steering wheel above the pedals), save yourself some anxiety about that new warning light that just showed up.

First, some background: The percentage display on the dashboard is only loosely related to the actual state of charge of the battery, because the battery management system reserves a buffer at both the bottom and top end of the charge range to protect the longevity of the battery. When you charge up to 100%, there's 38-39 kWh in the battery rather than 40 kWh. The highest I've gotten the true SoC (state of charge) of the battery to when it showed 100% on the dashboard is 98.2%, but 95-97% has been more common. Similarly, when it says 4% on the dashboard, there's a good bit more than 4% of actual charge still in the battery. It's like how you can drive many miles after the meter reads "E" (empty) in a gas car. After 0% it'll show "--%" if it's like previous year Leafs while driving quite a few more miles, then you'll get a turtle icon and reduced power for a final mile or two to safely pull over. At that point, the car will stop moving, but there's actually some kWh of power still in the pack, because running a lithium ion battery down to real 0% permanently damages it and the car won't let you do that.

THAT SAID, I am slightly concerned about what you've said. I did a 60 mile highway drive yesterday with the A/C on full blast in 90 degree weather and >70 MPH most of the way, and still averaged 4 miles per kWh. I don't think I've ever gotten only 3.2 miles per kWh in the new Leaf. I've had many trips with more than 5 miles per kWh on 35-45 MPH roads. I am easily getting the 150 miles per charge, so if you're only getting 80-120, that sounds wrong.

This sounds silly, but what are your tire pressures at? The difference between underinflated and overinflated tires can easily be 10% or more on your miles/kWh efficiency. I have mine at 42 PSI right now. When a new car shows up at a dealership, one of the things they do to prep it for sale is to let air out of the tires, because they're shipped overinflated. If they let out too much, you'll want to pump them back up above 40 PSI (well above the 36 PSI the sticker says to inflate them to, I know) and go on another long drive to see if that improves your efficiency.

If that doesn't work, the next thing I'd do is get on Amazon and order this OBDII scanner and download the Leaf Spy Pro app on your phone. That will let you see the real State of Charge in kWh for your car whenever you want, which will help you figure out if there's a real issue here.

• Typical Leaf Spy Pro screenshot near 100% charge
  
• New battery stats
  
• 4 mi/kWh was my average over the first 220 miles I put on the car, which gives you 150+ miles range as advertised
  
• High efficiency on local trips shouldn't be too rare
  

It looks like you can also buy them at Walmart but if you have an iPhone, it looks like they’re slightly more expensive, but worth it the cool thing about these is that you can also monitor RPMS and engine heat and, if you get a check engine light, it’ll give you a “code” and you can just google it and it’ll tell you what exactly is causing your car to throw a check engine light

I just use my retired Galaxy Note 2 with a lightweight lollipop ROM (liquid smooth) and this


~ mount Only $10 and free one day shipping if you are a prime member. It won’t open any wider than a note 2 but it holds securely to both the phone and the dashboard even in this 0 degree weather outside right now. Wish I could leave my phone out in the cold too. I hate North Idaho.


~ Dashcam - I use Dailyroads Voyager It uses cyclic recording so it can keep overwriting and not using up too much space. It can run in the background while I use waze, music, OK Google, etc. You can also set it to save the video when it senses x amount of G forces. Or you can tap the screen at any time to save the video… It has tons of features and the shocking part is it’s free! Since work provides me with unlimited data tethering on my phone I also utilize it’s cloud backup feature.


~ OBD II - For car diagnostics reading I use BAFX OBD2 I was literally shocked at how easy this was to plug in and pair to my phone! For close to $25 I had tons of information about how my car is “feeling” right in front of me. I’ve only tested a few but I stuck with Dash Some of the things it tells me are engine temperature, engine load, speed, MPG, coolant temperature, RPM, air/fuel ratio… anyway, my favorite part of the app is how it keeps track of my trips.. locations, statistics, where I last parked. Love it.


Things I’m still working on are getting an inverter in my trunk to power a small/cheap router and raspberry pi plus small ssd so that in the case of theft my dashcam app could save to the ssd in my trunk to catch the filthy thief. Looks like there is enough room behind the plastic cover where they keep the tire changing tools to keep this equipment hidden from sight. If anyone has better ideas please let me know. Maybe someday I will impress a nice guy ………

I got mine through the same method order a Bluetooth obd2 I recommend LELink Bluetooth Low Energy BLE OBD-II OBD2 Car Diagnostic Tool for iPhone/iPod/iPad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJRYMFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fOkTCbSP2W9Q1 and get leafspy pro app check SOH on battery.

Amazon. Get a Bluetooth one, along with torque app. There's a bunch of vehicle specific apps too.

Android can be Bluetooth or WiFi, iPhone needs it to be a WiFi obd module.

This is the unit I use.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YQgtDbRWCVX9M

Hey all, I got a bunch of info from here and the forums, so I thought I would give back and drop a few links.

First is the roof rack. I think the rola roof rack is the best looking and ends up being one of the cheapest.

Next up is the cargo box. I thought getting one this long would look stupid, but it's way better than I imagined. The rocketbox 11 is one of Thule's cheapest and big enough to fit my huge board in. No noticable drop in mpg, either - hovering barely above 33.

The backup camera is a fantastic upgrade. I followed this post and dug into the forums posted there. I would double check the apim codes because it's a tad dangerous and I didn't use the same exact codes as u/brbauer2 (I have the 2016 w/ sync 3). Shoutout, by the way, the album was super helpful. Also, the pins we inserted to the wiring harness didn't connect with the head unit, so I shredded a small amount of foil to bridge those connections.

Canying Car Trunk Handle Rear...

BAFX Products Bluetooth...

And finally, I like having my windows down in the rain, so I got them smoker vents.

Maybe someday I'll get that accessport/intercooler and a rear motor mount, but I'm loving it as it is!

You all bought awesome cars, thanks for the help, catch you later.

Buy an OBD-II reader. You can pick one up from amazon.com or a local shop for about $20. Plug it in and download the error codes.

This is the one I have, works fine on my 996tt and ML500.

More like $15. Here and Here

That really depends on the code and the vehicle. If you are outside of california just stop at any chain parts store when the light is on and get the code read (they'll do so for free). Get the actual code from them, not their diagnosis. You can also get a cheap bluetooth OBDII reader and the free torque app if you have an android phone or tablet. Then you can check your own codes.

On Amazon they have bluetooth scanners for Android. Runs about 25 bucks. Best thing ever, plus you can possibly pill real time info depending on your car, an added plus to trouble shooting. This is the one I bought. There are some cheaper now though! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_OfK5wbCAZE7MG

Grab an OBDII reader, for ~$20. I've had this one for several years. Put Torque Pro on your device and go forth and diagnose. You can get a dedicated handheld tool, but I prefer the features of using Torque. Some cool addins available for it too.

I am doing the same thing in my 2010 Ford Escape. I ordered a double din dash kit off amazon, made the hole a tad bit bigger and i already fiberglassed the tray that i will use to slide it in and out of.


My plan is just like yours, torque, nav, music, etc. I already have a Turtle Beach USB Audio sound card, for usb OTG, where a powered USB hub will be used for the sound card and the 64gb usb stick. (Works great btw.).


The only issue I have right now is power, while its not important, especially when using a powered USB hub, I still feel comfortable with it charging while its in my car. So the project is on standby until the pogo pinout gets figured out (should know as soon as the official dock launches), and then go from there.


So far here is my parts list:


Charger: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004I44CHQ/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00

USB Audio: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036VO4X4/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00

Bluetooth OBD2: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

Get one of these for $20 on Amazon and this app from Google Play (probably an apple version available too) and you're good to go.

Best $22 I've ever spent. Paired with the Torque Pro app. BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0yrnybPDYCYCD

I had to buy mine on Amazon. BAFX products.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS?pc_redir=1409635450&robot_redir=1

It works with Torque. So far I have used it on a 1997 BMW 328i, a 2010 Ford E350, a 2004 Pontaic GTO and a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer. All while running Torque on a Galaxy S4.

I've used Torque (Lite) with this OBD2 reader: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

Works pretty well for what I wanted (reading codes). I've not used it for anything other than that though.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

I have this thing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works well with my car and torque, but my car is older than your car.

La idea de conectar un gadget al puerto OBD2 no es nueva. Ya existen en el mercado escáneres que se conectan a Android o IOS y muestran mucha más información que los litros de combustible.
http://www.amazon.com/BlueDriver-Bluetooth-Professional-iPhone-Android/dp/B00652G4TS/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1463375489&sr=1-14&keywords=obd2+scanner

There's a smaller sized blue OBD2 plug in on Amazon it goes along the lines of "panlong" or something, it's only like $10-15, works fine in my Lexus and Mercedes, it's able to clear errors and stuff, real-time info works well. And it's really low profile unlike those other adapters so if it sticks straight into the foot well it won't bother you



Edit: it's $11

Works fantastic with torque pro
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o..cBbK4QXZ3R

If you're getting engine lights. Buy this for $12 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00T5G53ZM?psc=1 (or go to AutoZone or something but that's a pain in the ass) get "Torque Pro" in the play store for $5, get the engine codes. Google those codes, then go fuck your mother.

I disagree. I actually am happy with the current systems in modern (minus the dash board touchscreens. Fucking hate those things, just give me knobs and buttons!). In my opinion they are easier to work on. Hear me out.

I was broke through my 20’s, so whenever I had car trouble it was either “fix it myself, or don’t have a car”. I’m not a mechanic, but I’ve learned a thing or two about car repairs. Even though I can afford it now, I still fix my own car because I’m now aware of how much mechanics gouge people.

I can’t speak for all the cars, but I just like the way components were placed in my car. I drive a current model Grand Cherokee and everything is just so clean, spacious, and well organized under the hood. The difference between my modern car compared to my older cars is kind of like this. I can access major components much easier now that it’s not a cramped mess down there anymore.

With computers running everything they possibly can though, there is a downside. The thing people like to complain about is how a computer can fail and kill the car. A dealership will try to charge you well over $1000 dollars to “fix” a computer, but you can just order a new computer online for like $200 and replace it yourself (it’s easier to replace than any mechanical component). I actually like the computer systems because they do a fantastic job of monitoring all kinds of things making preventive maintenance a breeze. Playing with this thing has been very fun. Buy one and save yourself the $100 your dealer mechanic would’ve charged you for just to tell you what’s wrong.

Also in general, today’s cars are better than ever in general. Most of them are built to last longer now. Also, the basic major components are still the same (axles, exhaust, brakes, differential, underbody stuff) and are no more or less harder to work on now than in the past.

Or spend Less than $20 on a real scanner without risking frying your $2000 ECU. If you plan on doing to work yourself spend a little more and buy one that allows you to view live and freeze frame sensor data.

Measuring differences of less than 1 volt isn't easy without some kind of test equipment. Honestly, I can't think of anything that would be easier than buying an absurdly cheap digital multimeter and testing them one by one.

Don't worry bro. I got your back. I've had this for the last two years and it has saved me tons of money and trips to Autozone (mostly for family cars). Torque is also awesome and shows you all kinds of cool data.

Look into getting an OBD2 scanner that will connect to your phone. My preliminary research makes me think you can get your mileage from the computer that way. Plus, these things are incredibly handy to have when ever you get a check engine light.

Got one of these, it's great. http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Get an OBDII reader and the Torque app and see which code it is. Then look up the code and it'll tell you what happened.

Or a standalone OBDII reader.

I used a wifi OBD2 adapter from Amazon to do it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WPW6BAE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These work and are cheap

Harbor Freight carries them for about the same price if there is one your town

https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanner-Engine-Diagnostics-Direct/dp/B011Q18D14/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1497729915&sr=1-6&keywords=obd+scanner

OBD scanners are super cheap now

http://www.amazon.com/OxGord-CAN-OBD-Scanner-Tool/dp/B011Q18D14/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1459128073&sr=1-1&keywords=obd+scanner

personally i wouldnt speculate on what your check engine light might be caused by, any of the answers listed by other people could be the cause. Someone else has mentioned going to an auto parts store and getting the codes read, thats the best idea, or buy your own reader, they're $15 on Amazon it spits out a code you look it up by googling 'chevy malibu code xxxx' and it will tell you the issue, and the chevy forums can tell you whether you need to worry about it or not.

OBDII scanners cost 15 bucks and anyone can use them in combination with google, but I dont see that replacing automobile mechanics. You are paying for the labor, not the diagnosis unless you are a moron.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011Q18D14/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474547085&sr=1-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=obdii+scanner

You can get an ODB scanner dirt cheap on Amazon. It's 13 bucks and can save you a lot of money. With just YouTube and basic hand tools you can't get pretty far working on your own cars. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011Q18D14/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1506661662&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=odb2+scanner&dpPl=1&dpID=51aoLjwYQFL&ref=plSrch

Amazon, there are a ton that have fantastic reviews and are only around $15.

I ordered this one, its for Android only, but it does everything you need when paired with the Torque app.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BY2CK32/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is an ODB II port, I use it all the time with http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367981365&sr=8-1&keywords=odb2 and my android phone.

Several out there should work fine, but I got this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just remember you will need to install the custom PIDs (requiring the $5 purchase of the Torque Pro) for the Volt/Bolt, in order to use properly.

Go buy this code reader on Amazon and then buy the torque app. For like $26 you can see exactly what's wrong on your car and clear codes. So much easier than taking it in somewhere.

All scanners are not the same, some are better than others.

This is probably the best BIFL "value buy" scanner that works with all cars with obdII interface.

And the Torque app works great with it too.

I bought this bluetooth reader off Amazon and the Android application "torque".
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/

Not only does it let me read and clear codes, but it gives me all sorts of real-time information which is cool but useless to me since I'm not tuning my car (vacuum/boost, rpm, timing advance, fuel flow, throttle position, intake temperature, etc.). Not bad for like $30 for the reader and the app.

How many mechanics do you think these have automated?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b13uCr_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=T7VHGKBBT6ZKQACDWQDA&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=96a2bd3b-a407-52f5-a277-9f412bd445fd&pf_rd_i=15707381

>No one besides the auto industry actually has any clue what to do with the code(s) they get.

I'm not in the auto industry and I have a clue what to do with the codes I get. I use a [BlueDriver OBD II scan tool](BlueDriver Bluetooth Professional OBDII Scan Tool for iPhone, iPad & Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00652G4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JKrqyb0079C1B) to read MIL codes to aid me in repair and maintenance of my vehicles.

Not a tip, but a warning: Get used to people cutting you off or trying to go around you at all costs. Had some douche pull the "go around" this morning, but I was trying to avoid an accident as some dickhead cut me off. Then I ended up flying by him at 85 mph just moments later.

Tip: Get an OBD2. It will help you figure out what certain indicators say on your dashboard along with other cool things.

You can also buy a Bluetooth OBD-II adapter for $10 (this one works great). Combine it with the Torque app and you have a powerful diagnostic tool that provides you with way more information than the scanners the auto parts stores provide.

Quick answer: Holding the button for 5 seconds forces the engine to turn off

Long, rambling and occasionally off topic answer: I have a manual gearbox ford with push button ignition.

When you're driving, the push button doesn't turn off the engine. It goes into a special mode above some minimum speed like 5mph. If you decide you do want to turn off the ignition while driving you can override the lock out by holding down the button for 5 seconds.

I don't recommend that you try it, because I don't know under what conditions the steering lock will kick in. I expect it won't engage until the car is stationary but I can't be sure without testing that so my advice is leave this stuff to idiots like me to find out. I've done that once before in a traditional ignition car (pulled the key out while driving and the steering lock engaged and I drove up the curb onto the verge before I could stop the car).

So anyway, I tried the power button thing the other day because I was curious, I pushed the clutch down so that I was freewheeling and pressed the button while rolling forwards at about 10mph and nothing happened. Then I held the button down for a few seconds and the engine cut out. I quickly pressed it again and the engine started up (I wasn't ready to test the steering lock thing on that occasion, maybe next time).

Specifically about the computer crashing: OK, so what I've described above relates to normal operating conditions. The car performing as intended. What about a software crash? I can contribute something on this as well although I'm not a vehicle designer.

I have a cheap Bluetooth diagnostic module, [like this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PJPHEBO). Not that exact one but something similar. Mine is modified with a switch to enable dedicated Ford diagnostics using some software called Forscan.

So the switch allows me to flip between standard OBDII wiring and custom Ford wiring. It's important that I flip the switch to the correct position when Forscan is sending out Ford commands or OBDII commands.

I flipped the switch during a session, sending signals down all the wrong wires. I was driving and attempting to diagnose an exhaust issue. Whatever I did, I did it at exactly the wrong moment because the car completely shit the bed.

The instrument panel crashed, all dials went to zero. All readings (mpg for example) went to dashed lines (--- mpg). "Shit. I hope this isn't permanent" I thought.

The engine went into limp mode (reduced power). I was pretty concerned so I pulled over. Basic controls were still working gas (with limited power), brakes, power steering. But nothing complicated was working. Cruise control gone. Even the power windows wouldn't auto close, manual close only.

Anyway, I'm an IT guy so I figured the old favourite "turn it off, and then back on again" was called for.

I pressed the stop/start button. Nothing. "SHIT" I couldn't turn the fucking car off, even stationary. "SHIT, FUCK". Then I remembered about holding down the button so I tried that and it worked!

It seems like Ford planned for the worst case scenario and wired a pretty low level override into the button. Even when the whole computer system had given up and shut down, the override still worked.

It is 100% possible to use a bluetooth OBD adapter with iOS. I currently use the LELink OBDII with my iPhone 6s Plus. I bought this one for the exact same reason you did: I wanted to be able to have internet and be able to have my car diagnostics. I use it with the OBD Fusion app and works like a charm. The thing works so well that I can have my Apple Watch (the app offers an Apple Watch app so therefore it is meant to be connected to a watch and phone at the same time) and my car's audio system connected all at once. That's three different Bluetooth devices connected at the same time.

Edit: This solution is $55 less expensive than the Automatic device.

I bought a used Leaf 2 years ago from a private seller. Interestingly enough used prices for Leafs are up since then. After driving the car for 2 years the car is worth the same or more than when I bought it.

Advice for buying now:

1. Buy an ODB adapter and the LeafSpy app https://www.amazon.ca/LELink-Bluetooth-Energy-OBD-II-Diagnostic/dp/B00QJRYMFC or similar
   
2. Test the vehicle before buying it and check the Battery State of Health (SoH) and Hx values in LeafSpy. Higher is better. Motorize will give you LeafSpy output for their Leafs but Campus Nissan will not. Their official Nissan battery report is useless.
   
3. If you can find a Leaf that came from Washington / Seattle that's generally better than California because the heat is what causes battery degradation so those from the pacific northwest are usually in better shape.
   
4. In Victoria Motorize are the better dealer but prices tend to be a bit higher than campus nissan but they are more honest. Cross shop both of them. If you have the time you can likely find even slightly better deals in Vancouver.
   
   Enjoy! I'm liking mine after 2 years. Battery not as good as a Tesla for sure for less than a quarter of the price I'm ok with that.

[I bought one of these - it works great for clearing codes, while letting you google the problem] (http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371376822&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+ii+scanner)

Here's the link, it's only $16

Autel MaxiScan MS300 CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII Vehicles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-y7lzb8ETFZ5Y

I'd like to add

1. youtube. There is a video for just about everything. (If nothing else you'll see how easy...or how ridiculously hard it is.
   
   
   
2. $20 engine code reader
   
   all 1996 (IIRC) or later cars must have easy access to the onbaord computer too, usually down by your feet.
   
   This $20 device plus google enables you to figure out the problem and if you can handle it yourself.

You should certainly have your typical "manual" screwdrivers....but I would recommend a rechargeable electric driver 100000x.
The time and effort it saves is incredible. You can get a fancier one, but this one has served me well for years.

Regarding the outlet tester...get it if it makes you feel better...but, really, what good will it do? Do you know how to fix a bad ground? You could do the same tests (plus a lot more) with a good multimeter.

Do either you or your wife have access to an Android device with Bluetooth? If so, you could pick up one of these and use this app to get the same (if not better) results. I have not done this, but one of my old coworkers has this setup on his toaster.

As far as installation goes, anything with an OBD interface is really simple to connect. The hard part is finding a place to mount the display.

• Get a Bluetooth OBDII adapter (https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497904775&sr=8-2&keywords=bluetooth+OBD),
  
• check the StateOfCharge on the battery with LeafSpy (get the paid version) on the app store.
  
• Me, I would look at 2015s since they have the newer battery.
  
• Preferably check if it has the QuickCharge package (should have a CHADMO connector in the front next to the normal charge port).
  
• Make sure they have the trickle charger.
  
• Assume if the dealer is not Nissan, they won't anything about the car.
  
• Check CarFax for maintenance.

OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter: Amazon Link

You're probably fine.

Buy one of these, it will show you if everything is working:
https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_17

If you just want voltage, which will give you an idea of battery drain, this is it

Don't get something old from the 80's or 70's. it'll just make getting parts harder.

If you want a reliable beater that will be easy to repair get a 90's Honda. They are simple to work on, parts are plentiful, and as a daily driver they get amazing mileage. If you yet an obd2 model (96 and newer) get one of these so you can scan the codes.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is what I use. I would stay away from the mini blue ones. I hear they have more issues not working on cars. The one above worked on a 99 chevy c1500, a 99 toyota camry, a 2002 protégé 5, a 2012 mazda speed 3, and a 2002 toyota tacoma.

I use torque pro as my app. It reads code plus a whole lot more. There is a version to check out for free as well, however it costs 5 dollars. Torque lite is the name of the free program.

Or just buy a $24 one and use Torque:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS

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

I got this. Works beautifully everytime paired with the Torque Pro app ($5).

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

My friend has this one and it seems to work well enough actually. I'm going to order one for myself right now. I have a magnetic phone mount that goes in my CD slot that works really well due to the layout in my car. I might use a spare phone to run as extra gauges and a music player. You could get a BlueDriver but those are about $100 though I hear they are really awesome. Though honestly for just $10 it can't hurt to at least try it out.

Edit: For $20 this one looks to be a bit nicer. I'm ordering one for myself right now. Thanks for reminding me. These are really handy tools and just plain fun to play around with.

here

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rg3qybQHNFFC8

I use this adapter for everything with torque. Has never failed to connect and is really fast when watching live data. I use the paid version of torque.

Get Carista, you connect it to your OBD2 port (left of your steering wheel). It connects over Bluetooth to your phone and you can change all kinds of settings. Get rid of back up beeps, seatbelt beeps, and more. Must have!

Carista OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter, Scanner and App for iOS and Android: Diagnose, Customize and Service your Audi, VW, Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mini or Scion with dealer level technology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LJ5EAbS4Z0BPK

Depending on what you're doing with VCDS, a knockoff Ross tech cable can be had on ebay for $20 or less, and you can find VCDS online through a sketchy website of your choice.

Alternatively, Carista has VAG support, and allows you to customize a fair bit of stuff

Third option, there's plenty of guys on kijiji who will code stuff for you for $20 or less

Also, a bit pedantic, but its OBD2//OBDII, not 11

Cheers

A cheap obd ii scanner only costs $15 on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanner-Engine-Diagnostics-Direct/dp/B011Q18D14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473974197&sr=8-1&keywords=odb+reader

That's more expensive that free, but its not a bad thing to have in a car.

You can. Get a Bluetooth OBD-II module from Amazon for about $10 and you can monitor your engine on your smartphone.

This bluetooth based obd2 scanner (for $20) should work well with a phone app:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01BY2CK32/. You'll probably find cheaper ones online as well.

Buy a $10 ODB2 scanner on Amazon, even if they've cleared the check engine light codes or disabled the light, the car will still report the codes and the failed tests.

https://www.amazon.com/Kitbest-Bluetooth-Scanner-Diagnostic-Warranty/dp/B01BY2CK32

No problem, actually to give my personal anecdote some real detail.

$35 scanner that can read live data

$155 Scanner that can read SRS and ABS

Glad to help.

Can you see it leaking onto the ground anywhere. If not then its internal and because it foaming this is most likely the case. Since its foaming its getting air pressure from somewhere, its either a cracked head, block or head gasket. There are other internal leaks but none that would cause foaming. What i recommend you do is rent a block tester, most parts stores will do this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Also buy the torque app. If you're curious about what you're engine is doing this is the best 30 bucks you can spend. Reads codes, clears them automatically, tells you when your engines warmed up, will display and log the output of your obd sensors.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have two of these. Work great. I have only used them in Ford vehicles though.

Easy. I've got this.

Picked it up on Amazon. Make sure it's the MX Bluetooth. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/ScanTool-OBDLink-Bluetooth-Professional-Diagnostics/dp/B006NZTZLQ/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=OBDLink&qid=1567175649&s=gateway&sr=8-12

If it's an ongoing thing, you can get an OBDII-to-bluetooth dongle for about $11 and a $5 phone app called Torque, then you can read and clear codes from your android phone. Plus see live engine data, which is neat. I think iOS has wifi equivalents. For me it adds a ton of peace of mind when I can read a code as soon as it pops up.

The iPhone wifi-only is not true anymore. I recently bought a Bluetooth low energy version. Waaay better than the wifi.

LELink Bluetooth Low Energy BLE OBD-II OBD2 Car Diagnostic Tool For iPhone/iPod/iPad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJRYMFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_xfd5wbAJA4EE7

I believe this is the one the app recommended at the time, LELink, so that's what I got, even though it's more expensive than most others. I can confirm it works, though: ww.amazon.com/LELink-Bluetooth-Energy-OBD-II-Diagnostic/dp/B00QJRYMFC

If your interested:

This app($10): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.palmerperformance.DashCommand

Plus this($20): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W0SDLRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7TR-ybWNQ3SA6

Mount the S3 to your car, create a tasker profile to launch the app when it receives power (or connects to your stereo, etc.) And you get a wireless obd display =D I have this set up in my truck and I love it =)

Btw thanks for the reminder that this sub exists lol

If you own a smartphone, buy this. Best tool purchase I've ever made http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00W0SDLRY/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1454180781&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX118_SY170_QL70&keywords=obdii+bluetooth&dpPl=1&dpID=51R92BK2LSL&ref=plSrch

If you have a smart phone, you can get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377738160&sr=8-1&keywords=bluetooth+obd

You can use a free app called "Torque" which gets you a lot of good information. There are other cheaper obd2 bluetooth readers, but they have fewer reviews. (I'm sure they're fine). You get more information than a basic cheapo obd2 reader at the same cost.

This is what OBD/OBDII is for. You can buy a bluetooth OBDII adapter for your jailbroken IOS or stock Android device and use a free app to get all the information a mechanic can during a diagnosis.

If you have an android you can do this for $28 to any car with an obd2 port.
Buy the bluetooth obd2 reader...

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369776856&sr=8-1&keywords=odb2+bluetooth

Then download the torque pro app to your phone.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

I use the track recorder plugin to see my autocross run speeds and lateral Gs and such.

I just ordered one of these and got this app. It tells you quite a bit about the car, speed, coolant temp, you can even run 0-60 times 1/4 miles. Way cheaper than getting an actual gauge.

This. Pick up any Android phone for uber-cheap (just has to have bluetooth and Android 2.0 or higher), buy Torque for $5, and buy one of these adapters for $24 Prime.

Total cost would be around $50-75 depending on the phone, and then you have an emergency phone, too.

Actual link so others can see more easily: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

Yep, that's the one I have. Works like a charm for two years now.

Yes, what this person is saying. Download Leaf Spy Pro (yes, it'll cost you a few bucks off Google Play, oh well), and get an OBD (I got this one - ANY Leaf you come across, plug it in, load up Leaf Spy Pro, and look at the top right number in the main screen. Here is an example -- the 50.8% at the top at 67.4% SOC (state of charge) means the car is probably around 75-77% SOH (state of health) -- you don't want to buy a used Leaf like mine with that much battery degradation unless you just won't drive long-distance (my trips to Portland from Hillsboro are very rare, only about once every two weeks, and it's only 35 miles roundtrip).

BTW for anyone wondering from my screenshot, yes, the battery does get that hot. It's 85 F outside right now outside my house, and I just came back from the grocery store. Yes, Leaf Spy Pro does indeed say my battery is at 127 F. One time I came back from Portland and my battery temped at 205 F according to Leaf Spy Pro. This is what us Leaf customers get for buying an EV with no thermal management system...

I bought one on Amazon for like 25 bucks a while back. The app I used with it, Torque, is only available on android. Really good app though. No problems with the scanner itself. Had a good range too. Will post link when I find. Btw I know for a fact that there are other apps that work with this scanner. So don't worry if you do not have android.

Link http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416539603&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Scan the ODB2 port and see what the code is. From there, you should at least know what sensor is throwing the check light.
I had similar issues that the dealer would just reset, so I got a Bluetooth scanner that I just leave permanently connected. When it goes off, my phone looks the code up and if it is bullshit, I can just reset it myself. I use Torque as the software. Pretty cool to just watch all of your data with it too.

I've been using this one- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS
Had mine since 2012, from Amazon. No complaints here, it has worked well for me. But pretty much any one will do. They all use the same chip.

I bought this one about 5 years ago. Still working well. You also need an app. I personally bought Torque Pro for $5, but they have a free version as well.

I use an OBD2 Bluetooth reader and the Torque app on my phone to check codes for my 2007. I use this scanner, seems to work well https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(I had cheaper bluetooth reader before that worked on my 2008 Frontier, but didn't work on my Xterra).

I got this one for $18 last year. It went up to $24 now. Works well, just plug it into your OBD slot, fire up Torque and pair it with your smart phone (I use a Nexus 7) and that's it. I keep it in my car and since I always have my phone or tablet with me, I can pull readings whenever I need to.

This seems to be the best one out there for $25

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_263_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41qPjS0dkUL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C76_&refRID=0RT24HHDK5X4SK9BK152

Everyone is talking about how awesome and essential it is. Mine should be arriving tomorrow too which is awesome. Good luck!

More money, but this will give you more flexibility. I learned about these devices from another redditor. With this device, check your own system and turn off your own engine light. I bought it because I plan on buying a used car in a few months and want to plug it into any potential car I am thinking about buying to read the computer

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this is the one I use:
http://www.amazon.com/ScanTool-426101-OBDLink-Bluetooth-Interface/dp/B006NZTZLQ

With additional bandwidth capabilities, it allows you to track multiple sensors without having it bog down. Also, the auto shutoff feature is pretty cool.

I use the torque app. the app is great, im just sad that BMW boost pressure sensor on non-diesels is capped at like 3 psi :(

I bought this one

GXG-1987 WiFi Wireless OBD-II Mini OBD2 Auto Car Diagnostic Scanner Tool Adapter Reader Scan Code Tester for iPhone 6S 5 iPad4 iPod mini iOS PC Windows, Android Device https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3K2X4M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Sm5Izb3NJ563T

Works great with my 2014 Five.

For apps I use the Carista app. And the DashCommand app.

and Coding is super simple on those cars if you have an iPhone/iPad/Android device! Just download (and pay for) bmwhat Android or iOS. Then order This from amazon or eBay. You can seriously code your car in 20min by pressing buttons. Only module I can't seem to use is the Alarm one with that adapter (i'm sure if you buy bmwhat's adapter it'll allow you to use it)

I turned mine off a few years ago using a guide found on Prius Chat. I have a 2013 model (gen 3). The OBDII dongle - I got the wi-fi kind - was $15 on Amazon. The app I used to connect to it was Engine Link, which is an iOS app (Was $5 at that time). While I was at it, I also turned off the seat-belt reminder ding.

https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO

I use the free version of an app called Torque.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torquefree

You have to pair your phone to the dongle just like you would a pair of headphones.

Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII Car Diagnostic Scanner Check Engine Light for Android - Compatible with Torque Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CEJkDb0V2Z9T5

I just want to mention, I do strongly recommend investing in a real one if you want an odb scanner. I keep this one with me because it's small, and cheap, and like i said, it's usually right, but not always completely correct. Is it worth $10-$11 dollars? Sure! Do I ALWAYS trust it? Not always.

Clean looking model :) congratulations! Love that you have sunroof / moonroof (different countries - different names - same stuff).

Waiting for the interior pictures.

Here are few link where you can find info and parts in case if you will need; searching by VIN number, only the last 7 characters, CE7....

bmwfans.info and realoem.com for parts number

bimmer.work for equipment details, with which the car came from factory

Others; using apps

Torque pro or Torque lite - free version to use together with an OBD-II bluetooth scanner for quick diagnostics, are not expensive and can give you some quick info.

Another good app which I tried, a little bit more expensive, is Carly for BMW they have a free lite version as well Carly for BMW Lite only that you will need to have a smartphone which knows USB-OTG and a cable from them (from carly for bmw) adapter search which can be 30€ carly for bmw website

I tried them both, torque and carly, and I would say that they are good enough, can give you informations, faults (errors code) and you can search by error code number to have an idea what can be the issue; as well can clear faults.

Carly for bmw knows coding as a plus, you can configure your car to do other few things, such as automatically locking the doors when going over a certain speed, follow me home lights on time for a certain time, keeping pressed locking button from the key fob to fold the mirrors (+ windows to go up), keeping pressed unlocking button from the key fob for the mirrors to go down; plus other few stuff (can't remember). For a car from the years 2000s is having few nice features.

Take a look at youtube video 5 Series - E39 - Video Handbook (40mins video) and you can learn about them.

You will have to prepare for the future, in case if they will fail, about kit repairs.

In US you have German auto solutions with DIY instructions, tools, kits; very useful stuff.

Since recently I had issues with this hose 11531705223 Radiator Hose which I had it replaced and just blew (snapped) after 1 year when I was going up the mountain, they are know for failing and can leave you stranded; give it an eye inspection.

What else can I continue recommending you... uhm...

Take care of it and again, congratulations :)

Cheers

This is the ODB2 BT I got, works great: https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO/

Take a look at this for the L2 charging: http://www.instructables.com/id/313CONVERTING-A-2013-LEAF-LEVEL-1-12AMP-CHARGER-TO/

It is super easy to convert your existing L1 "charger" (it's not really a charger) to be both L2 and L1 capable, then you just need a 240v outlet (which is ~$100-$200 for an electrician to install, easy to DIY as well)

I have yet to do any public charging, but just signed up for a ChargePoint account, thanks to http://roev.org/ the account should work at ChargePoint, Blink, and EVgo station which is 90%+ of public stations. Maybe someone else can comment how well it works and if it's still a good idea to sign up for multiple provider accounts.

I also really like the Leaf Manager app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.darkspawns.leafmanager&hl=en

Way faster and more useful than the Nissan provided app.

This one connects to your phone via Bluetooth. There's any number of free apps available to read any trouble codes. Torque is a good app to use with this scanner.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0QE5BbTQ9HRSB

This one works fine for me:
Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 Car... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PJPHEBO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I bought this one (Amazon link):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qRj0DbDZVKZDN

But the app also has an article talking about the scanners they recommend with the app, this being one of them.

I use a Panlong one ordered from Amazon with no problems. It was specifically one of the ones recommended to use for the Dr. Prius app, and it works with Hybrid Assistant and other apps without issue either.


It works fine in both my 2004 and 2012.

http://priusapp.com/obd.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO

I don't have this onebut it seems to have good reviews.

Google play store has the torque pro app.

>While they aren't free, you can buy OBD readers for as low as $25.

They've come down quite a bit, because many now just relay the data via bluetooth to read on your smartphone/tablet. I diagnosed an issue with mine with this $10 Model and a free app.

If you want to use it with an iPhone, you need WiFi or Bluetooth LE. A "regular" Bluetooth one won't work.

I bought one of these https://www.amazon.com/LELink-Bluetooth-Energy-OBD-II-Diagnostic/dp/B00QJRYMFC for $35 and a generic WiFi one for about $15. There is a little more support for the WiFi one in more apps, but the Bluetooth one will be a little simpler because you don't have to switch wifi networks.

You may want to get an extension cable, they are tiny so easy to leave connected all the time but really hard to take in and out. If you got some sort of pigtail cable it will probably be easier to disconnect.

I use this one with my iPhone SE, on the list of compatible LeafSpy Pro devices for iOS.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC

2013 Leaf SV

I imagine you mean the check engine light codes? I haven't used it on a TL, but I used something like this before on another Acura:
https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Bluetooth-Scanner-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B00T5G53ZM

I imagine something like this would work the same, and doesn't require a phone or other device to pair it with:
https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanner-Engine-Diagnostics-Direct/dp/B011Q18D14

So those should be able to tell you the specific codes needing attention as well as an option to clear them if you want. Of course, clearing doesn't do you any good if you don't do anything about the issues, it can very well come back. But once you have the specific codes, look them up online and see if you can pinpoint the possible issue and get it fixed. At the very least, you can know how serious it is.

I've got a 2016, and use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W0SDLRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_G9wEzbFTEHM8Q

Works just fine on all my cars.

Little bit more expensive than when I bought it but it's saved so much money when I can identify the code look it up online and look up a tutorial on how to fix it on YouTube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W0SDLRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SZO7yb8G2F1WE

Yes, I recommend https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W0SDLRY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This works 100% on my iPhone and my 2013 S. Turn on Bluetooth and WiFi and connect to the OBD connector once its plugged into the Leaf.

TBH i don think that little thing will do much at most it only puts back like 4 watts under ideal circumstances. meanwhile your computer is drawing at least 40watts and phone about 5 watts.

​

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i use something like this to monitor my battery whenever im listening to the radio or charging my computer. once it gets too low ill turn the car on for a little while. but i also pack a jump starter in all my cars just incase.

https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=pd_cp_107_1?pd_rd_w=bySXE&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=WT057VG43YSGXRCZH4Z2&pd_rd_r=56420b0a-67b9-11e9-aa29-13293a7f6817&pd_rd_wg=y2YGT&pd_rd_i=B000EVWDU0&psc=1&refRID=WT057VG43YSGXRCZH4Z2

that'd do it; i don't know why you'd need two inverters though.

also you want a deep cycle battery rather than a regular car one as car batteries are designed for short bursts of high energy rather than a sustained drain. deep cycle batteries are used for running the electricity on boats and RVs. make sure to get one that's "100ah" or higher. that's essentially the amount of power available in the battery and the more you have the longer you can power your stuff. you can get two and connect them in parallel (google image this for a diagram) to increase your available energy.

you'll also want to get a battery charge reader so you can monitor how much charge the battery has. a full charged battery is 12.6v, and you should turn everything off and recharge if you dip down to 12v as that's around 50% charge and anything less than that will actually kill your battery and it won't charge again.

definitely don't do the gennie, we have enough air and noise pollution out there...


battery
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Power-Group-45978-Battery/dp/B0044Z8DJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374787029&sr=8-1&keywords=UPG+UB121000

combine these two items to create a battery charge reader
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065L2D8/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have the same scanner, it's not very good. They use a knockoff ELM327 chip which doesn't work very well.

You're better off with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-OBD-II-Scan/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319057551&sr=8-2

I have both and never use the bluetooth one, the standalone unit is much more convenient and reliable.

• Learn how to change a tire. Do it in your driveway or in a parking lot on your own. It is a lot better to know how to do it right when you need to. And it is much easier to learn how on a warm sunny day than on the side of the road in the rain, or the middle of the night.
  
  
• Keep a tire pressure gauge on you. If your tires appear low, check the pressure. Tip: Sheetz gas stations (at least the ones in Virginia) have free air (most gas stations do). Their systems have a digital pressure setting and an auto-cutoff. Just set the pressure, and it will stop filling when it gets there. Otherwise use your pressure gauge to dial it in. Most cars will feature the tire pressure for front and rear tires on a sticker in the front door frame.
  
  
• Water will work as coolant in the summer. If it is colder outside, you will want to buy antifreeze. Most gas stations will sell it.
  
  
• If a warning light on your dash comes on (check engine, oil light, alternator light, etc) you will need to get it checked/fixed soon. Check engine lights can sometimes be nothing (sometimes it is just a loose gas cap), but it is always good to get it checked. More on that in a minute. If a warning light on your dash starts flashing, that is a serious problem. Pull over, turn the car off, and call a service station
  
  
• You can save yourself some money by getting an OBD2 Reader. These read your check engine codes and tell you why your check engine light is on. Some shops will do this for you for free, some will charge $20. Most corporate owned auto stores will let you borrow theirs in exchange for your drivers license. Personally, I say just drop the $20 and get one, it saves time later on. They sell ones that are much more expensive, up to thousands of dollars. You don't need these; these give "live" data of the car's sensors and other things that won't help anyone other than a mechanic. A small $20 one will read the code and probably clear it if you want.
  
  Simple run down on how to use them (should be in the instruction book). 1. Plug it into the car, with the car turned off. (The plug will almost always be under the dash) 2. Turn the key to the ON position. (Do not start the car, just one click before it. Like if you wanted to turn the radio on but not start the engine) 3. The code reader will usually say READING for a few seconds and give you one or more codes. They will look something like P0430. Cheap readers usually have books with them that will tell you what they mean. More expensive ones ($100-$200) will define the code. If you don't have the book, just google the code.
  
  Depending on the code, you may or may not understand what it means. This is okay. If you google the definition of the code, you will almost always find someone describing the general idea of what is going on. Again, you might not be able to use this info to repair the car yourself, but it can give you an idea of how serious a problem is, and may prevent you from being ripped off by mechanics.
  
  
• Anticipate maintenance and repairs. Tires are expensive. Thankfully, they don't need to be replaced all that often, but changing 4 tires at once can easily be $300 bucks for cheap new tires. Avoid used tires. Keep $100 saved up to get the oil changed. Newer oils need to be changed less often, but the shop should advise you when to come back. (I'm assuming you aren't planning on changing your own oil any time soon) Nothing is worse than knowing your oil is dirty and overdue for a change but not having the money to make it happen, and old dirty oil will shorten the life of your engine.
  
  
• Every 6-8 months, when you get gas, go into the gas station and buy fuel system cleaner. It will look similar to this. Simply pour the entire bottle into your gas tank and then fill up your tank to the top. Also, and this is very important! DO NOT PUT THIS IN A DIESEL VEHICLE
  
  
• Finally, find a good mechanic/service station. Ask locals around your town. Check reviews. The difference between a good one and a bad one can be hundreds, if not thousands. Before I learned about cars, I went to several mechanics for my first car.
  
  One never updated me on their progress, charged super high prices, and recommended unnecessary repairs. Then I went to one that would come out and talk to me 2 or 3 times throughout the repair (giving me updates, letting me know of other problems he noticed, etc), he would never perform an additional repair without taking me into the shop and showing me exactly what he was talking about. At one point, he ordered brake parts from down the street because I thought I needed new parts. Turned out it was a whole different issue with different parts. He happily sent them back, free of charge to me, and walked me through what he was going to do. I still take my cars to him when they have "gremlins" that I can't figure out. Usually they charge a pretty big service fee per hour, but from the very first time he charges me 1 hour less than whatever it takes him. His reason is always "I wanted to figure it out as bad as you did. Forget the money, this thing became my puzzle."
  
  But I've been rambling on that. Point is, find a good mechanic and stick with them. It will make a huge difference.

It's easy:

1. Find out why the light is on. This could be a loose gas cap or a real problem. There is a $14 code reader gizmo for this.
   
   
2. Fix the problem. This of course depends on what th problem is.
   
   
3. Reset the MIL (that's the real name of the "check engine" light). Your reader gizmo can also do this.

That's what I assumed unfortunately.

I got a $20 scanner on Amazon, and it can check inspection monitors. It's a simple tool, but it will go through the list of monitors (evap, cat, etc.) and tell me if it is ready or not.

I guess I will just have to hope for the best if I don't see any CELs. Thanks for the answer!

Good recommendation, just buy a code scanner.

OP, here's one for 20$ on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345574036&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+II+scanner

It's worth getting your own. I have an Autel similar to this one. I've only used it once and it retrieved the code no problem.

I recommend buying from Amazon a diagnostic code reader so you can read the check engine codes yourself and verify what the garage is telling you. I bought one a few years ago for only $15 and it works great, there are newer/ better ones now but here is the one I use:
[Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII Vehicles] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LHVOVK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I have this one. It's actually $15 on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001LHVOVK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1465956178&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=scan+tool&dpPl=1&dpID=41zoXcnpYQL&ref=plSrch

I have my office in sorrento valley. If you want to drop by tomorrow morning I can let you read the code or possibly borrow my reader.

I have this one

The Pioneer will fit your car, and think it's a good choice.

A soldering iron, digital multimeter, shrink tubing and good electrical tape (3m super 33+) are all good investments to have if you are doing car audio/electrical work.

If you don't have access to a soldering iron or butt connectors you can use a military splice and electrical tape. If you do solder the connecting you can still do a military splice first.

For a decently priced digital multimeter I'd recommend this one.

A multimeter costs like $20 FYI, and is a good tool to have.

It wont help you now but you can get OBDII bluetooth receivers off ebay/amazon for about $20. You can hook them up to your phone and read/clear codes with the Torque app (free version).

> how and where do you get the car registered?

If you're in the US, you phone the local DMV and ask them how to register the car. You probably go to an office, write a cheque, fill out forms, prove that you didn't steal it, and then get registration.

If not, you text a car-savvy relative and ask them who you contact.

> How do you know when something is broken, and how do you fix/handle that?

You suspect that something is broken if a dashboard light comes on or if the car makes a motion or sound that it didn't used to. Then you Google it, watch some YouTube, read the car's manual, and maybe take it to a mechanic. For most newish cars you can also plug one of these things into a port under the dashboard, pair it with an app on your phone, and listen to the computer telling you what it thinks is wrong with itself.

> How do you choose a mechanic that isn't awful?

I dunno... Ask your friends, and read online reviews? How do you choose, like, a doctor or a lawyer?


> What are the basic parts under the hood, and what do they do?

Depends on the car. Depends on if it's gas or diesel. Probably best to Google your exact model of car once you've picked one.

> What sort of insurance coverage should I get?

If you're in the US, your state probably has a legally mandated minimum amount of insurance. If not, uh, ask someone car-savvy whom you trust.

> Etc.

• Read your car's manual (or download a pdf if it didn't come with one) to find out about its routine maintenance schedule. Fluids and stuff need to be changed every so-many miles or years, and the specs depend on the model of car.
  
  
• Check your lights, and use a mirror or friend to check that your brake lights work.
  
  
• Check the oil and tyre pressure every week if you drive a lot, every month if you don't.
  
  
• If you haven't committed to a particular model of car, look at this
  
  
• Before you actually purchase a certain car from a certain year, Google around to see if it has a common failure mode. Like Honda Fits are generally great but the 2007 ones have a problem with one of the seals around the door leaking so rain gets in your car.
  
  
• Take someone car-competent with you when you test drive.

Go buy a $15 blutooth OBDII reader as well as Dash Command if you have an iPhone, or there's also an equivalent Android app, $9. It'll spit out the actual code thrown, and you can look it up online.

http://imgur.com/mh08pNW

This is a cheap Amazon version of what I use to integrate with my Android phone. If you have a phone that can use the Torque app, download it (the free one works just fine) and connect your phone and the OBDII reader via bluetooth. It will display the code and give you the option to clear it. I do this every once in a while because the O2 sensor in my downpipe trips out every once in a while and throws P0420 at me. If after you clear the code using Torque it comes back, you probably have a problem you need to fix.

Get an outlet tester. Use it on every receptacle affected by the work including those in other parts of the house that might be on the circuits directly affected.

Get a multimeter. Use the AC testing function on the part that shocked you. Connect the red wire to the right most socket on the meter and put the probe and where you touched that shocked you. Put the black wire in the center socket on the meter and put the probe in the ground pin of a nearby receptacle. If you get any constant AC voltage over 1V, you have an issue with the power supply within the dryer (most likely).

Also use the multimeter on your outlet the dryer is fed from. You should put the black probe in the ground, and the red in each of the three (or two if your dryer is older) other holes in that receptacle. You should get two of them that measure 120V AC, and one that measures 0 AC and less than 1 V DC. Then measure from one hot to the other and just confirm you get 240V AC. If you get these values and you saw a voltage when testing the inside of the dryer, the dryer is the issue. Anything else means the wiring is borked.

The $20 you spend on these will be less than 1/3 of the cost of hiring an electrician to come out and even think about the issue.

It could also be static buildup inside the dryer caused by a loose or severed grounding strap inside. Try to connect a wire from the inside to the carpet/floor in your home with an insulated wire if all of the above comes back normal - don't try this first in case there is an AC voltage issue...

I just use my trusty multimeter

I'm glad someone else likes this stuff too!

Yep, I use a cheap bluetooth OBDII adapter like this one and the $5 torque app on my android phone. The free version of torque works well but is limited. Unfortunately, for i-devices you'll need to buy a more expensive one (like obd-link) or get one that communicates to your phone via wifi.

I upload the log to Dropbox and do some quick Python scripts to analyze and plot some things.

If u get a bluetooth obd 2 sensor and download an app I can check codes and more. Ill find the stuff and edit this


Here is a sensor might need to find another to fit ur car so just an example https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS.


The app I use is torque

I apologize in advance for this long post. None of these are "must gets", but they are what I got for my 2016 Premium forester. I'm posting this for my own future reference as well as to help some people who are wondering what accessories might be good for their new forester. I highly recommend ordering from Jackie from Annapolis Subaru @ 443-837-1422 as she can get you some good prices on the subaru accessories as well as WeatherTech products! I saved on WeatherTech shipping costs (~$20) by ordering through Jackie and the warranty is the same as if I had bought them through their website.

Please note that some of these accessory links are for my specific car year, model and configuration. I have a 2016 Premium forester without eyesight (affects the Covercraft/heatshield sunshade - they also have eyesight compatible sunshades!).

Also, I personally didn't get my windows tinted, but I think that is something that you should seriously consider doing :)

Speaker kit

Tweeter kit


WeatherTech DigitalFit floorliner (1st & 2nd row)


WeatherTech cargo/trunk liner (without bumper protector)

Weather Tech TechCare floorliner and floormat Cleaner/Protector Kit

Gorilla mud flaps

Covercraft's UVS100 sunscreen - use promo code FREESHIP

Exterior Auto Dimming Mirror w/ Approach Lighting

Luggage Compartment Cover (manual rear gate)

Rear bumper cover

Auto-Dimming Mirror with Compass and HomeLink

Rear Seat Back Protector

Two Home Depot 5 gallon homer bucket

Heatshield sunshade (driver/passenger, second row, rear windshield, sunroof) - note that their website only shows only one side window (driver/passenger), you need to call in to ask them to add the second row side window ones - on my invoice it says part #1425S-A and #1425S-B

Antigravity Batteries AG-XP-10 Multi-Function Power Supply and Jump Starter (check eBay to see if priced cheaper)

Viair 77P Portable Compressor Kit (check eBay to see if priced cheaper)

Amazon stuff:

EZ Pass Holder for VA Flex

Aux cable

Stickershield (parking stickers, etc)

Dropstop seat gap filler (driver/passenger side)

Door panel removal kit (for speaker kit install)

Two grit guards

Microfiber Drying towel

Microfiber cloths (3 pack)

Car wash shampoo

Wheel brush

Resqme (window breaker/seatbelt cutter)

Wheel cleaner

Microfiber wash mitt

Reindeer costume for Christmas

Headrest coat hanger

Road reflective triangles

Duct tape

Odor eliminator

Tire air pressure gauge

OBDII Scanner (Bluetooth)

First aid kit

Here is the one I'm using there are cheaper ones but I jsut opted for the one with the most/best reviews.

OBD2 isn't something for people with expensive cars, just... vehicles in general. It's the way your car tells you what is wrong with it.

big old list of Honda trouble codes

Most stuff that goes wrong in a car, there is a code or set of codes which will tell you what to check/fix/clean/replace

Can read or clear. Can check pending, current, or historic.

Can run KOEO and KOER self tests


>to put on my vehicle.

Not a permanent addition to your vehicle. I mean, you can... but no need to think of it that way.


here ya go, there are some partially defective obd2 adapters out there, but this one is legit Read their item description.

I just had to shell out a ton of money for a new window regulator because I shut the door and the window FELL DOWN INTO IT, so I totally feel you on the stress thing. I'm constantly worried something else is going to happen. Last year and the year before I was having problems with my throttle body, and it was entering throttle failure mode while I was driving, so basically the car stopped working while I was on the road. Utterly terrifying. Only happened once on the highway, fortunately. It's fixed now, but I'm still paranoid it's going to happen again.

This won't help now, but you can buy an OBD2 wireless scanner and plug it into your car to get error codes, and there are some pretty good apps out there that will tell you what the codes mean. I have one and it makes me feel less anxious because when I take it in, I can tell them exactly what code I got so they'll be able to pinpoint the issue more quickly.

I purchased a [BAFX one from Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=lp_4920137011_1_1?srs=4920137011&ie=UTF8&qid=1473802861&sr=8-1) that has worked reliably for me. $22 currently, though this one is Android only. Don't know if that's a problem for you.

No, the OBD2 scan tool has bluetooth. Your car has a place to plug it in, then you can connect to it using an android phone/tablet with torque.

So I thought that too, and someone else saved my day so i'll pass it on.

Motoscan. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.wgsoft.motoscan (I don't speak iPhone, but there's a version available)

You'll need a Bluetooth OBD reader, and the conversion cable for BMW's round port.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pin-to-16-Pin-OBD2-ICOM-D-Adapter-Cable-for-BMW-Motorcycles/232137965495?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523641500&sr=8-3&keywords=bluetooth+obd

Plug it in, install the app (you'll need the middle tier to do resets, I think it's 23 bucks), connect, and voila...no more service lights. Plus, i's the same OBD reader that will likely fit your car's OBD port, so its handy if you get a trouble code on the car too.

Yea, that's 2nd grader level science experiment style, if I'm being honest. There's so many variables and loss of solid testing in the way you did it, that it really shows nothing.



You need to get this (or one like it)

BAFX Products - Wireless Bluetooth OBD2 / OBDII Diagnostic Car Scanner & Reader Tool for Android Devices - Read / Clear Your Check Engine Light & So Much More! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4sIHDbPWB5R0W

Then get the Torque app

You'll then be able to read actual, real time fuel consumption

Spoiler, everything is normal

I'm going to be straight with you. Save 50-100$ and buy yourself a bluetooth scanner. I bought this an installed the app Torque Lite (free) it has saved me so much cash it's not funny. BAFX Products - Wireless Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XAQIDb05W5KSJ

Plug it in, itll pull the codes from your car, you can look them up on forums and boom. Diagnosis for free. I hope this helps!

I've been taken too the cleaners too many times. Those people run a business and need to make money. Some do it honestly, some dont.

Cheers!

It's free, see here, you can register as many 3-month trial licenses as you want. It requires an OBD2 reader that plugs in under the dash, I use this. It also requires a laptop with Bluetooth. You can do a lot of diagnostic stuff with Forscan but you can also connect that OBD2 reader to an Android phone if you have one and run apps like Torque.

Spend a few bucks on a code reader:

https://smile.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/

and the torque app is free:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torquefree&hl=en

it can clear the codes too w/o pulling battery cables.

Oooh oooh, I know this one!

So Matraxia is pretty much right, whatever is cheap, but I'll give you some more info you should know.

Pretty much all of the OBDII scanners out there, at least for consumer use, are based on the ELM327 IC. The ELM defines a serial, text-based protocol as an input, so you (or an app like Torque) give it a series of commands just like it were a modem, and then it handles communicating with your vehicle via several different protocols, all pretty much transparently. That's why one program like Torque can talk to pretty much every vehicle, via the ELM chip's magic.

The thing about that is, the firmware for the ELM chip got leaked a long time ago and there have been unlicensed Chinese copies made ever since. The real ELM has had upgrades since then, and the Chinese version has sort of kept up, but in the knockoffs some things work right and some things don't. They're frequently slower, buggier, or don't support certain commands, compared to the real ELM chips.

So how do you tell which you're getting? Mostly the price. The knockoffs are cheap, like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Real-slim-ELM327-Bluetooth-V2-1-OBD2-Car-Auto-Diagnostic-interface-Scanner-Tool-/112145219935?hash=item1a1c60415f:g:YXwAAOSwzaJX44nq

No way that's a real one. Not for 4 bucks. That said, I have no idea what the cutoff is where you might consider it legit.

Personally, I have this one:
https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491605126&sr=8-3&keywords=obdII

I have sent it a number of commands over the serial terminal to verify that it's a real ELM327 chip and it has passed all of my tests. That said, it could still just be a good knockoff with a lot of the ELM's newer commands implemented. I really don't know for sure.

Either way, works great.

As for gathering data and exporting to excel.. that has nothing to do with the OBDII adapter you get and everything to do with the software you run on your phone. I have no idea of Torque or others support this but it seems like they should.

I have one of those bluetooth ones and use Torque Pro on my Android phones. I have had no issues.

ODBII tool (there is a small one, I havent tested it)

Torque Pro

This is a good one I recently bought and has good reviews:

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_5Dv6wbFD1XW5Y

20 dollar Bluetooth/WiFi code reader off of amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539905054&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Code+Readers+bluetooth&dpPl=1&dpID=416SaTHOpkL&ref=plSrch
Edit: well $24~

I had an old Saturn once with similar symptoms and it turned out to be the EGR valve - I removed it and cleaned it with carb cleaner and a toothbrush. In my case I was able to diagnose as I had an OBDII scanner and the Torque app for my phone:


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Good luck!

BAFX Products Bluetooth Diagnostic OBDII Reader/Scanner for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS

For 3800 if the HV battery was truly replaced I'd totally go for it. Buy an obdII scanner from Amazon and download the torque pro app on your phone. Ask the seller if it's okay if you run an obdII scanner first before doing so. Check fault codes ect and also do a hybrid battery test with the Prius doctor app. If all looks well and it checks all the boxes I see no reason not to buy it.
BAFX Products Bluetooth Diagnostic OBDII Reader/Scanner for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eHS6CbYT3TXX2

Congratulations on your new Leaf! For anyone who doesn't have a similar device already, definitely plug in one of these and connect it with the LeafSpy app on your phone before your 7 days is up: https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=pd_rhf_sc_p_img_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5539G61R49EZH0220MRH

You want to be sure the battery is in good condition before you lose your opportunity to return the car. Good luck and enjoy your new Leaf!

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vqnSybHD6E0NW

Here is an Amazon link to one, they are about $20 for the unit and the app I use (the full version is worth it) is $4.99. It's a fully customizable app with tons of data readouts. You can learn a lot about your car this way without breaking the bank.

This is the one I have, works flawlessly on my Gen 2, 3, and family members' various vehicles.

If you own a car from after 1996 this guy, or one of the ones like it.

The tools themselves are pretty cheap now as well:
http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

If you have an Android phone get one of THESE and then THIS app for your phone. $29 and you can read your codes and learn a lot more about what your car's doing.

The sensor probably works with iPhone too, but I've never tried it.

Sorry I forgot to respond. What worked well far me was the following:

• BAFX Bluetooth OBD Scan Tool - $23.99 (I've seen them price it as low as $19.99 though depending on the day, may be worth watching the amazon page for a couple days)
  
  
• Carista Android app - free download but it costs $20 to unlock the feature that actually lets you apply new settings.
  
  I can vouch for this combination as I was able to successfully use it to configure options (such as windows and fog lights) in my CC. No problems. The only catch is that they claim the BAFX tool only works with Android. I have an Android phone so it's not an issue for me. If you have an iPhone you may have to look for a different tool. Carista actually sells one on Amazon but it's pricier ($40 last time I checked).
  
  This won't get you the full array of features of a real VAG-COM but it's also $200 cheaper.

You cannot make the screen permanent without an OBD II reader, but you can access the splash screen by going into the testing settings of Sync 3 (hold down track forward & eject), bypass the speaker test screen, then press Testing Settings, then change the theme to Ford-ST. When you power down your car it'll show, but upon startup it'll go back to the default Ford-timeless theme.

As far as I know the only way to make the change permanent is to change the hex value in Forscan. I was able to change it with this OBD II reader from Amazon. With that being said, the version of Sync 3 v2.2 going around the internet is not the official release so the one that is finally released to the public may have the ST logo enabled by default.

OBD to bluetooth dongle? Like this?

Amazon works. I'd recommend https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E3G4SCC/ for Android and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WPW6BAE/ for iOS

I got this one... Carista OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter, Scanner and App for iOS and Android: Diagnose, Customize and Service your Audi, VW, Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mini or Scion https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_zV6N96vYfBCFq

It is more expensive than some but comes with a free trial of their pro features in the app that connects via Wi-Fi. The trial is needed to do the functions you want. Just cancel the trial before they charge you the pro fee for the year.

I had previously ordered a cheaper one and tried to use random free apps, and I never got it to work.

No worries.

​

You need to start with figuring out why they want you to replace your entire exhaust system. Is it throwing a code? Is it rusted to pieces?

​

Your car is fitted with 2 Cats, 3 O2 sensors, a resonator and a muffler. The absolute most expensive component will be the first cat, as it is part of the Exhaust Manifold. The cheapest one I could find from a half-reputable source is here at 350$. The rest of the system is pretty much bog standard and can be done by ANY exhaust shop without official parts. They probably also want you to replace the O2 sensors. These are generally expensive items but you are pretty lucky. You should have 3 of them. Upstream, Center and downstream.

​

If you absolutely have to replace the whole system, do some research for reputable exhaust shops. Just google it and look at reviews. Talk to a shop of your choosing and ask them if you can provide the Exhaust manifold and sensors, and if they would be willing to do the rest. Since after the exhaust manifold, its a bone simple exhaust, a shop with a good welder will be able to throw together an exhaust for you from basic components in less than a day and much cheaper than buying all the pieces separately. Some shops will want to charge you more than 200$ for the second cat. Give them the finger and buy the secondary from RockAuto. At that point its just some pipe bending, a resonator and a muffler. I would be surprised if they want more than 300$. if you include both cats. That puts you at 470$ for the 2 cats, 75$ for all sensor and 300-400$ for the rest. That puts you under 1k$ for the whole system.

​

The more likely scenario, is that they are just pissed off at a code your car is throwing (Your check engine light should be on in this case), I would start with buying a cheap OBD reader, or going to an OReilly's/AutoZone to get your ECU read and write down the code.

Here's one that will work with an Android Phone.

Here's one that will work with an iPhone.

Once you get the exact code the ECU is throwing, it'll tell you which sensor is unhappy.

Sensor 1: Either bad sensor or engine running poorly.

Sensor 2: Either bad sensor or the cat is not heating up properly.

Sensor 3: Either bad sensor or the cat is not burning up remaining fuel correctly.

From there you should be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem. Since sensors are 25$, I would start with those.

​

One last thing, did they shove something in your exhaust during the check? Ford's emission systems are ridiculously lenient, and often will not trigger sensor faults even if the cat is in shreds and missing most of its honeycomb. In that case, change your cats and forget about the rest of the system.

​

Just buy one. They are cheap, and useful. Amazon

Goes well with the Torque app

On your smartphone, you can download an app called Torque Pro. It's $5 (at least it was when I bought it) then buy one of these that "talks" with your ECU. There should be a sensor it can read the transmission temps.

You should look into Bluetooth OBD2 sensors. You'll get the most accurate speed readout plus car info

Here is an example of one.
https://amzn.com/B011NSX27A

Link for the lazy

Cheapest I could find was $15.

Oxgord CAN OBD II Scanner Tool for Check Engine Light & Diagnostics, Direct Scan and Read Out https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011Q18D14/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_w5hlybCMQCXHT

Also, spend the $17 and pick up one of these. All cars made in 1997 or later have ports for them (and some back as far as 1994 do as well).

This and the cheap Torque app will save you a few trips to the dealer in the future.

This is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BY2CK32

I just ordered one last week, along with a free app like Torque Lite and you can read and reset your light codes. Most auto parts stores will read it for you, but they aren't allowed to clear the code. I have found that a vast majority of my codes were caused by loose gas caps.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BY2CK32/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, if your check engine light comes on, Pepboys or AutoZone (or some other commercial parts store) will let you borrow their code reader (aka OBD II) which will help you figure out what the problem is. Alternatively you could buy yourself a code reader from Amazon.

This way, if you are uncomfortable fixing it yourself, you can at least get a rough estimation of what the parts actually cost to replace.

Every car has there own drive cycle procedures but they all require roughly the same things. For his car yes, one of the steps was to go from 0mph to 55mph within 15 sec and maintain that speed for about 15 minutes then bring the car to a stop without using the brakes. There are a few other steps that you need to do to set all the monitors but they are usually met during normal operating conditions.

You can use an OBDII scanner to check yourself if they are set.

You need to block test it...you can buy a kit fairly cheap....basically looks like turkey baster with 2 chambers...Napa sells the fluid...the fluid reacts exhaust gas mixing in the coolant,the fluid starts out blue and will change from green to yellow if exhaust gas is detected.

I use it daily in the shop out here in AZ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVBSFTF/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_HQehDbTWGEVGB

Here's my bike's cold start at 65 F. Sorry for the poor sound quality. As you can see it's spitting out a good amount of water.

Did your previous bikes have an aftermarket exhaust or straight pipe?

If you're still concerned about a HG leak, get one of these to detect exhaust gases in the cooling system.

That radiator is plugged, or there is no flow going through it. You can try to flush it out with a garden hose, but that will likely only clean out one path for the coolant to go through (ie. You won't be using the whole radiator to cool the coolant).

Simply because it has been overheating though, I would do a block test just to make sure the headgasket is still good.

Look at this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Trouble/dp/B00WPW6BAE

You have 4 options for that product, so you get to decide whether you need WiFi for iPhone, or Bluetooth for Android. WiFi will actually work with Android, but not the other way around. I personally prefer the BT+Android because that still leaves you connected to the data network (WiFi or LTE). To use WiFi with iPhone you have to do ad-hoc network connection to the OBD2 interface, which cuts you off from doing any kind of Google or forum search when you are connected.

Edit: my bad, only 3 options for the interface, the fourth is the extension cable. This adapter is small enough that you will not notice it getting in the way, unlike the one I had before it. The low-power standby version is probably there because it is easy to forget the thing is plugged in, and after a few days it can mooch enough juice from your battery to give you trouble. WiFi is really bad about that, BT not as much.

I have aVeepeak one I ordered off amazon and I use the Dash Command app which was $15 or something. I’ve used it on a bunch of vehicles and it’s been great.

https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Scanner-Diagnostic-Adapter-Trouble/dp/B00WPW6BAE/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=AMMXS0IJOC5G&keywords=veepeak&qid=1554569618&s=gateway&sprefix=veep&sr=8-4

I was wondering the answer to this as well. I just bought this one http://amzn.com/B00WPW6BAE I won't get it until next week but I will let you know how it is. It seems like a lot of people liked this model.

This is the one.

Check out an app called Carista.

You'll need a smartphone and a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter, but it opens up a ton of settings that may not be available through the in car system, and even some that dealerships either don't typically know about, or don't like changing for customers.

Agreed, but FYI buying a Carista and changing the throttle coding from "Gradual" to "Direct Throttle Response" helped a TOOOOON with making acceleration more linear. Unfortunately it sounds like "turbo lag" is a very real thing on a lot of new cars out there, though.

Instructions for the direct throttle change here (you can also use OBDeleven/VCDS but Carista was the cheapest and looked the easiest): https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/8suyqd/how\_to\_increase\_throttle\_response\_this\_worked/

I have an XR on 12.4
I use this to scan vehicle codes all day. You can't use a cheap ELM 327 blue android one, gotta use a newer one like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Carista-Bluetooth-Adapter-iPhone-Android/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=carista&qid=1573218915&sr=8-2

I have a Carista and didn't use my free trial until there was a code I really wanted to get more info about. (It gives "regular" codes without a subscription, but some of the more Toyota-specific, you have to get a subscription for it to display the last couple of digits, but it comes with a month free trial that you activate when you need it. Some of the other scanners may be different, but based upon a recommendation, it's the one I chose)

There are two batteries in a Prius. There's a 12v that boots the computer and whatnot. If that hasn't been replaced, it may be soon due (and replacing it could possibly get you a little better gas mileage), but it's only a couple of hundred bucks from an auto parts store and you may not need to replace it any time soon.

There's also the big hybrid or traction battery for the electric motor. ChrisFix has an excellent video about replacing it yourself, if that's something you'd like to do. Everybody will tell you it's cheaper to buy one from someone other than a dealer, but luckily I haven't had to do it and my older Prius has around 197k.

Of course, some people have had to replace them much earlier -- this forum or Priuschat.com could be a source of more info -- but I'd say the majority of people have had not. I've noticed a lot of Prii on the market around 116k to 130k. I believe it's because the battery warranty runs out at 100k, everywhere but California, where they require the same battery to be warrantied for 150k. And again, knock on wood, I have one pushing 200k.

Yeah, so this sounds a lot like my 99. Never threw a code for the bad O2 sensor, but would throw the cat code. You could be getting the cat code either because your cat is actually shot (although I'm not sure if that would be the cause of the bucking when cold) or because the front (and possibly rear) O2 sensors are shot, causing the computer to think your cat is shot. If you were having misfires, it's definitely possible your front O2 sensor is dying. An OBD-II sensor will be really helpful here if you don't want to pay a mechanic to troubleshoot it. I use this one and while their app works, I prefer OBD Fusion, which also has an O2 sensors monitor that will show you the self test information from the computer for those as well.

I have a Bluetooth ODB2 dongle that connects to an app on my phone (Torque). I think I spent a total of about C$30 for everything... I can read and clear fault codes, as well as realtime monitoring and logging of numerous data points.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=odb2&qid=1562934174&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I bought this one.

https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=92BXK3R3X07WM5PHT7QP

This is the reader I bought, but pretty much any OBD2 bluetooth reader should work: https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Automotive-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_5?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1511365822&sr=1-5&keywords=veepeak+obd2+scanner

There is some delay, but nothing more than you'd see on Torque alone. I wouldn't use this as a standalone boost gauge, but for certain metrics (coolant, voltage, rpm) that you want to monitor for a "safe" range this works well.

You can get a bluetooth-enabled OBD II scanner on Amazon, like this one, and then use a smartphone app like Torque Pro (Android) or OBD Fusion (iOS) to gain access to all sorts of information that the computer has but isn't displayed.

I use Torque Pro to display a digital speed gauge, digital fuel gauge, distance to empty, and miles per gallon.

I'd recommend getting an ODB such as (https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539359592&sr=8-3&keywords=odb). Only $20, plug it in, pair with your phone, and get all kinda of diagnostic info.

Part of what they are charing you for is exactly this service. They have a fancier one that can get more info, but if you get your numbers and post them on something like r/caradvice you might be able to get a good answer.

Bluetooth Amazon ones work great! And you can do other things like HUD stuff with them too. Also if you get an error code you can search it immediately.

*This is one for Android but they have them for everything. And it is what I have.

https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Compatible-Vehicles/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1549987254&sr=8-12&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bluetooth+obd2+android

Try $20.

https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480686425&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+ii+scanner

just have to link it to yoru phone.

It was something like this one

If it's just for one vehicle, occasionally, go to the parts store.

If you are having regular issues, then I would get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011NSX27A

I use it with the Torque app on my phone.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011NSX27A/ref=pd_aw_vtph_263_tr_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7H2N74K6M24940WEDHY4 Well, for $12 you can fix that. In order to diagnose a modern vehicle this is a necessity.

You can also visit an auto parts store and they will check for you free of charge.

I am using this one now link

no problems with it so far. I've had it plugged in for over a month now.

This is the one that gave me problems link

This code reader on Amazon is on sale right now for $15.

As for a mechanic, you could try Fort Mill Automotive. It's about a 20 minute drive from Carolina Place.

Good, Here is a good/simple OBDII reader.

https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanner-Engine-Diagnostics-Direct/dp/B011Q18D14/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1467576362&sr=8-4&keywords=obd2+reader

Get yourself a cheap OBD-2 Scanner.

You also can get a bluetooth one and pair it to your phone, which requires a separate app, Torque seems to be the popular one for Android, EngineLink for iPhone

If the car is scanning P1000, it means the system hasn't run a full check yet, this code won't throw a check engine light, but will be visible on a scanner, its purpose is to show a shop if someone recently reset the computer.

Takes a couple of days of varied driving before this code goes away

Your best bet is to get a code reader, if you don't already have one. Here is a cheap one on Amazon. Failing that, your nearest VIP or other auto shop will usually read the code for you for free.

Once you know the diagnostic code it's throwing, you'll have a better idea what happened.

I'm leaning toward it not being a frozen anything; if something froze in the injectors, you have a lot of water in your gas, which would cause problems even when it's not cold out.

Very often rough idle is caused by MAF and O2 sensors. You also might be having issues in the ignition system, so check your plugs, wires, and distributor.

Good luck, and please come back to post more question, or if you found the solution, post that.

The answer to your question as-asked is that VA Tire for $114 is probably having a tech do a diagnostic and give you an estimate, which might or might not take a fair amount of time (some really generic codes, like an evap system one, can require a fair bit of testing to get down to the point where you can generate an estimate). Jiffy Lube is probably just scanning the code, which is only a few seconds of work, and if it happens to turn out to be something they can fix they'll offer to do it, but if it's not they're not going to go any further. JL is not exposing themselves to any risk of spending more than a couple of minutes, therefore they can offer that service for free. So that's the short answer.

I personally don't like JL (see my other comment if you care, it's sort of a YMMV situation), but there's nothing wrong with what they're offering. A free code scan like that -- which you can get at a lot of places, including most auto parts stores (or a buddy with an OBDII scanner, they are pretty cheap now) -- isn't a bad starting point if you've got a trouble light on the dash and need to pass emissions or something. Sometimes the code will tell you pretty much exactly what's going on and what needs to be done, and you can decide from there who you want to have fix it (or even DIY, if you're comfortable with whatever needs to be done). If the scan alone isn't conclusive, then I'd go to a real shop... and probably be prepared to pay a diagnostic fee if I have them diagnose the issue and don't have them then go and fix it; that seems only fair for their time.

Depending on what's going on that's prompting the question, you may want to ask or look at previous questions asking for recommendations of repair shops in N. VA... I don't have anything specifically against VA Tire, but I haven't heard anyone ever say that they were particularly awesome, either, and there are plenty of very well-regarded shops around who I'd probably go to first.

You could try a bluetooth OBD2 dongle. Then pair it to something like a Raspberry Pi inside which could connect to the OBD2, monitor data for engine on, and open the garage door if it's closed and the car is on.

I'd be curious to see what kind of lag there is in the cycle if it's going from a cold disconnect to garage door open, but it should be doable.

Not that I'd risk it myself, but I'm paranoid enough about CO that I've been pondering building an exhaust snorkel for my garage for during winter. =P

>All my LED's are done solid,

Solid? The problem with LEDs is that the computer expects a certain amount of draw and when the draw is low it thinks there is a bulb burned out and you typically get 'fast blink' and doesn't have anything to do with the connection being solid or not. The only way to fix this(properly) is to buy a flasher relay designed for LEDs and these don't work in every vehicle or install resistors(bad way) to bring the draw back up and defeating the purpose of LEDs. So called ODB safe LEDs just have a resistor added into the bulb which makes them very hot and prone to failure/melting lenses. In any case, LED bulbs will not create the problem you are seeing. You are on the right track with the battery sensing circuit. It lessens the life of batteries to overcharge them on a constant basis so newer cars will lower the charge voltage when the battery doesn't need the extra energy in order to extend their life. If you connected an ODB2 sensor, like this one, you will see that even though the battery/amp are only seeing 12v, the ODB2 system will still be seeing 14v(or whatever the alt is producing) and the voltage is being stepped down for battery charging purposes.

You can get something like this and use an app like Torque to find out what your engine is boosting to.

I bought one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BY2CK32/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

then using bluetooth, connected it to my android phone and I run the app called "DashCommand" http://www.palmerperformance.com/products/dashcommand/

That basic app will give dashboard, gauges, performance, but you need the PIDs for the Ford F150 for the 98 year. That's another $10.

Set up the misfire PIDs and run the datagrid while you are driving the truck. It'll show which cylinders are misfiring and how often they are misfiring.

Total cost was about $30 for me and it has more than paid back that cost in the information it gives me.

This is the code reader I bought my little brother. While it's no where near as nice as mine but it works and gets you the most basic information you could ever need on a day to day basic maintenance.

Known as a "check engine light" or CEL as abbreviation. Depending on car you can buy a scanner to read (most likely obdii): Example https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G5EA74I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i3bOAbDN13N20

But most likely you will read the code and not know what to do afterwards without diligently searching on forums so you might want to just bring the car into a shop that does free code reads.

Fyi sometimes its comes on because you didnt tighten the gas cap. If you are lucky thats the only reason.

Code readers are super cheap and easy to use. I got this guy for $35 and it works perfectly. I had a faulty ECM that kept throwing engine codes. There's tons of other options too if you want more functionality, like on an Access Port.

My son's first car, bought this year, is an '06 9-3 2.0T as well!

These cars like to throw codes/check engine lights (CELs). Do yourself a favor and order one of these and buy "Torque Pro" from the Google Play/Apple app store. You'll have less than $30 in it all together, and it gives you some nice tools besides just the ability to read and reset codes.

As someone else said, google for any issues you have, they have likely been answered. Might as well make an account on saabcentral and saabnet. Lots of good info and knowledgeable people on those sites.

When (not if) you have to replace the coils, make sure you buy the right ones. ONLY the ones with the correct markings will work correctly. There are LOTS on the market that say they are correct, but aren't. Here's one that I know works (my son's car has 4 new ones). If you sign up for Advance's "SpeedPerks" membership (free), you'll get discounts, money back, etc. Order this stuff online, even if you're picking it up in store. Their website sometimes even has $40 off $100! Usually at least 20-30% off.

Anyways, I hope this helps, and feel free to ask any questions!

Definitely. I have this one with Torque and it works great. There are different ones and prices (I got this one for ~$14) The scanners you have just give you an error code, these give you so much more information. Plus the live data readouts with the engine running are just fun to watch.

It already exists with bluetooth.

obd ii bluetooth from amazon- $23. Maybe worth a try to reset on your own and you can read/reset fault codes using Torque Pro app, don't know if it voids warranty. worth reading into.

I use this one. It sticks out a little far so I can't leave it plugged in all the time, but it works great. I use Torque Pro for the app.

I know the boost I was getting because I was using the Torque Android app with this Bluetooth adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_iRt7ub082RP1T

The total investment is around $25 for a full scanner with live data. Check it out. It's worth it.

Edit: It will be closer to $29-30 now I guess

This is the one I use. Haven't had any issues with it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484015185&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=obd+ii+bluetooth&dpPl=1&dpID=416SaTHOpkL&ref=plSrch

Get one of these. Download an OBD app. The apps I've used will bring up specific codes and read out faults.

I will add that this may not be rock solid advice as I've heard of some newer vehicles freaking out and requiring their software to be reinstalled. If it Renegade, I wouldn't hesitate to give it a shot in your circumstances.

You may be thinking "This isn't good advice because I want to know now" and don't want to wait for shipping. I still recommend ordering one even if you explore other avenues. I bought this exact unit and it has paid for itself multiple times just in fuel savings of driving to a AutoZone/dealership.

Wish you luck and hope the best for you and your Renegade!

This is the one that was recommended to me. The previous BT and USB ones wouldn't even connect to my Honda Pilot, but this one did without a hitch at all. And those other ones would work sometimes with other cars (Eclipse, Civic, etc)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I bought: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use it with Torque Pro on Android.

Download Torque on your phone and buy something like this (this is the one I use):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or go to an autoparts store and have them hook up their scan tool and pull the code.

There's really no point in guessing, as it could be anything.

I have this it's reliable, cheap, and it works good. It's bit bulky so if you have the correct transmission, you might hit your foot while shifting.

However torque pro app still have log issues and UI is absolute garbage.I wish someone would come up with a better app.

I agree here. I bought my Bluetooth dongle from Amazon and use the Torque app, which is available only for Android. I do use the paid version, however, and it works wonderfully.

Beware of some of the cheap-o Bluetooth adapters on eBay as some might not be able to work with the CANBUS protocol. Just make sure the eBay seller has a decent return policy if you do buy on there.

The app + Bluetooth adapter combination works great for me. It makes it easy to look up codes and save them. If you want more information for a code than just a quick one line description, the app takes you to a website that displays more information about it. It's pretty slick, cheap, and more handy than some of the regular OBDII scanners with the built-in screens.

For anyone looking to do this be sure to read the reviews. I know that some of the cheap Bluetooth adapters don't work with every make of car (or I've read that this is the case, at least with fords).

That being said there are some that work pretty universally... Just do some research before clicking "buy" on the first adapter you find.

Edit - Just got back to my computer and could look it up. This is the specific Bluetooth OBDII adapter I've got which so far has worked fine on Ford, GM, Dodge (Jeep), VW, and probably a couple other makes:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have this Bluetooth reader + Torque + ActiveOBD Torque plug-in. I get the normal car info from Torque and the plugin adds some Subaru-specific readouts like CVT fluid info, AWD transfer percent, etc.

The plugin has a setting for "knocking correction". There are a ton of other ones.

Maybe 5 years ago. Hardware is negligible now a days. Just check reviews before you buy. I got this one for $18 a few years ago and have never had a problem with it.

You may have a failing DI cassette.
http://www.thesaabsite.com/93old/Saab-93-ignition.html

First, get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/
Plug is in the footwell under the steering wheel.

Pair it with your Android (phone/tablet) running this app to read the engine codes, etc:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque

A failing DI cassette may not show a code/CEL and exhibit this behavior.

This is the one I've got. The app I use is called TorquePro (its like 4 bucks)

They aren't cheap! I have a temporary set up Currently, I'm Running this OBD 2 reader https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a android tablet (that my wife also got me) that I use for the gauges currently. Works fantastic and gives me everything I need so I don't have to worry about dropping 💴 on gauges until the end. I can't remember the app I have but it cost like maybe 5 bucks but was worth every penny. I can Get you the app I use if you want

I use this Bluetooth OBD scan tool and [Torque] (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details%3Fid%3Dorg.prowl.torque%26hl%3Den%26referrer%3Dutm_source%253Dgoogle%2526utm_medium%253Dorganic%2526utm_term%253Dtorque%2Bandroid%26pcampaignid%3DAPPU_1_87F4VrKaFseiU9aukaAB&ved=0ahUKEwjy377Ksu7JAhVH0RQKHVZXBBQQ8oQBCBwwAA&usg=AFQjCNFBmasjEw5rJdTiTDBc3f5t8XC2DA&sig2=JEGR8OSRRjUsBe3HxTxnZQ) for Android. Works fantastic.

I was gonna ask what brand but you said you've tried multiple ones ("blue EBay"...I'm guessing a generic, no-brand). Are they all those cheap adapters (sub $10) that seem to often give users problems? Torque's dev cautioned against them but mainly because they didn't always play nice with certain vehicle manufacturers iirc.

I'm stumped, sounds like you've done all the obvious troubleshooting to verify it's not the adapter itself unless all the adapters you tried have the same problem (why I asked which ones).

I use a BAFX adapter, didn't want to pair the first time I used it after updating to M but did on the second try, connected, scanned no problem.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/

I used the free version to check the error code and clear them (it was a false positive and it hasn't come back, but it would have prevented me from passing inspection)
The device I used is this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/

Pair it up with Torque or DashCommand.

This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NLQAHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479392793&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=obd2+bluetooth

Woah that is cool. I was trying to get my tranny temp too, and bought one of those OBD readers (this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/). Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work for Tranny temp... is there any way I could combine your code info with this thing to make it work?

I have Torque on my android that outputs a similar map. Torque also lets you capture all kinds of data if you have an OBDII reader or even without one it would give you a map like this with speeds and elevation changes etc. Bluetooth readers have gotten cheap, i picked this one up from Amazon ($23.99 w/Prime) and it works really well- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS

Here's the one I got: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And here's the application I used called Torque for android. This is me testing it out on my tablet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb60-jSBGuM

It also does other things like I said checking for error codes, resetting check engine light, data logging, graphing, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS/

This is the one I've been using on my Gen3. It works well with every Android app I've used with it, including using Carista to remove the reverse beeping. Now it only beeps one time when I first put it into reverse.

I don't have an iPhone so I got this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NLQAHS
Works fine on my 2017 with my phone & tablet.

This is the one I'm using:
http://amzn.com/B005NLQAHS

Only issues I've had with it were not being able to read any codes on a Prius, but I kinda assumed that was a hybrid thing. Seems to work well for my VW.

The app is for my Android phone, and is called "Torque". It's available in the regular Android market. It communicates with the OBD gizmo via Bluetooth.

There are several gizmos that will work with it, but the one I got was called the BAFX ELM 327, and I bought it on Amazon for 24 bucks.

It's universal to the point that if you have an OBDII port, it will work. All cars/trucks manufactured after 1996 have this port, which is located under the dash, right beneath you steering column. It's the one they plug the testing machine into when you go to get your car inspected for emissions.

I suggest this as it can scan ABS and SRS codes and live data monitoring. I have this in my work truck at all times, just in case.

Autel MaxiLink ML619 CAN OBD2 Scanner Code Reader +ABS/SRS Diagnostic Scan Tool, Turns off Engine Light (MIL) and ABS/SRS Warning Lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072XH9GLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TLgoDbWN50SAF

I’m not a fan of the phone adapter ones myself, but I’ve heard some people like this with similar options

BlueDriver LSB2 Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool for iPhone & Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00652G4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5OgoDb6XGEKRR

You can get the lower tier options that can only read/erase codes but have no SRS/ABS ability for under $50.
Autel AutoLink AL319 OBD2 Scanner Automotive Engine Fault Code Reader CAN Scan Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XE8C74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_K2goDb06ZB4RZ

https://www.amazon.com/BlueDriver-Bluetooth-Professional-iPhone-Android/dp/B00652G4TS

I bought one of these for an ABS code, was a great investment. Cheaper than a diagnostic and turns out the fix on my 08' charger was just tightening a bolt for the steering angle sensor.

It's $100.00, but well supported, still updated, and the support that you call is a real person every time (sorry I sound like a shill, but I had to call them because my sensor froze, turns out it wasn't plugged in all the way).

Requires a mobile phone, but can definitely give freeze frame / live o2 sensor data.

I've got a few suggestions, mainly for the car.

Wireless Onboard Diagnostics

Android Compatible ($70)

iPhone Compatible ($100)

Remote Starter Kit (Sale: $47 Retail $200) Unless he knows how to install it, I'd advise having it installed professionally.

Car Jumpstart Kit With Air Compressor (Sale: $80 Retail $100)

Dull knives? Make 'em sharp! Knife Sharpener (Sale: $24 Retail: $40)

Finally, since a GoPro is too pricey, try a cheaper version, the Monoprice MHD Action Camera (Sale: $104 Retail: $200) Based on the reviews, it seems like it's perpetually on sale.

I may do more sleuthing, but that's what I got so far!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00652G4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sU.PCbDF44J30

That’s the one I got. Worth every penny.

I've heard good thing about the BlueDriver.

There should be a stored code from the airbag light which would help with figuring out what's causing it. You won't get it with a scanner that only pulls CEL codes. A dealer could get it, or you could something like this. I have one and I was able to get ABS codes from it.

Good luck with the blend doors. I almost wish our Jeeps had the Takata airbag issue because then I'd have the dealer replace the blend doors, heater core, and a/c evap while they had the dash off to do the airbags. Just so I wouldn't have to worry about them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00652G4TS?psc=1

Buddy has this one, outputs PDF and sends to email.

OBDLink MX
I use this on a variety of cars, it has never let me down. Note that the bluetooth versions are not compatible with Apple devices. There is a Wi-Fi variant avaiable.

buy [this] (https://www.amazon.com/ScanTool-426101-OBDLink-Bluetooth-Professional/dp/B006NZTZLQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510680517&sr=8-1&keywords=obdlink+mx&dpID=41SkrnSZ7OL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch)
Download [here] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thunkable.android.myvoltapp.MyVoltHold&hl=en)

Then you just pair it and press engine on and it switches over holding whatever charge you have.

Are you going to be hooking up an OBD2 logger to it as well?

e.g., http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NZTZLQ/

Also, very nice build!

Here's the one I got: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NZTZLQ/

It's a great device for getting codes or other diagnostic info out of your vehicle. Various apps and things available (like Torque) to find out what is going on "under the hood."

You'll need an OBD scanner like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NZTZLQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a lot of digging around in this thread http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1961691#post1961691

I bought this dongle and the Torque Pro app. You have to enable the fast data stuff somewhere in the torque pro settings, can't remember where exactly. The dongle comes with its own free app which is ok, but Torque Pro is better.

Like you said, I would check for vacuum leaks and if your exhaust is loud maybe you have an exhaust manifold leak. Also test fuel pressure and make sure your pump or regulator isn't starting to give out. I had a similar problem on my e90 and it took forever to figure out the problem.

As for the shifting, sounds like a clutch issue.

Edit: invest in one of these, it links directly to my phone or tablet. I use the BMWhat software, but if you have an Android device you need to use the Bluetooth version of the adapter not the wifi version.

ieGeek® WIFI Wireless OBD2 Auto Scanner Adapter Scan Tool for iPhone iPad iPod

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3K2X4M/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_.ajtub1NSX5J2

Edit 2: Shit just realized you have a 94. The above device won't work for you. Sorry about that.

If you have a smartphone I would recommend a wireless OBII scanner!. I can't speak for this particular model, but mostly they're all cheap and do an OK job.

I would get some sort of universal emergency kit, such as a JustinCase! or something similar. You will probably never use it, but it is great to have when you do need it. It's also small and compact so it won't take up much space. You can also fit a few more basic tools in this bag if you wished.

I would also recommend having an envelope with your insurance, registration, and possibly a photocopy of your license(I forget my wallet often and it's nice to have a copy just in case). You can laminate these if you so wish. You wont lose your important stuff and it wont get ruined either!

I would also recommend doing your own maintenance on your car. You get to learn a little more how it works and best of all you save money! Youtube has many videos on basic car maintenance. If you ever do more complex work I would recommend picking up a Haynes or Chilton repair manual for your vehicle.

I went from literally knowing nothing about cars to rebuilding engines. I'm not a mechanic and don't make any money from this. I just value being able to fix something myself. It takes time, but a great way to get started is to learn how engines work on youtube or whatever. Once you have a general understanding of how an engine works you can diagnose problems much more easily.

Someone posted a 13 dollar one further down in the thread
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Diagnostic-Scanner-Adapter-Windows/dp/B00B3K2X4M

http://www.amazon.com/ieGeek%C2%AE-Wireless-Scanner-Adapter-iPhone/dp/B00B3K2X4M

Oops!

All cars from the mid-90s and up have OBD 2. All the device does is essentially act as a translator to the car's OBD 2 and your device.


http://www.amazon.com/ieGeek®-Wireless-Scanner-Adapter-iPhone/dp/B00B3K2X4M

You can use either a laptop or smartphone/tablet. Don't know if that specific reader above will work, but that's the type of device.

Edit: if you do go the smartphone/tablet route it goes without saying that the included CD won't work. You need to download an OBD 2 reader app. A good one is DashCommand, and it's $10 in the App Store.

Edit 2: Here it is in action. 2 minutes, top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyXKRFwIOtQ&app=desktop

Don't let the wires deter you. It looks like he has that permanently mounted and those are power and audio cables. The OBD reader is still operating wirelessly.

Since i have an iOS device i picked up this guy

Then got EngineLink off the app store

My symptoms were very similar, they seem to quit working intermittently, which is annoying because sometimes you'll get a random misfire code rather than misfire on cylinder #x. As for the scantool, these are cheap and handy.

Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII Car Diagnostic Scanner Check Engine Light for Android - Compatible with Torque Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_1wcwxb0KZ7M81

And torque pro app can clear a check engine light. If the alarm comes back it can tell you exactly what's wrong too.

wow. OBD2 adapter sounds amazing.

Are you talking about something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687682&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B005M1AVFQ&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Y5W4CZTQWWW2PE8AAC3

http://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Trouble/dp/B00WPW6BAE/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1464114967&sr=1-1&keywords=OBD2+iphone


I only have an iPhone.

PSA: You can buy one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO/

And see for yourself what the code is for.

>not sell to yourself but to sell to others

I hear ya, but I think I covered this angle in my OP.

> diagnostic reports, access to certified mechanics, and AAA assistance

I've got a lot more experience as a mechanic than as a cellular salesman, what you just said there is the sort of horseshit sales pitch that's as shallow as 'pay us extra, cuz money' that corporate is always trying to push. I don't blame you, and I feel a little bad for telling you this because disabusing you of the nonsense that they've fed you will make your job harder, but there's nearly 0 real utility to it that can't be done with the phone people are already paying for.. which is why carriers love to sell them, it's high margin value added frivolousness.

This is a better diagnostic tool than any connected hokum being sold by carriers and it's ~$10. With a free or ~$5 app, there's a lot of information and help at your fingertips that can be read or shared.

>You may not want a tablet with a data plan, but a single mom without WiFi may want to give her kids one, or a college kid who needs something to take notes or draw on the go, small time YouTuber, etc.

Like I said, I don't represent everyone, but a lot of that doesn't resemble what you find in many areas. YMMV, but it can be a tall order and I don't feel like OP is lying to us.

In the interim, if you are so inclined, you could buy a cheaper OBDII sensor with an app on your phone that will allow you to monitor the temps.

One like this: https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=sr_1_8?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1549475699&sr=1-8&keywords=obdii

Though that is for android phones, I know Iphones are a little more picky.

It connects via bluetooth and shows you all the measurements by your ECM, it also reads and clears check engine codes.

https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=odb2&qid=1558128149&s=gateway&sr=8-8 Like this.

TrackAddict app and this OBD2 bluetooth transmitter is what I have used. I don't mount the phone to get accelerometer data. I don't have external GPS either but TrackAddict recommends this. 1 hz internal phone GPS is kind of crap. I'm going to get a Garmin Virb Ultra 30 which does video, 10hz GPS, has accelerometers, and can connect to OBD2.

Something like this:
Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII Car Diagnostic Scanner Check Engine Light for Android - Compatible with Torque Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PJPHEBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_azVEwb2NHQVCZ

It plugs into the diagnostic port in your car and relays the info to the app in your phone:)

I used one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panlong-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B00PJPHEBO

Get this

Then learn what the codes are with Torque

Also allows you to clear most check engine lights for annoying things.

Here's the one I recently bought to replace my old one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PJPHEBO?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I use an inexpensive bluetooth unit paired w Torque PRO app for a whopping combined cost of sub $20.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PJPHEBO

leaf spy recommended one specific scanner, the LELink bluetooth model.

I would go with that specific model.

it is awesome!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJRYMFC

I've owned two wifi models, a chinese one and a good plx devices kiwi and the first was maddening and rarely worked correctly, and the second sometimes required extra resetting.

now that ios supports bluetooth, its all easy peasy.

You need an iphone that supports bluetooth 4.0.

anyway, leaf spy connects perfectly and without intervention or configuration in a second or two and its a whole different (good) experience.

Yeah, the LE Link (in case someone wants the link) is really slick by comparison to the other OBD connectors I saw. Very small, pulls nearly no power, and I never even had to pair it.

Here is the mobile version of your link

Doing things yourself offers great rewards(:

If you're looking to dick around with some more stuff you can spend a few hours playing with a bluetooth OBD II connector paired to an Android phone + Torque Pro

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Foseal-Diagnostic-Scanner-Automotive/dp/B00T5G53ZM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473807422&sr=8-3&keywords=elm+327+bluetooth

Not professional by any means, but it's cheap, can do some things, and at the least offers a nice MPG screen

Amazon and eBay are full of knockoff ELM327 ones that work about the same. I've got this one, and it works fine but I don't like how far it sticks out from the ODB2 port. So this one might be better?

I have it working with my 1997 7.3l and this adapter. I'm sure it works with others, but I know for a fact that this one works. (And it's only $11USD)



Make sure you add the Custom PIDs for the Powerstroke.

I spent ~$13 on a Bluetooth adapter from amazon and it has worked great!

You can buy a cheap ob2 diagnostic tool like this for 20 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B00W0SDLRY/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1484138667&sr=1-14&keywords=obdii+code+reader

Then you can put the code it gives you in google and then google will tell you what the fault is.

If you're interested in having an actual temperature readout, you can pick up one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B00W0SDLRY/

There are cheaper ones out there; I just linked the one I have. Basically, you connect this doodad to your car's data port, link it with your phone via bluetooth, and download an app that can show you realtime data from your car's computer, like temperature, battery voltage, RPM, "check engine" light codes, etc.

For less messy amazon links you can extract the part after "/dp/" in

https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B00W0SDLRY/

and make it:

https://amzn.com/B00W0SDLRY

BEEP BOP

Plz send any recommendations via PM

That sounds exactly like what is/has happened to mine. I just changed the VCG and spark plugs. It seems to help after a few hundred miles of test driving it, no more codes...well now the only code I have is camshaft timing sensor I need to replace. For codes too...do yourself a favor spend $20 on this OBD II Reader. There is a free app and you don't have to go down to borrow an OBD II from the auto parts store, it's super slick, tells you fuel trims, throttle position, a bunch of other things in real time, and allows you to clear fault codes. It's not my daily driver...just sits in the third stall of my garage and I whisper sweet things to it, hoping the rust around the wheel well will disappear one day...thanks Minnesnowta.

Why not buy a scangauge so you can pull and clear codes yourself?

Wifi. Plugs into your obd2 port. Accessed through the Dash Command phone app. Works perfectly and it's $20:

Car WIFI OBD 2 OBD2 OBDII Scan Tool Foseal™ Scanner Adapter Check Engine Light Diagnostic Tool for iOS & Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W0SDLRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DxJ-ybFKH7EPA

I have one of these volt meters that plugs into the 12v socket so you can monitor voltage when driving. Very handy. Voltage should be ~14 volts while running and ~12.x while stopped.

You can do this with a regular multimeter but sometimes it's helpful to be able to keep an eye on it while driving.

It looks like the 1999 Escort uses a serpentine belt and thus does not require manual adjustment, so I doubt your belt is slipping unless certain conditions exist:

• The belt is very old and worn/cracked, or
  
• The belt tensioner isn't working properly anymore
  
  Check the belt and the tensioner first.
  
  It might be possible that your alternator is supplying too much voltage, actually. Possibly due to a faulty regulator. I'm not sure if the alternator test carried out at O'Reilly's would detect that if it's only done with the engine at idle.
  
  Apparently the '99 Escort doesn't have any battery gauge on the instrument cluster, but just an idiot light. You might want to check the voltage while driving or increasing the engine RPM to see what's actually going on.
  
  Something similar to this thing could be useful and also probably the easiest way. Alternatively, just get a volt meter and check the voltage right at the battery terminals while revving the engine.
  
  

https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0

First one I ever got was an Autel MaxiScan M300. It doesn't suggest fixes, but that's what I used google for! Worked great on ever car I used it on

edit: I still use it when all I want to do is read or clear codes and not read live data

> OBDII

Like this one here

This is a very common Subaru code. It ranges from seemingly "unfixable" (i.e., reflash the ECU to ignore it), catalytic converter replacement, rear O2 sensor, exhaust leak, all kinds of stuff. I wouldn't worry too much unless other symptoms/codes appear. My car throws a P0420 about every 1000-2000 miles (edit: and still gets high 20's average and drives fine).

In the meantime, buy one of these so you can read and clear your own OBD-II codes.

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406781491&sr=8-2&keywords=obdii

Exact one I bought. Very simplistic but it worked for reseting my codes. Now, what you may encounter, is the CEL will come back on because whatever tripped the CEL in the first place will likely trip again if you've removed a component. Just a heads up.

I bought this one about a year ago, no complaints. Cheap. Easy to use. However, it doesn't look like it's sold directly by Amazon anymore, and I'm sometimes wary of the overseas third-party sellers. In general, you probably won't go wrong with any of the readers sold on Amazon with hundreds of good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/

> I'm just worried Canadian Tire is going to list out a bunch of stuff for me to fix

I think you can count on that. That's why they DO inspections.

> How often should I change my oil?

On a beater? Every 5K to 7K miles, regardless of time.

> I don't want to pay $100 just for them to run the code

You can buy a code reader on Amazon for $20, and it can also reset the light. Of course, the light will just come on again soon if there really is a problem.

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK

Works great.

If you go to Amazon and type in "OBD2 scanner" you'll get tons of different results. They have all kinds of scan tools nowadays. The more expensive ones with really advanced features can even cost thousands of dollars and look like freaking Ipads!

But a basic $15 scanner like this is still great to have. It's super simple to use. You plug it into your cars OBDII port (located in the driver's side footwell, usually somewhere near the hood release latch.) Then flip your key to the "on" position (don't turn the engine on, just turn on the ignition such that you can use the car's accessories and unlock the steering column.)

From there you can pull codes as well as erase them. The scanner will come with more detailed instructions but it's pretty self-explanatory. The thing only has 2 buttons so if you can use a computer or cell phone it shouldn't be a challenge.

Yes. Its illegal for them to clear them in a lot of states now. Personally, I just bought a cheap scanner off amazon that works fine. But if you ask them to 'loan' you the trouble code scanner they wont be there to supervise you. You might have to hand them your license while you do it though.

It won't help you now but for the future you should get a reader. There is a cheap one ($17.10 with Prime) on Amazon. I have had it for awhile and it comes in very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373629767&sr=8-1&keywords=odbii+reader

This is a great post, but I do have a couple of counterpoints to make:

• Don't change your car's oil every 3000 miles. Follow the owner's manual instead. Most cars being driven today only need oil changes every 5000 miles.
  
  
• You can buy an ODB-II scanner for as little as $30, but many auto parts stores (Autozone, Advanced Auto) will pull the codes for you without charge.

So just disconnect the negative for a few minutes and drive around? I bought a an ODBII reader that worked for another https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LHVOVK/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am hoping with disconnecting the negative on the battery and driving around with this plugged in that I will see evap ready. I found it on a toyota4runner forum that some guy used it when he had same issue until it read evap ready. It will arrive Sunday and than I will play around and hope on day off I will be able to pass inspection

I've got a 2011 wk2 that's had more than its share of problems and this thing was well worth the $16.

But yeah, with the factory warranty you won't pay a penny to have whatever the problem is fixed.

http://www.amazon.com/industrial-scientific/dp/B0050LVFS0

My job uses Fluke, but they are pretty pricey. If you are only going to use them for Ecigs, then like everyone else has said the 20$ digital multimeters are good. Sears, RadioShack, Home Depot, and Lowes all carry budget priced tools.

I bought this one for my personal use, but I use it for PC and Auto troubleshooting as well.

I bought a scanner just like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Engine-Reader/dp/B0051CAE1C

You'll need an app to use it with your phone via bluetooth, I use the free version of torque. Have had it for a couple years now and it hasn't let me down.

An adequate digital multimeter can be had pretty cheap, here's one for 8 bucks. MVP2, or iTase VV V3 mentioned below, will do the trick. But if you ever want to get into mechanical mods you'll want the voltage function of the DMM.

Basically any of them that look like this: http://101vape.com/meters/170-ohms-meter.html

eBay probably has the least expensive variety. Some builds are better than others.

Or this voltmeter: http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395144871&sr=8-3&keywords=ohm+reader

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372513374&sr=8-1&keywords=multimeter

Well they certainly aren't capped, that's not good. I would get a voltmeter and check if there is power going to it. If there is power going to it you need to figure out which breaker its on before you try to cap it. If its live and you touch the wires together it could throw the main breaker for your entire house or catch on fire. Once you know the power is off you can cap the other wires that aren't, cap each wire individually if you don't want to figure out where they go.

Well hell. that blows.

Trying link again


Also...when you get back from the store, see this

This is a good one at a great price, specially if you have amazon prime.
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS/ref=zg_bs_14244471_1

kanthal in bulk

edit: also a multimeter 2ndoption if you have nothing to gauge the resistance it will be needed

Shipping from china is slow

http://www.hoosiervapes.com/Empire-Style-K100-Telescope_p_176.html

http://www.hoosiervapes.com/IGO-L-dripping-RBA_p_207.html

http://www.hoosiervapes.com/MNKE-18650-battery-1500mah-High-drain-_p_248.html

http://www.hoosiervapes.com/Kanthal-A1-Resistance-Wire-5-Ft_p_199.html

http://www.hoosiervapes.com/Silica-Wick-36-25-mm-or-3-MM_p_164.html

http://www.amazon.com/NiteCore-IntelliCharger-i2-Charger-charging/dp/B009JMDD9U

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS

http://www.amazon.com/4pcs-Panasonic-CGR18650CH-Li-ion-Battery/dp/B00AKQQ990

It looks like people have mostly got you started here in terms of supplies. In terms of tools though, this is what I keep in my rebuilding stuff (linking to Amazon just because its easier):

• Small screwdriver set OR Hex set OR a combo set. Which one will depend on the RBA you get, but eventually you'll probably find yourself with ones that have Phillips and Hex screws.
  
• Butane Torch. You can get this same one on Fasttech for $4 if you don't mind the shipping time.
  
• Wire cutters, either full size or micros
  
• Pliers, I also have a set of channel locks accessible, but not in my normal kit, mainly to try and get my Bombshell Stinger apart
  
• A generic desk light or something like helping hands can save a lot of headaches.
  
• Cheap multimeters can be found from $5 - $20
  
• Exacto knife because knives always come in handy at some point (rule #9)
  
  Other generic stuff:
  
  
• Toothpicks (great for wrapping coils around)
  
• Cotton swabs, cotton balls and paper towels
  
• Bic lighter
  
• Scissors for cutting wick (I use the wire cutters, but if you have micros, 3mm wick might get messy/frayed)

Now you're making me wonder if BMWs require a special device. The one I have is this one from Amazon. It works via bluetooth through an app called Torque. It might not work on your car, but we can give it a shot. Is it drivable?

Here you go - http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Edit: Not iPhone friendly.

I had bad luck with those little blue ones. They're good because they are small, but for some reason mine couldn't talk to a few cars I tried it on. A friend had a similar experience.

https://smile.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/

That one is a bit more, but it's worked every time I used it and seems to connect to BT quicker.

Another thing you could do is to pick up a bluetooth OBD II plugin and download Torque on your phone (android only I think). You can check the fault code there and it will give you the exact code and some other great information that would serve you well before you buy the car.

All in all, its about a $35 investment, plus you can use it elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

I've been using the BAFX OBDII for Android without any issues. I got it on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/?tag=myelecarfor-20&&pldnSite=1

What year is the Van? If it has an OBD2 port, you can purchase this OBD2 Bluetooth Scan Tool and get the app called Torque Pro and follow this video to check emission monitors on your van. You can check your monitor readiness and can go in to get it tested when all monitors are ready. Or you can use the scan tool and app to diagnose what is causing the problem. Might be a lazy O2 sensor.

I'd get a code scanner. You can get bluetooth ones from Amazon for $30 (I use this one by BAFX) and use them with Torque if you have android (or if you have a laptop with bluetooth, there's a few applications that work).

Sometimes you can rent/borrow them from AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts but I'd call ahead before making the trip over there. Obviously getting the car there won't be easy.

It could be just a loose sensor cable, vacuum hose or pinched fuel line from the whack your car got. Code reader will give you a really good place to start. Hopefully it's something simple.

You buy one of these bluetooth OBDII readers and plug it into the port on your car. All cars 1996 and newer have this port. Download the app Torque and connect your phone to the bluetooth reader. You can then view all sorts of data from your car computer and retrieve any check engine codes which you can look up online. You can also clear the code which will turn off the check engine light.
This was a lifesaver for me back in college. I was driving around a car that needed some exhaust work but didn't really have much money to put in it. By checking the code I could tell if it had a problem that needed to be addressed or if it was just something to do with the exhaust system.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_1 Thats the one I bought. Many of the reviews from users say it works great with Subaru. Quite a few of them specifically sited they worked with their 2011 WRX. Thats why I chose that specific adapter.

Buy a reader like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WCZwDbNNHPTVQ and the torque app on your phone. Figure out the problem by diagnosing yourself and save a lot of money.

invest in an odbii scanner. Like one of these: http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412013499&sr=8-1&keywords=odb2+bluetooth

sure, takes the thrill out of guessing what the dealer is going to find.

You can buy things like this (you can get them cheaper on eBay) which diagnose the fault with your vehicle and tell you what's up. They send the readings to your phone. You want to get the right one for your vehicle. (I don't have one of these yet, but reviews suggest they work pretty well.)

OBD2 reader

Android app

This one coupled with the torque pro app ($5) is a popular yet affordable choice: https://smile.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/

this guy explains how to look at a car and as a car guy I can say he is very through. Now would be a good time to invest in a OBD (on board diagnostic code reader. This is the one I use. I do not know about any that work for iPhone; if you need; pm me and I can look into finding you one that does not suck.

If you put in your due diligence you know if it can pass inspection and if not what it would take. This all affects your bargaining chips. Do not be afraid of offending the seller with your offer or how they might react. It is your money and you are going to make sure every dollar takes you as far as it can.

Since you do not know how to work on cars I suggest sticking to american and Japanese cars. European cars are designed differently; require different tools and IMO harder to work on. (I am sure they can say the same about american cars)

Anything built before the 08 financial crash stick to Japanese. There are a handful of good american SUV's made before then like the Jeep Cherokee; the one with the 4.0 inline 6. As for Japanese; toyota, honda, & mitsubishi are your best bets.

You are looking not only for something reliable; but something that is not going to cost an arm and a leg and require you to move a mountain trying to fix it. All cars will give you problems. I can fix just about anything outside of the engine and transmission; so that affects what I will buy. I can save a lot of money buying something that needs a days work rather than something working flawlessly right now. When you get in and drive it; it had better feel like the engine and transmission are working flawlessly. Any jerkieness, gear slippage, anything other than that engine and transmission running smooth as butter; walk away. There is nothing cheap and easy about internal engine and transmission work.

One more thing; decide whether you are buying something you want to trade in sell later or something you will run until it is dead. This affects your decision on what to buy right now.

You can call an insurance company and get a ballpark figure of what the car you are looking at will cost. My '04 MDX will cost about the same as the same year Mercedes e320 or toyota 4runner.

So you did your homework and decided what you are buying.

The owner signs the title over to you. You get the car insured, then you take the insurance and title to the local DMV and they will give you a temporary registration and a temporary license plate. Some states will give you a permanent license plate right there.

You take your plate and head back to the car; you put the plate on and start driving. You will probably need to get the car inspected. You head on over to the local inspection station and let them do their thing. If you fail they will tell you exactly why so you know what to do.

If you pass; they give you a sheet of paper saying that you did and you take that back to the DMV and they will issue you a permanent registration.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is the exact one I have. Connects to Bluetooth on your phone (only works with Android) and you download whichever app you fancy. I use torque lite to read the codes

You can goto an autoparts store and they will read the code for free.

Buy a bluetooth OBD adapter that works with FORScan. This software has ALOT of power and acts like the dealer tools. I reprogrammed my ABS module when I rebuilt my 2014 (replaced module with a used one). Mazda themselves couldnt do it because their software can only writes the software but does not re-write over a module with software already on it.

What I used:

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1517639130&sr=8-4&keywords=obd2+bluetooth

This is what I use. Worked on 8+ vehicles so far zero issue. The Bluetooth sensors are a game changer. I love having diagnostics on my dash while I'm driving and trying to resolve an issue. Makes everything so much easier.

[heres one I bought figured it be nice to see a link] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_xlVBDbJ0V0M1V)

This one worked well for me, I bought one of the little blue cheap ones and it caused my ABS compute to go nuts on my toyota and wouldn't work on our ford. This one works fine with both IIRC.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Although I get so much use out (datalogging) of it I might buy one of the nice $70 ones in the future.

I've got this one right here that worked with no issue

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

BAFX

I use it in my 04 Subaru wrx with the bafx adapter http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Yi9rub0RQMT7Y

Very useful tool for check engine lights and general diagnostics. Makes an incredible amount of data available to the home mechanic.

I'm not /u/gingican but I can provide the comparison:

1. Generic one that looks like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4SVS2M -- mine was from Harbor Freight (they don't have it anymore) and was orange but otherwise identical. Fine for pulling standard codes and resetting Check Engine Light.
   
   
2. Scangauge II -- mainly used as a gauge but good for pulling/resetting basic codes and getting freeze frame data. Obviously, can provide a bunch of data (as intended for daily gauge use). With a lot of work (programming XGauge codes) it could get a little more data too.
   
   
3. BAFX bluetooth OBD2 tool http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS is nice. It's just hardware, it works great, but what's really nice is Torque. Torque can store/export sensor data, integrate with GPS data, display all manner of gauges and graphs, etc. My only complaint is I can't access ABS codes (specifically on my GM). Also, bluetooth itself is nice, the device is easily plugged in and no fooling with wires, and I can interface with the phone that I already carry anyway.

buy on of these https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS
and download the torque app

I use this + the torque app and it works great
https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1543017063&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=Bluetooth+obd2&psc=1

Sure, I use this. List of customizations. Unfortunately it looks like it's only for the 5th gens.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

These are SUPER handy to have around. The one above works on Android (using the Torque app) , although this reddit post suggests using a different model if you have an iPhone.

For best (read: accurate) results, make sure your dongle uses a genuine up-to-date ELM327 and not a bootleg knockoff running outdated firmware. (A Chinese company got hold of an older version that didn't have the security bits set right and did a ROM dump to get some of the firmware, which has gone into mass reproduction for the cheap ELM knockoffs. The real ELM, OTOH, has had several firmware revisions since then and isn't missing entire blocks of program code.)

This is the one I have as a spare/quick-and-dirty code checker. It works well, it's pretty accurate compared to my more expensive scanners, and it's a legit ELM327 running new firmware.

 

There are also new competitors to the ELM327, namely the STN1110, STN1170, STN2120, which claim to offer faster performance and a larger number of supported protocols. However, I have no experience with these as only a scant handful of dongles are using them.

I'm looking into getting this one. Well rated, cheap, and it works with the Torque app.

But I haven't tried it

I had the same lights and the car was running fine but I had the p0a93 which is a bad inverter pump generally (it's a cheap $60 for parts and coooant fix). So I replaced and I was still getting nothing. It turned out one of the connectors up towards the firewall that must control that pump had the wires chewed through by a rodent. So I got the wires resoldered up and everything was working again.

Btw every car owner should one of these Bluetooth obd 2 readers it will save you tons of money and headaches because then you can know whether your check engine light is something that can wait or has to be fixed now BAFXducts Bluetooth Diagnostic OBDII Reader/Scanner for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uQHzCbPA8DFFV

I would just invest the 20 bucks on a Bluetooth dongle. https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS. I've used that one for a few years now.

If you just need to clear codes then disconnecting and reconnecting the battery will do that for you. If you want a code reader anyway then I bought this code reader that has worked well with the Torque app. Only complaint is that it only updates about every second so horsepower, torque, and 0-60 don't get good readings. No idea if it is the dongle, app, or just what OBDII can do but something to be aware of.

Drive time cycle for a misfire shouldn't be all that long. Drive it around for a day or 2 and then check the monitors.

FYI These things work fairly well

BAFX Products Bluetooth Diagnostic... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

We just got this one on Amazon for $22.41. I don't know if there are better ones, but I don't think that you necessarily have to spend a whole lot more to get a decent one, especially if Amazon is an option. I realize that it may not be for some people.

I've been using this one for a few years and it works well with my 98 V70

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

I bought one off amazon, it's 21.99 and only works with android but it works amazingly. BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_N4J7yb8239RKN

You can go to autozone or wherever they check for you then look up online as code is generic. Each brand has their own specific meaning for the code. Before my cobb I used a Bluetooth obd2 reader 20$ online then used torque app from Android store free version to check and clear codes. It also does some pretty cool stuff for the paid version. The obd2 reader is small which I liked. I had 1 like this. https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is the one I have

To go with the other reply from the Ross-Tech (worker?/user?/employee?) you can use it for that but there's a delay in the reading from a half second to a full second. It's not really all that noticeable unless you're kind of looking for the delay, but I think you'd be much happier with a boost pod.

Edit: also, if you're jailbroken you can use the bluetooth version of the transmitter but if you aren't jailbroken then you have to use the wifi version. Now I've not used the wifi, so I can't speak for how it performs, but I'd imagine that it would actually be better than bluetooth because of the latency (delay) associated with bluetooth as opposed to wifi.

This is the one I got, along with the Torque Pro App on my samsung GS5, total of <$30 investment and makes it WAY easier to understand what is going on in your car. If you're in America and your car was made after 1996, it should have an OBD2 port

This one

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices

Something like this You gotta download a app like Torque or Dash command and it will tell you the code.

This is my OBDII reader and it works just fine for me, nothing really to say about it haha

Confirmed, free Torque app + dongle does oil temps and a whole host of other readings.

I have used the BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS) for about three years on two different cars with no issues.

Don;t ignore an engine light, even if it goes away. You can stop by a locak auto parts store (auto zone, reilleys, etc) and they will scan for free in most states. It could be as simple as a loose gas cap or it could be a bigger problem, but if the light is coming on at all there is definitely something wrong. Maybe just a flukey sensor, but if the sensor is flukey then it's not really giving you truthful information about what it should be monitoring. You could also buy an ODB2 bluetiooth scanner tool on amazon for like $18, plug it in, connect to your phone and you can pull the codes yourself to see whats wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481715214&sr=8-1&keywords=odb2+scanner

Like /u/rahtx said, Autozone can help you pull the error code. You can buy this from Amazon and be able to do same thing https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_10?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481732985&sr=1-10&keywords=check+engine+code+reader

Edit - That's for Android devices, not sure what OS you use, but that's the device you need for something like that.

I just got this along with this and I no longer have to worry about my check engine light. I keep it plugged in and use my phone now to give me instantaneous fuel milage. Really changed my dring habits.

There's tons of super generic ODB2 scanners for iPhone or Android on Amazon for ~$20. Android ones tend to be Bluetooth-based, iPhone ones tend to be Wifi-based.

e.g. (only works on Android) http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=zg_bs_15707381_1

or

http://www.amazon.com/ELM327-Wireless-Diagnostic-Scanner-Smartphone/dp/B00QRE0OOA/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1453842586&sr=1-4&keywords=elm327

Torque Pro + this.

This method worked great for my 2015 AC. It should work on 2012ish+ tacos.

You will need a bluetooth or USB OBD adapter. You can get them fairly cheap on amazon however the standard one seems to be the BAFX tool for bluetooth. I then used a simple OBD2 Terminal app (for android, either this one or this one, can't remember I used) to send the commands.

Just be extra careful and make sure you type the commands in exactly as shown.

I am not liable for anything ever.

Edit: FYI: No matter the method, any changes of this nature are automatically reverted when the battery is disconnected.

Also grabbing an OBD scanner online and reading error codes as they happen. Has definitely saved me some money by being able to do some quick diagnostics.

[Example](BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zntZzbHNN7FMV)

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506530759&sr=8-3&keywords=bluetooth+obd2+scanner

It works with most android scanner apps (I use carista, it's free). it cost me $20 and works great.

EDIT: also, what error code? (eg: p0400)

EDIT x2: Shot a quick question to my buddy who had issues with EGR shit not that long ago. Try replacing the gas cap. He sank about 150 bucks into his car before a new gas cap fixed his issues. It's a cheap place to start.

Here check this. Not limited to this one. Check around. https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0

And report back voltage with car running at around 1500RPM.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure that your alternator is shot.

would something like this or this be able to tell me?

I think it's more to do with the battery not having enough time to fully charge due to the short driving distance.

Perhaps you should pick up a voltmeter for like $10ish on Amazon.com or a local shop? You can take measurements in the morning when it's not starting well and later in the day when it is starting well. It'll be difficult for the dealership to replicate your driving pattern so perhaps it's best that you do it.

Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406872499&sr=8-3&keywords=voltmeter+car

I have this one but it's a bit more complicated and works on other things also: http://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/dp/B0050LVFS0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1406872598&sr=8-7&keywords=voltmeter

As long as you're taking some long drives or you're doing extra charging at the correct voltage for AGM you should be good without a diode mod, I'm not sure how the voltage regulator works exactly, but I'm guessing this just tricks it into regulating at a higher voltage since silicon diodes have a forward voltage of about 0.7v this would raise an alternator putting out 14.2v to 14.9v. How the stock regulator adjusts for bulk, absorption, equalization, and float charge I'm not sure, and I'm not sure how this mod would effect it. But it looks like enough people have done it that if there were issues it would be known by now, I wouldn't do as some people are doing and just putting a diode in place of a fuse, but put it in line with a fuse like the product above is with an add a circuit mod.

I'd just get a cheap volt meter to measure usage. As long as the battery isn't under much load, it should be accurate enough. Typically you don't want to run a deep cycle battery below 50% for best life, though you can go down to 20% occasionally without much damage to a quality deep cycle, for an AGM that is usually 12.2v(50% @80ºF) and 11.8v(20% @80ºF) with full charge being around 12.8v after the float charge is gone. With a big battery like this you could probably start your truck with 20% charge, but I'd carry a lithium jump pack if I was planning on trying it alone with no one around to jump me.

The switch pro units do look pretty awesome, despite being expensive. Being able to use ignition only wired thing by using the app rather than putting the key in does look like an awesome feature. As well as output dimming for lights that support it. 2 year warranty does seem kind crummy, but I imagine most failure would be DOA/Crib deaths or from abuse, being solid state and not using relays that wear out over time.

A noco G3500 or G7200 is plenty for overnight charging of a single 100ah battery like yours, especially if just topping it off. Get the 7200 if you think you'll go dual battery in the future.

Get yourself one of these lil guys. It checks both your battery and your alternator.

I use one of these on both my starting and house systems.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0?keywords=voltmeter&qid=1448302823&ref_=sr_1_23&s=automotive&sr=1-23

If you're handy with tools you could probably knock the cigarette lighter adapter off and stick it on the wall wired in to your house system.

If you're designing the system for scratch, it would be nice to include an shunt and ammeter so you can see real time draw on the system.

I recently purchased one of these handy little gadgets that help me determine intermittent no start issues. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You plug it in before starting to get an idea of the level your battery is at, while starting and cranking. Also, you can get a GENERAL idea of battery drain by checking level when you turn car off and checking next morning before starting. Best way is for a shop to hook a test light in the circuit to represent battery draw. However, a minute draw is normal as well. Have you installed anything aftermarket like alarms, amplifiers, or have anything hooked to your cigarette lighter? Anything weird youve noticed with lighting? Also, if you do not connect a boost box, charger, or anything and let it sit, will it start back up later? Also, when the problem occurs and the engine "gives up" do the lights dim down and it starts doing multiple clicks?

Well, the failed cat code means your oxygen sensors are probably working fine now. Here's what I would try. Get a ~$20 OBD2 code scanner from Amazon, and an ~$8 can of SeaFoam (from Wal-Mart, Kroger, or an auto parts store). Get your gas tank to about 3/4 full. Pour in the sea foam and use the scanner to clear the codes. Drive for awhile and use the scanner to check whether your sensors read as ready. I think you can have up to 2 sensors not ready with a vehicle model year prior to 2001. Once they're ready, if your check engine light is off, you'll be able to take it through inspection and pass.

I highly recommend grabbing a cheap OBD2 reader off amazon like this one. It can help you fix certain minor issues yourself or at least give you a heads up when you have to take it in for service.

I'm not familiar with wireless scanners but I would be curious if the added cost is worth the convenience. This one http://www.amazon.com/BlueDriver-Bluetooth-Professional-iPhone%C2%AE-Android/dp/B00652G4TS is around $100 and looks like it has a lot of features that you might not necessarily need/want if you're just looking for something that will read codes. Poking around on Amazon some more might find you a better price tool with less features.

If you don't mind the plug-in tools I would highly recommend http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=pd_sbs_auto_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=16NHDV5KSVQW086RGHD0 - I bought one to troubleshoot a recurring CEL and was pretty happy with the price/ease of use. The Autel tool only reads and clears codes; you'll have to google the actual code to figure out what it is. Good luck!

ODBII Scanner for the win. Best $17 I ever spent. This + Google means that if I have a loose gas cap or something stupid I can diagnose/fix it myself without going to the shop to get codes read.

FWIW often places like Autozone will read your codes for free, but then they want to sell you something to fix the problem.

Weird! AutoZone will read the codes for you for free, as someone else said. They'll probably reset it for you. I picked up a bunch of ODB II scanner tools off of Amazon for $20/each as stocking stuffers.

www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-OBD-II-Scan/dp/B001LHVOVK/

I didn't know. Well, you can buy one online for $20 though.

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325197785&sr=8-1

>If your car is 1996 or newer and you get a check-engine light, don't pay a shop upwards of $100 just to run the code, there's better options.
>
>Option 1: Auto Parts Stores
>
>Most Auto parts stores have a code reader and will check your codes for you for free. Get the actual code that comes up on the screen and write it down. You can put this code into Google with the year/make/model of your vehicle to see common causes.
>
>Option 2: Buy a code reader
>
> You can buy a pretty simple code reader for under $20 online. You can also get an ELM 327 Bluetooth reader that will work with your smartphone. Torque Pro ($5 - Google Play Store) will read your codes, clear them, and even give you live engine data along with functioning as a dynomometer for 0-60 times etc.
>
>If you're not a mechanic, chances are you'll still need a trip to a repair facility to fix the problem, but this will give you a head start without paying to have the code read. A lot of times you'll even find a simple answer to the problem online by doing some research. For instance EVAP (Evaporative Emissions) codes are often times caused by a loose or poorly seated gas gap.
>
>
>
>Edit: Since most apparently did not read the whole thing:
>
>>If you're not a mechanic, chances are you'll still need a trip to a repair facility to fix the problem
>
>I'm not advocating DIY repair of your car, but knowing whether you have a misfire (big deal), or a small EVAP leak (not a big deal) can be very beneficial when you own a car on a budget.
>
>Edit 2: "Diagnose" should have said "read". Diagnosis is not the same as reading a code.
>

It can be really useful for any lights that come on. If you see yourself fiddling with your own cars in the future and have a bit of disposable income you could get a nice high quality one like this which will do everything you need, or you could get something as simple as this one to take care of most of your needs. Autel is a good brand, I also have a bluetooth one that connects to any app on your phone (or computer) which can also be convenient, and depending on the app can be useful giving you real-time data.

Note that for this issue specifically, you'd need the former one I linked as the airbag system (SRS) and ABS system run on a specialiszed part of the system and can't be read by normal code readers. So if you just figure you won't do much you could get the $15 reader for quick troubleshooting and take it to Autozone like you're doing for when big things come up.

It's an OBDII port. You can plug one of these in to read Diagnostic Trouble Codes.

This is probably the most basic of basic scanners, it will allow you to read and clear codes but wont provide any further diagnostics, you can scan the code which will usually start with a P0*** and then you can research the code via internet about the cause and possible solution. Most codes are very vague on very big systems. Also take with a grain of salt that the code found could may say one thing, but be caused by something else seemingly not related to the code. Its a starting point for diagnostics.

https://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1486661619&sr=8-8&keywords=OBD+II+scanner

Autel MaxiScan MS300 CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII Vehicles by Autel http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_8Ykmub0NHK5MX

Autel MaxiScan MS300 CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII Vehicles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SiTSyb4B4N7C7

Bought one of these two years ago after my Jetta started throwing codes. Cheap, simple, easy to use, I just look up the codes online after scanning.

I bought the cheapest one off of Amazon (~$15) and it has served me faithfully for 3 years and has no learning curve.

Edit: This one.

Invest in a code reader, that'll tell you what the problem should be. I have this one and it works fine on my Jetta. Also, tuning chips on non-turbos hardly add any power, like 5-10hp which wouldn't be noticeable.

OBD II Diagnostic Scanner

This is an error code scanner for automobiles made within the last 15 years or so. When plugged in to a vehicle, it'll read error/check-engine codes and even tell you what problem/definition that code corresponds with.

It's a tool that my SO and I need every so often, and I'm sure our friends do as well. I'd like to save everyone the time of taking their cars to shops just to check engine codes. Some shops charge for this service, even though the code might report something as simple as a loose gas cap.

https://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK

If you ever want one that doesn't need a phone, that works well too.

Got a smart phone?

Reader 1

Reader 2

I don't know how shipping works to Canada, but it isn't too expensive of a product, and I am sure you can find it locally. It is a very handy tool.

That sounds like pretty good fuel econ lol. With my tune my 335i gets around 14-18 MPG

Either an OBD reader this or in the US certain stores can read codes for free like autozone, don't know about the UK though.

They make bluetooth readers too if you have a smartphone and or want to leave it plugged in.

Here you go.

I don't know what CAN means, but the one I linked to seems to support it. Mine turns off the check engine light if it's on, and it reports the codes, which I then look up online.

You can now get a decent one on Amazon for under $20 shipped. I have two of them.

Http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

I seriously recommend buying your own code reader. Amazon has them for as little as $16 right now. With a little Google research, you are much better armed with information if you need to go to a shop to get your car fixed. Here is an example:
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1383219588&sr=1-2&keywords=code+reader+for+obdii

$16.25: http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382029000&sr=8-1&keywords=odb+scanner

they are pretty cheap...theres also cables you can hook up to your android phone and do the same thing

Welcome to subaru. Might wanna pick up one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS300-Diagnostic-Vehicles/dp/B001LHVOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348794886&sr=8-1&keywords=obd+ii+scanner

this one has live data from the car, $33

This one only reads codes but gives you the definition $18

This just reads codes, nothing else. $15

If they quoted you $3200 its probably a professional scan tool, those can read anything going on in the cars computers and even take control of stuff too. If you just want to see what's causing the check engine light and of the above 3 would work.

this last one is more expensive, but it can read obd2, abs, and air bag codes. Pretty much everything the big $3k unit does.

You should get an OBDII diagnostic tool. I bought this one. You plug it in under your dashboard and it gives you a code which you can look up to see what is wrong with your car. It also gives you the option to cancel the check engine light.

resistance is close if you null the leads, or in the case of cheap meters without a delta function, note the lead resistance, check the resistance of the thing you're looking, then subtract the lead resistance.

Here, I took a few pics of nulling leads My meter is a $10 "broken" Fluke 87 from fleabay about 15 years ago(had a blown fuse and one of the battery wires was broken) and the leads are $5 HP/Agilent probes. My Cats is 0.5Ω on a Cana, 0.50Ω on efest meter, 0.3Ω lead resistance, 0.8Ω total resistance of Cats and Leads, or 0.8Ω - 0.3Ω = 0.5Ω, or pressing the delta button while reading the leads, then reading the Cats gave me 0.5Ω. The cat's has 4 ~1.8Ω coils plus the resistance of the RDA itself, so it's pretty close.

For people that don't have a meter, and want a cheap one, Here's a great one for $25 with autoranging, screen light, rel, and everything else you need.

I wouldn't say that all multimeters are accurate. I have a few of the free harbor freight ones and I wouldn't trust them to read ohms. I only use them to test voltage of my batteries. You're supposed to test the resistance of your leads and then subtract that from your reading that you get, but I still find that it tends to be .1 or .2 above or below my real ohms.

I know this is one that a lot of vapers use. I heard its pretty accurate but I can't comment on that myself as I haven't owned one. It's an auto ranging one so you don't have to include the resistance of your leads if you're trying to read ohms.

If you're going for accuracy, I would trust my life with a fluke multimeter but obviously that's quite far from being affordable. It would be worth picking one up if you could get one for cheap from someone you know or craigslist or something though.

I am looking at this one - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050LVFS0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=28TFHN6YFDN48&coliid=I2YTJG4QJS5MMA

I don't see anything particularly wrong with that -- any shoddy multimeter will do fine for ohming out a coil.

I'd suggest getting a halfway-decent auto-ranging multimeter just because they're nice to use and because whatever you buy will inevitably get tossed into the toolbox and you'll be using it for other stuff for the house or car.

This one seems okay for an inexpensive meter, based on all of two minutes of searching around: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050LVFS0

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0050LVFS0 and http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LZTKIU

I've never used a fluke before, only heard good things about them. I will say that the one I recently purchased http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0050LVFS0 is worlds better than my previous cheap ones.

Just got one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050LVFS0/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

It's been great so far.

A simpler option is to tie things to a bluetooth device that is always in the car, and is only turned on when the car is turned on. There are bluetooth car kits available. Another option (if you don't want a car kit) is to get a bluetooth ELM327 adapter like this http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Engine-Reader/dp/B0051CAE1C. It plugs into the ODBII port on the car. If you install an app like Torque you can read the information from your car computer as well - helpful if the "check engine" light comes on.

Getcha one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/ELM327-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Scantool/dp/B0051CAE1C

And this app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

I don't know the iPhone equivalent but I'm sure there is one.

App was $5 when I bought it so you're looking at an outlay of about $20.

Being a former VW owner myself...you're going to want to spend this money.

theyre $12 not really that special.

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Engine-Reader/dp/B0051CAE1C

How fast is your deadline? Order a bluetooth or wifi elm 327 adapter & get the code yourself. You'll need wifi for iphone or bluetooth will work with android: https://www.amazon.ca/ELM327-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Scantool/dp/B0051CAE1C

Unlikely. The check engine light comes on for a variety of reasons but fuel economy and tire pressure is not one of them, not directly at least. What is causing the check engine light to come on may indirectly affect your fuel economy but it definitely won't come on just because the mileage has gone down or the tire pressure sensor light is on.

Get one of these ($13) and any one of the myriad programs for your phone that will read your codes. Torque is excellent if you have Android, and there is a free version.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051CAE1C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just got this. Works fine. Takes maybe a minute or two to fully connect though,

I just ordered components to make my first box mod, but have done small electrical work before.

Helping Hands will make your life much easier, may not be necessary if you only intend to make one mod.

a decent digital multimeter is required, as is a Soldering iron.

A Breadboard is very useful to ensure everything works as it should, before you have it all finished and put in the case.

those are all I can think of right now, sure there are others people use regularly though

This or this

One is a multimeter which will be sooo helpful since I've decided to start messing around with electronics. The other is a book that I've been wanting to read because it's written by Coheed and Cambria's lead singer and is about the story their songs are about. I couldn't choose between them!

bunnicula

I also ordered two Sony IMR 18650, 30AMP, 2100mAh, Flat Top.

Would this be sufficient: http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS

?

This is good to know I was wondering if a cheap multi meter would do the trick, I'm not great at electronics stuff so something like this would do the trick?

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-VOLT-Meter-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B005EK3NRS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405465297&sr=8-2&keywords=multimeter

reason78,
i'm no pro engineer and would use a meter just for small projects. So I guess a cheapo meter will be sufficient. On Amazon, I see $10 meters:

• ELIKE T-92 Self-Recovery Digital Multimeter Amp/Ohm/Volt with Diode,Continuity, Capacitance,hFE,IR Detector and Livewire Identification
  
• Topone LCD Digital Ohm VOLT Meter AC DC Voltmeter Multimeter
  
  
  Would love to hear from you all about these inexpensive meters. Which of the 2 is better?

It'll do what you need, but there's no reason to order a MM from china. You can get one from amazon for just as cheap that'll perform just as well.

EDIT: Actually that one is rated from 200-2M ohm (unless that is it's settings, covered below). So maybe not that one, but I doubt you'd have any issue finding one that would work (I'm betting the 200-2M is implying two different settings though and it should work). This one seems to claim 0.8% accuracy at 0-200 ohm (I'm guessing that's what the specifications are implying, horrible description though) Often times a 200 ohm setting implies that it is the max it can read though (on that particular setting, their will be a 200ohm and a 2M ohm setting for instance on that first one), not the minimum limit. Amazon just isn't very good with descriptions tbh.

**best product to me recently Multimeter

I like the SouthWest They would make cute socks! It is $1.99 and you get 164 yards of it. Oh and I used to play online golf years ago.. My Player name was Happy Hooker (I didn't play well and my ball would always hook to the right). Voltage Meter $7.82 free S/H This would have came in handy when I got shocked by a bare wire 2 days ago lol!

Literally the cheapest multi meter on Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EK3NRS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I probably expected too much of it to be honest. (And my own knowledge)

I'm fascinated though, people breaking out their Oscilloscopes, Function Generators and other doo dads.

Quick question, is this multi-meter pretty much the same as the one you linked? I just bought it a week or two ago.

I looked at solder supplies on amazon recently and the reviews all over the board for every item. With so many companies hiring 'professional' reviewers + idiots doing reviews it's hard to make sense of them anymore. Do you have any recommendations? I'd be using it to both remove existing solders and making new ones and I'm on relatively tight budget :-D

I guess my multimeter is less accurate than I would have hoped. I touched the leads together and it read 0.5 ohm. Good tip on subtracting that from my atty reading. This is the multimeter I'm using, can't say I would recommend it now. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EK3NRS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2DORKNTNGX8YY

You can buy a Bluetooth OBDII reader for about $21 from Amazon here and it works with the Torque Pro app for $5 on your phone.

Do motorcycles use OBDII ports?

It wouldn't use the Pi but it's cheap and simple solution.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is the one I'm looking at. Apparently it isn't AS bad as the 5 dollar chinesium circuits one, but the still aren't in any way a replacement for a proper scanner. I'm also looking at getting two OBDII to ethernet and or USB cables. Might be more functional.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Reader-Diagnostics-Devices/dp/B078K54MT5/

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS these are what my smog guy uses for quick engine control diagnostics. he has more advanced scan tools that i have.. this is still what he reaches for first.

I don't know how air bubbles get trapped at the bottom of the radiator and I never serviced coolant before. I have this obd2 scanner and it only reads coolant temperature from ECT #1 unless in a freeze-frame report where both #1 and #2 are recorded. Is there an app that can monitor both sensor temperature?

Alright I'll rephrase myself, Most modern cars should not have plastic being sucked into the engine block. That is pretty much the only way plastic is going to get onto that sensor that was installed correctly since it's placed right at the exit of the header, or in the header if the engineers felt the need to use more than one upstream sensor (depends on engine). If that is the case than there most definitely is either a hole in the tubing after the filter (What I said previously), there's a hole in your exhaust (But since exhaust has positive pressure I find it unlikely that plastic would get into any holes) Or your intake filter is installed incorrectly/not installed.

Since you know a lot about cars I'll assume you have an obd2 sensor, but if not you can pick one up on amazon for around 10-20$

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Wireless-Bluetooth-Diagnostic/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2DFGXQ2SW85R9&keywords=obd2+scanner+bluetooth&qid=1566004814&s=automotive&sprefix=obd2+sca%2Cautomotive%2C194&sr=1-3

An OBD2 will be able to tell you if your mass airflow sensor is malfunctioning because it will be getting readings from that sensor, You should definitely check that before replacing the ECU.

Also on most Duramax engine (I only have experience with the Focus and the Fiesta ST but this is true with most vehicles) the upstream O2 sensor is both easy to get to and easy to test, you won't need to jack up your car, just pop the hood.

Bluetooth OBD2 scanners are really cheap now. My fiancé (big car guy who does all of our mechanic stuff) just bought this one. He said usually transmission fluid is brown when it’s old and he’s never heard of it being gray, unless metal is in it. It would be worth the $22 for the scanner to find out what’s going on ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Wireless-Bluetooth-Diagnostic/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=obd2&qid=1565144967&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Would something like this narrow the problem down more? The description would give me live data about the o2 sensor, boost, eot, fuel trim, balance rates, others..

I like the BAFX reader off Amazon.

Tells you sooooo much cool stuff and casts it right to your smartphone.

For those who do not know, about 95+% of the bluetooth OBDII dongles on the market are based on the ELM327 chip or a clone of it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELM327#Pirate_clones

ELM sells the chip to a manufacturer for not very cheap who then turns it into a finished product like:

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/

The clones generally work fine almost all of the time, but the updated genuine ELM chip covers more edge cases. You can tell the clones from the real ones pretty easily (the price and construction are a dead giveaway). So if you decide to get a clone, there's no need to waste money - ebay is much better than amazon for this purpose: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=elm+327&_sacat=0&_sop=15&LH_PrefLoc=3&LH_BIN=1

Buy this http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1397161195&sr=8-8&keywords=elm+bluetooth

and get the Torque app for Android

I would replace them, it's easy, you can do it in your driveway, you can get the socket you need at an autoparts store for $5. Then you KNOW you're not having a legit issue. My CEL comes on from time to time complaining about o2 slow response or heater issues I use torque on my android and this blue tooth odb2 reader and reset the CEL, if it comes back, then I look into it. I make sure none of the wires on the sensor are broken or have their insulation rubbed off, make sure they haven't come loose and that they are in fact, plugged in :)

Also, when you do replace, use NTK not bosch! The bosch are known to go out early and the NTKs are same as OEM

you can find them here at rock auto online

OBD2 scanners are cheap these days. I use the one I linked to with an app called Torque. Very handy.

You can get OBD for bt: http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

i just bought this one off amazon but it's for android only. I'm assuming you're using an iphone though? I honestly don't know that much about app radio units, All i know is the dashcommand app is listed on pioneers website for app radio. I believe for dashcommand on iphone you need a wifi obd 2 dongle (same idea as the one i linked to, only wifi).

He's saying some people can be dishonest when they sell vehicles.

Just because there are the only two codes posted in the ad doesn't mean those are the only codes the trucks computer is posting. Without an ODB-II reader you can't verify that, you have to take the sellers word for it. If you own/buy/rent one you can verify for yourself.

It's cheap insurance to bring one with you and verify. You can buy one that hooks up to your phone for about 20$ from amazon and use an application like Torque on your phone to read the information directly to your phone. You can also buy one that doesn't hook up to your phone for about the same price.

Some automotive stores will even let you rent one with a deposit.

Did you have any sort of headwind? If your coolant gauge was normal than I would doubt it was really an engine issue, and cause you have a manual we can rule out transmission fluid breakdown as well.

If you want to get precise measurements of your coolant temps, you can use a bluetooth obd2 coupled with your cell phone to get real time data.

I use this one I bought off Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2X3TRFLJ3ET3A&keywords=bafx+bluetooth+obd2&qid=1563900888&s=gateway&sprefix=bafx+bluertoo%2Caps%2C201&sr=8-3

​

Some of the cheaper ones are not compatible with all of the OBD2 protocols, which is probably why the one you got doesn't work with your XTerra, but this one complains to be compatible with all OBD2 vehicles 1996 and newer. I have used it with a 2000 Cavalier, 2002 Mustang, 2005 XTerra, 2007 Camry, 2012 Tacoma, and 2015 Versa successfully so that is most likely true.

you should get a cheap bluetooth ODBII sensor like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Then you can read the codes causing the check engine light yourself and you could post em here and maybe someone can help

Good tip.

OP this is the cheap one I have:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_a9TIDbHBPRDM3

Pair that with torque pro lite and you'll be able to get all the diagnostic data off the bus.

I recommend everyone have one on hand. My 2017 has thrown a few CELs since I bought it. Very useful tool to get started on fixes.

100% agreed!

I bought the BAFX (Android or Windows mobile device only), Amazon link here, alongside the Torque Pro app. Can't go wrong, and gets me all that I need for diagnostic :)

Very good info, buddy!

Option 1: Buy one of These, plug it into your car, and check for stored engine light codes.

When the light comes on again, plug it in, and see what set off the light.

Option 2:Go to autozone and have them do the same as option 1

Option 3: Go to a different mechanic and have them check.

You could have any number of issues. My personal car has a P0138 that randomly comes on when it feels like it and that’s not the gas cap at all.

Would this device work with Leafspy?

I'm gonna suggest this as well. I got a tablet mount that attaches to the seat rail, I have a Motorola Xoom. Have all my customized gauges and it looks awesome. Tablet mount required some modification to get it to fully seat in seat rail.

http://imgur.com/Q84oESA
http://imgur.com/POb2xKY
http://imgur.com/0aGX7aV


BAFX Products - Bluetooth OBD2 scan tool - For check engine light & diagnostics - Android ONLY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Y2rDub1GZ1XAC

Arkon Seat Rail Floor Car Truck Mount with 18 inch Gooseneck for iPad Air iPad 2 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00585CLSQ/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_A3rDub100X8JA

It's the 4-cylinder. The original parts were Denso, but I'm pretty confident that I got the correct Dorman parts. It's a '99 Camry LE L4. EGR Valve, Modulator, VSV. None of the vacuum hose in the VSV/EGR/Modulator system is clogged. I actually checked the 5 or 6 hoses while I was replacing everything. I also sprayed some Gumout Carb Cleaner into into the intake when I took the EGR off. Cleaned the EGR pipe too.

This is the scanner I'm using. I'm also using the Torque app on my phone. As you can see, it offers some nice monitoring. I glanced at that Vacuum Boost graph while I was driving and I think I remember it sitting at around 15 when I was idling and dropping to 3 or 4 once I got going. I didn't check out the O2 graphs though. I'll log some graphs tomorrow and do some real testing.

Thanks so much for your awesome response. Troubleshooting this has been so frustrating and you've given me something to do.

I got new wheel covers like this for mine. There are a ton of options ranging from $25-45.

An OBDII scanner is kinda useful and you can use it with your phone to display info that the Yaris doesn't. Things like MPG, tachometer, etc.

I don't know if this will be useful but I'll throw it out there: wifi hotspot for your car for $20/month. More info here.

Cleaning your car also spruces it up too. Enjoy your Yaris!

A bit off-topic, but did you know that for about $20, you can get a unit that will plug into your car's diagnostic port and will send a ton of information, including what the car's error codes mean, to a free app on your phone via Bluetooth?

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

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is what i use:

BAFX Products Bluetooth Diagnostic OBDII Reader/Scanner for Android Devices https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qeaBCbW8N4VTS

Problem is just its a tight fit but ive used it in my 92 crown Vic, my 09 Pontiac G6, my friends Volkswagen Rabbit and a bunch of others. Just if you get any reader like this be sure not to leave it plugged in while you drive. If it causes problems on the CANBUS you'll watch your car go into full seizure mode.

You could also buy an ob2 just to have and use an App Torque is what I use and it will tell you what's wrong. Sometimes it the gas cap or it could be a sensor. Don't let all those lights freak you out.

Here is a link
https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

You don't have to get that one there is alot of options but its always nice to have one laying around.

Fuelly, GasCubby for the Iphone market. You can also use a OBD2 reader like the Automatic Link(99 dollars, http://www.automatic.com), it syncs to an app and the cloud, and you can mark trips for work. I think there's a torque app for android that you can use with a cheap ODB2 reader like http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS, if you don't want to pay a lot, I think they start at around 20 bucks.

OK, that is a good idea. Would it make sense to buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

Maybe you could use a bluetooth OBDII scanner

It sounds like the car is putting itself into a limp mode or safety mode due to the computer thinking there is a problem. There may be an actual problem, or perhaps a sensor has failed and is falsely reporting an engine overheating issue or fuel flow issue. (I'm just speculating, there are many possible issues here).


Check the car parts stores and local mechanics in your area, there should be a few that will check the on-board computer for free to see if any issues are getting logged.


You can check it yourself if you get a scanner like this that pairs with a smartphone or tablet.

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

This is the one I use.

I have the Torque Pro app on my phone ($6 I think) and you can read codes that way.

BAFX Products Bluetooth Diagnostic OBDII Reader/Scanner for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B-Z2BbV6XJF6X

Plug it in and download the app and boom it gives you the codes. Super useful.

My bad, the BAFX is a good, simple, inexpensive OBD dongle and it looks like I spoke prematurely about it dying, lol (key on is important, Doh!)...

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=BAFX&qid=1559133910&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

I'm still wondering if the increased speeds of the OBDLink MX+ may be worth it though as well as the increased data pids for my Toyota.

I bought the dongle on Amazon (link). I used it with LeadSpy a few times before making my decision. The state of health when up quite a bit when the firmware was updated. I checked it a few times after that and it went up and down very slightly - not enough to matter. I did end up buying out the lease. I'm happy with the decision. I might have splurged on a Model 3 if it was $35K at the time. It would be nice to have a car I could use for road trips but the Leaf is great for commuting.

The OBDII tool is here:

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS

The Android software I bought is called Carista:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prizmos.carista&hl=en_US

Carista works with several OBDII readers but not all, the above one works, I know from personal experience.

The main reason I bought Carista is it allows you to customize a bunch of hidden features on your car, like disabling horn beep when you lock doors, enabling you to open and close windows with key remote, turning on/off daytime running lights & disabling the feature that auto re-locks doors if you unlock the car and don't open any doors within a certain time frame . It just happens to be able to clear that airbag code too.

This:

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00


That, a magnet and sock, a VIN checking website subscription, a friend and a flashlight are the best tools to check on a used car.

Flashlight to inspect crevices.

Friend to start the car from cold while you inspect the color of the exhaust. Then, shift in and out of first and reverse to see if the engine is stable. Then, the friend depresses the clutch, and you listen for chatter. Then a few WoT and you look and listen.

Magnet goes in the sock and you touch it to suspect areas. If it falls, there was rust repair (or it's a plastic panel. Haha).

The reader will scan for any fault codes that currently exist. It will not look for old codes, but it'll tell you if its a O2 sensor or misfire.

A VIN checking website subscription like AutoCheck or CarFax to check if there have ever been accidents or if there's a healthy service record. For that matter, demand all the service records. If they don't have them, don't believe anything they say, and imagine that the vehicle has never had service.

I say all of this as a guy who got fucked each time he bought a used car. My GTI had a hidden accident I could have found with a magnet. My wife's Passat was a lemon (legally. It failed six times under the previous owner), but it wasn't revealed at the time of purchase, and we didn't check the VIN. And more. Three more. Which accounts for five of the five used vehicles I've bought.

I purchased this one as it's the most popular one on amazon.

Works well, I recommend an app named "Torque"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_N9MAzb9VKFXV9

Mine works great with Torque. I picked up this one last month and it's read my Ram PU 03, 02 Land Rover, 95 Cheyenne and 2014 Town and Country rental. Cheep sound investment

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MzT7ybFM34YAR

I bought this device, and this app, and it works flawlessly with my Lumia 1020.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418234291&sr=8-1&keywords=odb+ii+bluetooth

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/diagnose-your-car/48979439-6d7b-47f7-947c-38ea7536a337

never mind found it...

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419094776&sr=8-1&keywords=Bluetooth+obd2+adapter

Hold on I'll have to look it up in my past order

Edit:: http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418260923&sr=8-1&keywords=bafx+bluetooth+obd2

Apparently this only works with Android

Another thing, to try and help diagnose other things though, I got the free version of the torque app on my phone along with this obd2 scan tool. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_KSaHub1Q96KSM). It'll let you see the readout of how your car is running plus read any codes. it might help you pin point where your cars problem originates

Response as a whole, for the 'non-believers' the cooling, heating and engine is all linked. If you're engine just started up and you're pulling heat away from it before it can build up enough heat to reach optimal temperature...it'll take longer to heat. You don't want to over heat your engine either, which yes the cooling system is in place to aid with that but it will only go so far. For example if you're driving around slow, not much wind is hitting it or you're sitting idle for extended periods of time, turn your heat up, open the windows if needed. This way more heat can be removed from the engine since there is no significant airflow from the front end of the car.

http://allaboutautomotive.com/blog/how-does-the-heater-in-my-vehicle-work/

That's one source which explains how the systems are 'linked' or related. I've come across many in the past that can confirm, the reason being why I've had to look at this up is, my thermostat recently got stuck open a little, I haven't had time to change it as it's too cold to work in the garage (Chicago). My car warms up fine, significantly faster when I don't turn the heat (blower) on as once I turn it on, high enough, before the engine is at optimal temperature I can actually see the coolant temperature drop (the temp gauge on your instrument panel is actually measuring this) So when the thermostat is stuck (in my case, not fully stuck open but partially) the higher the speeds (more airflow) the lower my cooling temperature drops. I can be at optimal (center) temperature on the local roads, get on the expressway and the coolant temperature will actually drop to the quarter mark if I'm on the expressway long enough, if I turn the heater off while on the expressway it will be higher than the quarter mark. Until I change my thermostat it'll just continue to over cool the engine a little.

Side tip, for anyone diagnosing issues on their car and need a obdii reader, I find the one from amazon, when I bought it was $24, connects to my android device via Bluetooth (sorry, this one is not ios compatible, last I checked) and gives me fault codes if there is a check engine light on and live readings of my car's readings directly from the ECU; coolant temp, rpms, o2 voltages, a/f ratios, etc.

Oh the app is called 'torque.'

While I'm at it, here's the obdii reader from amazon - BAFX Products - Bluetooth OBD2 scan tool - For check engine light & diagnostics - Android ONLY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_l4PHub1SSAQQZ

Buy this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

When it arrives, dowload Torque Lite, plug in the scanner to your OBD2 port(usually somewhere under the steering wheel, you can look up where exactly it is in your car). Once you plug it in, turn the car on(just on battery is fine), pair the scanner to your phone, and start the app. Then, in the app, load the logged fault codes. Look 'em up and you'll know exactly what's up with your engine. Then go get that stuff fixed


Edit: also, until you do this, drive the car as little as possible, since you don't know what's wrong with the engine.
Hope this helps!

You can find the ELM327 on ebay for little as 3 Dollars. However, cheaper readers run into issues with J1850 & CAN protocols which can get annoying. I personally use a BAFX Products 34T5 and a cable with switchable power so im not stuck draining battery or needing to remove the reader. The Pixel XL should have no issues in the slightest with torque or DashCommand.

Shameless self promotion.... I recently made a video on both the BAFX reader install (if you wanna call it that lol) and a comparison video between Torque and DashCommand.

i bought this thing below (there are others as well). combined with a free android app. you can check codes as well as all sorts of engine info. coolant temp, timing advance, voltage, intake temp, intake flow rate, and alot more. ive found it very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377318285&sr=8-1&keywords=bluetooth+obd2

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

Hmmm...any ODB2 reader should connect to the ecu and read the code.

I bought this one in Amazon, but you need an Android. Works great and I can get live data in my 2011 Lancer ES

https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Wireless-Bluetooth-Diagnostic/dp/B005NLQAHS?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

https://smile.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503677599&sr=8-1&keywords=BAFX

Anything other than that, you mine as well save your money for a true scan tool.

Make sure it's a true BAFX product. There's tons of look-a-likes. It's not worth saving $5 bucks for it to crap out.

Sorry for writing you another long book...

I asked my wife if she thought it was loud and she shrugged her shoulders at me... lol. It's slightly louder than my Corolla, but I don't think it's that bad at all. Unfortunately it can be quite subjective. Small cars will always be louder and the manufacturers tend to skimp on sound insulation for the smaller lower priced cars. Also tires can make quite a difference in road noise, but an entire Reddit post/argument can be devoted to that....

As far as gas mileage, we both drive like asses... which means we inherently get worse gas milage than normal people... I did hook up one of these and paired it with an Android App on my phone. It reported that that we were getting 30-34mpg when doing about 80mph on the Thruway. Not sure about averages, but it gets good gas milage. My wife has the 2010 and it's a bit stripped down, not sure if the newer 2014 models display all the fancy info like mpg, range, avg speed and whatnot in the dash...

I've also been thinking about this for a while. If you haven't been exposed to Toyota's you'll find that they are a little simpler than American cars. If you just want to get from point A to point B without a hassle you won't care, but the Ford Fiesta might feel "nicer" inside and have a few more bells and whistles... to each their own. If you decide to look at a Yaris, you might want to test drive one at Lia and then say you'll come back and/or that you are continuing to look at other brands/models as you try to decide what you want. That way you won't be driving far to find out that you perhaps might hate the Yaris. Then if you do decide to check out Prestige... it won't be your first rodeo either.

Also, there is one weird thing about Prestige that I wanted to share with you... the two times I've test driven a car with them the dude always rode with me on the test drive and we always took the same short route around the dealership. I've test drive quite a few cars and they are the only dealer that I've known that didn't toss me the keys and said "have fun see ya when you get back". Then again I'm a talker if you haven't noticed and we are usually shooting the shit the whole time anyway... I also never cared to resist and ask to take the car out alone or to take a different route, they might just say "Sure!" if you ask. The last purchase was my 4th Toyota so I'm familiar with them and really am just looking to abuse the car as much as possible to expose any mechanical BS with brakes, suspension, engine, and transmission. I straight up warned them both times as we left that I was going to:

1. Floor it at least once.
   
2. Force the car to downshift under duress/hard acceleration such as up the hill leading behind and away from the dealership
   
3. Throw the car back and forth left to right like a race car during a caution.
   
4. Get up to 65ish at the crest of the hill just before the dealership and then get hard in the brakes going down the hill back towards the dealership (dude practically shat himself both times even though I said I was going to get hard in the brakes, but they get it... their cool)
   
   I will say that the next time I do a test drive with them, I'm going to ask to take it out to RT 299 over to the Thruway exit so I can get it up to 65-70. I had an isolated issue with one of my wheels with my last purchase from them. I didn't notice until I got on the highway and even then it took me a few days of driving to work to notice the issue and then a couple more to decide if I was just crazy or if there was actually something wrong with the wheel. Of course they fixed it for free.
   
   One other thing... Make sure the car you're looking at has All Season Tires. With my last, I made the mistake of buying a car with good tires... but I didn't pay attention to type of tire on the car. It had practically brand new summer sport tires and only realized it when it drove like shit in the winter. So now I have two sets of tires... but it's ok, I swap them out which extends the life of both sets. The previous owner could have been from another part of the country (cars are bought at auction and shipped around) or perhaps they swapped snow and summer tires and just sold it in the summer...
   
   Sorry for the book again...
   
   
   

I'm using this one from Amazon with nice results. I only have the free "Torque Lite" but I am very impressed with it.

Links for the lazy:

Torque Lite - Free

Torque Pro - Paid

Thanks for the advice!

I didn't know about the Torque app until yesterday. What do you use for your bluetooth adapter? I was considering this one. There's another one that costs about $90 but the reviews for it aren't any better than for this cheaper one. It's basically a serial<->bluetooth converter so shouldn't be too complicated (or expensive). A generic serial<->bluetooth component costs less than $20, so I think that $90 one is probably a rip off.

BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/

I use this one. With Torque for Android I can set it up to log any of these parameters from the ECU.

I recommend this scan tool with the Torque App. All of the things on your smartphone. Heck of a lot easier than a laptop, IMO.

I bought this one back in May, and I haven't had any problems with it. I use it with the Torque Pro app, and it's able to pull all kinds of real-time data from the reader. It's not as fancy as some of the more expensive models so it might give you a generic code every now and then, but for the money it's not bad at all.

I don't know if there will be any adverse effects with the manic tune.

Third or fourth 12V battery, not the hybrid battery, right?

And I'd be looking for something like this? https://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS I unfortunately have an old iPhone, so finding an app would be difficult for me, but finding a friend to help out wouldn't be impossible.

I think you were trying to create a pretty-looking link: [Example](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ "BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices")

How-to: [Example](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ "BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices")

I bought this and then this app. Total was $25 for an OBD II scanner that resets some codes as well can display cool and useful realtime gauges to Android devices about all kinds of your car's performance readings.


I see there are other cheaper ones now, but I've used these 2 and know they work great together.

I have this one...

Veepeak Mini WiFi OBD2 EOBD Scanner Scan Tool Adapter Check Engine Light Diagnostic Trouble Code Reader for iOS iPhone iPad and Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WPW6BAE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Ehl6pEHj2elRL

If you have iPhone get the wifi version and if you and android get the Bluetooth version

It'll work just fine. If you have an iPhone spend the 10$ and get dash command or obd fusion app, if you have android get Torque pro app

Scan your OBD-II port for some info:

https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Scanner-Compatible-Android-Diagnostic/dp/B00WPW6BAE

Sorry! Coulda sworn I made a description with details. Ok here goes.

So, it's a 2006 S60 2.5T Automatic. 125k miles and it's completely stock in every regard. I run 93 octane and Castrol EDGE European Formula 0W-40 for the winter. Current temp was 24 Fahrenheit and vehicle was at operating temperature well before I did this test/pull.

I'm using the OBD Fusion app on iOS 10.2 iPhone 7. The OBD2 reader itself is called the "VeePeak OBD2 Wifi only for iOS and android" Here is a link to it in amazon where I bought it.

https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic-Trouble/dp/B00WPW6BAE

Shortly after this, I peaked at 15psi boost :)

This is the wifi dongle I use for my iPhone 7 Plus, it has instructions on what manual IP address to set so it doesn't interfere with internet connectivity through Cellular, jam your tunes and watch your boost.

There are Wifi based Odb2 sensors and apps

I use this along side OBDCarDoctor

If you have an iPhone, this one works pretty well. I use DashCmd and just leave it plugged in.

Thx for the info guys, I was actually thinking of this: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00YVHGTBM?psc=1

Anyone tried it?

Change those settings with Carista OBD2: https://www.amazon.com/Carista-Bluetooth-Adapter-iPhone-Android/dp/B00YVHGTBM/

>What carries a subscription?
The Bluetooth plug - Amazon comes with a Free and PAID plans. As I have not used one - I'm not sure what features come free. At £30+ for the dongle - it could be an expensive profile :)

Don't want to spend too much but will this one be any good? Carista OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter, Scanner and App with Dealer Level Technology https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iABNDbYM2D9NB according to their website my A3 8V 2017+ face-lift is supported. ODB Eleven Standard is 3x more expensive

damn that sounds slick, I ordered a Carista in hopes that it will work for what I needed it for. I've seen some of the features available and it seems very similar, so hopefully it offers the option for my audio. It has a 1 month free trial for the app, but 40$ a year. Hopefully I can setup the features I want and avoid the cost

Worst case scenario I just return it and do it via a legit vagcom cable, or just have them fix it next time I need to bring it in.

Carista OB2 reader

This is the only way I know how.
This little thingy lets you do all sorts of awesome settings you can’t get to in the head unit

Pro-tip: Check engine lights are usually pretty easily repaired, but can indicate serious malfunctions inside your engine, and can cause all sorts of cascading problems down the line.

Since 1996, the OBD-II Interface has been standardized and is required in every vehicle sold in the US. So if you have a car in America, made after 1996 - you can do the following:

You can get one of these and an app on iOS/Android, and monitor all sorts of sensor information from your engine, as well as check and clear check engine light codes! It's very cool, and is something I use to monitor the health and performance of my engine on a daily basis.

The total investment is less than $20, and can grant a lot of peace-of-mind.

Let them know. If it is Carvana they will ship some to your house. I got the Veepak one. Look on the Spark EV forum and there is a recent post pointing to the PID files for the spark (mostly the same as the Bolt).

Something left out of this video that's important is an OBDII scanner, assuming the vehicle is 1996 and newer. If you've already got a smartphone, getting a bluetooth reader off of Ebay/Amazon is inexpensive. It also helps with diagnosing future issues.

Get one of these and a corresponding app.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cBKqxbQT2B8GJ

Can even get a cheap dedicated Android phone.

There are 30 different brands of these, but they're all identical.

As they've said, any decently reviewed cheap adapter will work.

I have one very similar to this that I paid maybe 15 dollars for.

I've only had two codes pop up and they were 1) when I unplugged my MAF sensor when I moved my airbox to change my transmission fluid and 2) when my brake switch stopped working (yes, it actually threw a code!). I was able to take the code and do some googling to figure things out.

This is great for easy stuff, but if you're getting codes for something serious like a cylinder misfire you'll have to take it to the dealer or put down a few thousand for the Mazda interface computer.

I've got this this. Can I do it with this thing?

No problem, if you are quite worried I recommend that you purchase a Bluetooth OBDII scanner. They pair directly to Android phones and show you exactly what your engine is doing at all times through apps like Torque. They are cheap too, around $20. Your call though as I am 99.9% certain the variation is 100% normal. I spoke to a mechanic at work about the vibration and he says that he has a fairly simple test. If the car vibrates while in park or in gear at a red light, it may be the fault of the transmission mounts. If it stops or gets less noticeable when put in neutral, it may be the engine mounts. There are many other possibilities like timing chains being off but as I said before, hard to tell without physically seeing the vehicle. Here's a link to the OBDII tool if interested. Hope you get everything sorted out!

https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Scanner-Android-Diagnostic/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457990220&sr=8-1&keywords=obd2

After rewatching the video, meltedsurfwax may be on to something. Sounds almost like loose trim. Didn't see videos before due to being on mobile.

My bad : Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII EOBD Scanner Adapter Automotive Check Engine Light Diagnostic Code Reader for Android Windows https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_0viSybDPM03EG

As opposed to Excelvan v1.5 Bluetooth Mini Small Interface OBD2 Scanner Adapter Torque Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P14NPU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_XwiSybD7NGCEX

The excelvan was dropping the BT way too often..almost every drive (phone: htc one m8)

invest in a cheap OBDII scanner like this one and an application like Torque. With the two you can read and then google fault codes when you get a check engine light. With that knowledge going into the shop you can see if your mechanic is giving you an honest diagnosis

(for the record that is not the OBD Scanned I own, just the one that came up first on Amazon I make no recommendation on that make/model)

Also reccomend Torque pro but I bought this adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8CX2CbZ7MA1NK

Sounds like overpriced horse shit to me.

This is $10 (compared to $100 for the BlueDriver) and it works with Dr Prius, Hybrid Assistant, Torque, etc.

> What Makes BlueDriver Different

> >More Codes

> >Read all the codes the other scan tools read and the ones they don't.

Huh? Codes the other scan tools don't? The car turns on your check engine light and reports an alphanumeric error code. There are no codes that scan tools don't read that I've ever heard of. Different cars have different sensors exposed. For example, in the Prius you can read tons of information about the HV system through an ODBII port. You don't need an expensive ODBII reader for this. Torque has PID databases for Priuses that will allow you to read all of these "hidden" sensors and apps like Dr. Prius are made specifically to interface with them.

>> Get the Confirmed Fix

>> No more Googling for unreliable fixes that waste your time and money. Using the same Identifix database professional shops use, BlueDriver will match your vehicle's issue to a verified fix from a database of over 30 million solutions.

This is pretty laughably stupid. Mechanics use the internet, too. Calling Google results unreliable wastes of time and money is ridiculous hyperbole.

Pretty much all the benefits of this thing are software features that can be had from any dongle with the right software. It seems like they're comparing this thing to traditional ODBII reading units instead of other BT units with various app pairings.

I keep a dongle from Automatic.com installed for metrics and I keep the above Veepak dongle around for more advanced troubleshooting. I've been making heavy use of it over the last week as I finally suffered my first battery failure. I can't think of any reason I'd spend $100 on that BlueDriver thing.

Would a ODBII(for $12!!) work?

How do these compare to something like this and a phone app like Torque?

No problem. If for some reason you still can't get a code to come up, here is a link to the reader I use. I use it in combination with the app Torque. It has been able to read codes on all the Abarth/VW/ and Acuras I've used it on. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_V9JQDbPQS8MJM

I'm on iOS so it requires a low power bluetooth adapter so I got this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XKQQQW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then I bought OBD Fusion off the App Store.

If you run Android then this will work and is cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Supports-DashCommand/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_7?crid=29Y0KSBTGU65U&keywords=veepeak+obd2&qid=1573319560&s=automotive&sprefix=veepeak%2Cautomotive%2C211&sr=1-7

Yes. Any $20 OBD reader.

I bought this one awhile back and it is all I use now. Much more convenient than the corded ones. And whatever app you use will probably give you the code information instead of having to look it up, as well.

I got this one and paired it with the torque pro app. Works great. Can't go wrong for under $20 total.

No problem. I actually bought an Android tablet for the Torque app...assuming you're using an Apple device?

The reason I got the Android device was because with Apple, you can only use Wifi OBD2's. The Bluetooth has too many restrictions for the OBD2 connection to work. But Android works.

For the Bluetooth connection, I'm honestly not sure how many devices you can have connected at once, and I don't want to give you a wrong answer. Sorry.


Here is the sensor I got:

Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII EOBD Scanner Adapter Automotive Check Engine Light Diagnostic Code Reader for Android Windows https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_G7vsybDQWCKFQ

Here, it's an obd reader that you plug into your obd port. Download the torque app and you can read your voltage among other gauges if thier info is on the data lines.

If your going to get it, make sure you select the one I listed for Android or select the wifi one for iOS.

Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII EOBD Scanner Adapter Automotive Check Engine Light Diagnostic Code Reader for Android Windows https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Slwsyb0S79RKZ

Well, you still need a reader, but it syncs with your phone. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B011NSX27A/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483663169&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=auto+code+readers&dpPl=1&dpID=41UbDuzVejL&ref=plSrch

I use both Torque Pro and Carly.
Torque Pro works great for gauges and data, Carly works great for coding.
I've been using this cheap bluetooth adapter for both for 2 1/2 years:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011NSX27A/

I'm using EVNotify with this $11 adapter from Amazon.

I bought this;

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B011NSX27A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use it with the torque app. It's awesome! Is there something similar for iphone? If not, go get a used Android phone off a friend.

Yup, even less - I bought a cheap one for like $12 and it ended up working ok-ish with basic phone app, but was detected as a "Cheap clone" on PC based laptop software.

This one however, I think I paid $18 for at the time has worked great on all platforms and software:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B011NSX27A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have no idea. I bought this one, and it works fine for me. I previously bought a couple other chinese imports off ebay that didn't work.

here is 11.99

I got this one which rings all those bells. But you shouldn't be leaving it plugged in when you're not using it so I can't guarantee number 1.

They should've done it, yes. You'd either see that, P0016, P0017, or P1345. DO NOT let them clear the code at AutoZone.

Also, order one of these and download Torque Pro for your phone. Given that you've got a high-mileage Cavalier, it's probably a good thing to have.

>I don't know very much about cars obviously, don't really know what your saying or how to do it.

In this day and age: a lack of knowledge is a choice.

Google up: OBDII scanner. Here is a How To

Check Amazon: OBDII scanner. Here is one for $15 that will probably do the job

You need to learn about cars because your actual life and well being depends on it: literally, figuratively, financially and physically. It is the most expensive and dangerous thing that you will own. If you don't think your car is important: try getting by in life without one.

You can buy a code reader really cheap on Amazon. The one I linked, I use all the time, works well.

In my experience though, some codes don't stayed stored forever. So depending on when the light when off, from the time you get it hooked up to a scanner, the code could be gone.

For 14 bucks though, never wonder again!

get a obd unit for a couple bucks, cheap way to quickly determine what's wrong with the car

sometimes it could be just a blown fuse and that might fix it quickly

It's already included in most continental cars. (I don't know much outside of continentals) https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanner-Engine-Diagnostics-Direct/dp/B011Q18D14

I bought this one that works great. You can also download the free app – torque from googleplay, or if you want to get more data about your car, you can choose to download other app but that may be cost a little money

If you have an android phone, these are great. They pair to your phone and give code read out and ability to reset the light if its just a glitch. You have to have an app on your phone, some are free, but one of the best is only is $5.00 (torque pro). I'm not sure about iphone stuff. (edit: its also nice to have an idea what's wrong before going to a repair person.)

https://www.amazon.com/Kitbest-Bluetooth-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic/dp/B01BY2CK32

I use Torque as well. You can find cheap small Bluetooth OBDII adapters on Amazon. They work great.

I bought one similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Kitbest-Bluetooth-Scanner-Adapter-Diagnostic/dp/B01BY2CK32/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1538833599&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=odb2+bluetooth&dpPl=1&dpID=51z7L6z0ZfL&ref=plSrch

Try cleaning your throttle body and run a can of Seafoam in a half tank of gas and see if that helps. Also you might get one of these Blue Tooth OBD2 readers that you can use with smartphone apps like Torque. You can check error codes and watch realtime data from many of the sensors on your engine.

KitBest Bluetooth OBD OBD2 Scanner Adapter for Android, Car Diagnostic Check Engine Light Scan Tool Code Reader. 5 Year Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BY2CK32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ULtVAbAS8W73W

https://www.amazon.com/KitBest-Bluetooth-Scanner-Diagnostic-Warranty/dp/B01BY2CK32/ref=sr_1_11?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1521135119&sr=1-11&keywords=obd2

And then the Torque Pro (or torque) App is what I use for android. (not the exact same ob2, but based on the elm327).

Nope won't mess with warranty at all. It's bluetooth and pluggs into your obd port just those those snapshot things the insurance companies will give you for discounts. All torque does is monitor different sensors in the car, you may have to do a little googling to get all the PIDS set up correctly, but most work when you download them from the app. I think this is the one I have, never gave me any issues.

Do you have a Bluetooth obd2 adapter ? Kitbest Bluetooth OBD OBD2 Scanner Adapter for Android, Car Diagnostic Check Engine Light Scan Tool Code Reader. 5 Year Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BY2CK32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Gls.AbD7XY9H9

This scanner works great and only $10.99. The MyGreenVolt app gives lots of interesting stats.

FYI, this is the one that I bought, I'm sure it depends on the app that you use it with but so far it has served me well.

[OBD II Engine Code Scanner] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G5EA74I/ref=gbps_img_m-7_759e_1734342c?pf_rd_p=70acffa0-6735-44b1-b69d-ab83e4d3759e&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-7&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=13887280011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=G2TTZ9G4FX9E7PDE2W37)

here ya go: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G5EA74I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zm14BbNPB1NZP

There are a couple on amazon I'm thinking about. Would like to keep it under $50.

Deciding between this ANCEL AD310, and this ANCEL AD410. Either one seems to fit my pretty basic needs for a scanner...

You can pull the check engine light codes yourself. Buy an OBD scanner like this. If it's gas cap related, you can reset the CEL yourself.
https://www.amazon.com/ANCEL-AD310-Enhanced-Universal-Diagnostic/dp/B01G5EA74I

ANCEL AD310 Classic Enhanced Universal OBD II Scanner Car Engine Fault Code Reader CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G5EA74I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mAcQCbEX9TYAK

Car Repair PSA- For everyone here that is a car repair novice, get a diagnostic code reader. You can get one for $50.00. You plug it into your car, follow the instructions, write down the codes that appear, look them up in the including manual, and you know where to start. Even if you can't repair it yourself, give the mechanic the codes you found and they'll think twice before scamming you because you already know the possible problems.

My truck started running rough last year. Engine light came on. Checked the codes, googled a little, replaced the gas cap for $13.00 and the problem was solved. The gas cap wasn't air tight anymore and was letting air in and was screwing up the air to fuel mix and making it run rough. A mechanic could have told me almost anything and I would have just paid him to fix it.

https://www.amazon.com/ANCEL-AD310-Enhanced-Universal-Diagnostic/dp/B01G5EA74I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525374298&sr=8-1&keywords=code+reader

edit- added that they're cheap

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G5EA74I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have that. But it says no stored codes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01G5EA74I/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1499231274&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=obd2&dpPl=1&dpID=41vF137GMsL&ref=plSrch
Would this stuff be ok?

I bought the cheap one and it works fine. Gives me the data I need and can obviously clear codes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G5EA74I

Anytime you clear the codes on your car it takes time for the system to reset itself and calibrate to show that it even exists. The best way to find out is to get a cheap code reader on Amazon and find out what it is you're failing. For me I got a new Cat on my car and it failed. I drove it 50 miles at 70mph and the next day it passed fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G5EA74I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one that I use, be sure to NOT clear your codes, just make sure you're checking the I/M readiness.

There's no reason to freak out about it, just figure out if there's a bad sensor or something and get it fixed.

99 doesn't necessarily mean you're immune from a cracked head, but it does mean you're a whole lot less likely to fall victim to it. If combustion gasses are getting into the cooling system it could also be warped or could just be a bad head gasket. I believe most parts stores sell the kits, Autozone might even rent them. I ordered mine off Amazon iirc. Most shops should also be able to perform this test but I have no idea what they'd charge for the service.

Either take it to a shop, or buy one of these to check:

https://www.amazon.com/Block-Tester-BT-500-Combustion-Leak/dp/B06VVBSFTF

Yes, there is. Follow the directions. The fluid will turn a particular color if exhaust gases are detected in the coolant (indicative of a failing head gasket, because it allows exhaust gases into the cooling jackets).

Perform a block test with this

Can you give us a picture of the oil?

I would first check for combustion gasses in the coolant using one of these

Coolant in oil is super common on these engines, and the most common failure is the head gasket.

Not newer ones no, Ive done a 4-cyl rebuild/swap in my 78 but Im very far from a pro. Isnt dealer software expensive?

As for a headgasket tester, are you thinking of something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Block-Tester-BT-500-Combustion-Leak/dp/B06VVBSFTF/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520003646&sr=8-2&keywords=head+gasket+test

Block Tester BT-500 Combustion Leak Test Kit - Made in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVBSFTF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kktXCbF2CRE2M

Might wanna grab one of these too you have to buy the test fluid ~$10 but the tool can be rented.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375952849&sr=8-1&keywords=bluetooth+obd

This is the one I have. It works pretty good.

I just got This one off Amazon

It cost $'23 instead of $'13, but the reviews are higher because it seems to work on more cars with less problems than the $'13 version the other guy recommended. It comes with laptop software, but also works completely with the Android "Torque Pro" app.

I have the stock dp for now, and a BSR 2.5in stainless. Car sounds almost stock at idle and under throttle it sounds a little more grunty. Pretty nice.

DICs tend to crack, and the cores in them suffer afterwards. I mean, it's a piece of composite plastic that is sitting on the head of your turbocharged engine... it will get up past 80c on hot days so you gotta expect some damage. It's a great piece of technology as it allows knock control and other engine adjustments RIGHT at the plugs, but it's poorly designed considering where it sits and how it sits there. It's the number 1 thing that can leave you stranded while driving. I've been lucky and have only had one go bad in over 60k of T7 driving (two different t7 cars) but it's a total gamble. Sometimes they will drop within 10k, sometimes within 100k. I've been very lucky considering I only got a CEL from an extra knock sensor. Highly recommend and OBDII reader. Just to pull the code. If you have an android phone ge the torque app and a bluetooth adapter. You can monitor engine health with it and check/clear CELs. http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1376322147&sr=1-1&keywords=obd2+bluetooth

I drive a 00 9-5 LPT that I have converted to be an aero. Turbo, up-pipe, exhaust, brakes, clutch, and a few other mods. Flashed a 00 Aero bin and then the e85 map.

There are a few benefits of the tune. First and foremost being the diagnostics. if you push both the -/+ at the same time on the SID you can access diagnostics. This is activated in T7 Suite and is included in my e85 package. Look here for an example of what kinda data can be displayed: http://www.saab-tuners.com/en/trionic-7/t7-suite-sid-info

Things of note:

• amul = fueling information,
  
• tair = intake temps (Important for tuning and IC info),
  
• meng = engine torque in nM,
  
• teng = engine temp,
  
• mair and mreq = mair is air actually delivered, and mreq is the requested air. This is SUPER important to find boost leaks.
  
• miss = engine misfires and there's another value for knocks
  
  Other benefits are the ability to run e85 if you want to. We dont' have any around here, but traveling you may run across one. The increase is hp and torque is an absolute benefit. I find my idle and temps are lower with this tune. Also it evens out the power delivery vastly. Very nice torque curve. You can see the graph here: http://imgur.com/a/L26oR Top image is stage 1, stock is below. I also find that my throttle response and low end power (Where I usually drive the car) is far better. I'm not a racer, so I tend to stay 2-4k and there's a decent amount of torque there to move me around town.
  
  Reasons for tuning are my own, but the diagnostics and power increase were the main ones. Having a fun DD helps too.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=lp_15707381_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381446790&sr=1-1

I do the same thing. Torque is awesome!

edit: I use a less expensive adapter without any issues.

Get an OASIS report (w/ VIN) from the local Ford dealer to let you know what she has been through (at least while under warranty)

\> there was an exhaust smell when stopped at lights

I have no exhaust or muffler on my 6.0 and don't smell any exhaust when stopped, so that is curious.

I would recommend buying an OBDII scanner from Amazon ($20) if you don't have one (regardless if you follow through with this truck or not it is great to have for all of your other vehicles). They make them with Bluetooth so you can download an app (Torque Pro) for your phone and check/clear codes as well as live data monitoring. It's what a lot of us Ford guys do until we get a tuner that monitors data.

Here is a video that shows what I'm talking about.

That way you can go on another test drive while monitoring the PIDs. Let the truck warm up (180+ F for both oil and coolant) and then hop on the freeway and set the cruise control at 55 mph. Keep it there (on flat ground) for about 15 minutes and monitor the difference between those two temperatures. If they get above 15 degrees apart the truck has a failed oil cooler.

Check the degas bottle and oil for any obvious signs of head gasket issues. Make sure the coolant in that degas bottle is clean (free from particulate) and not milky - likewise with the oil.

Injectors are the other finicky devil with these trucks. When you click the truck onto the on position, keep the door open and listen to the injectors clatter as the spool valves open and close. This is most telling on a bone-cold engine that hasn't been started that day. Those things should clatter fast and evenly. If they start slowly clattering and ramp up their speed as they clatter that could indicate sludge/stiction gauming up the spool valves which leads to contribution issues. Another app called Car Gauge Pro allows you to do a "buzz test" to check for bad injectors by individually buzzing each injector to let you listen. Here is an awesome video that shows how to do that.

I wish I would have known those tips before I bought my baby. Good on you for being far less impulsive than me. With 20 minutes of SUPER easy tests, you can give yourself a really good idea of what kind of shape the truck is in.

Head gasket, oil cooler, and injectors are the big three to keep on your radar with 6.0s. If those are all working properly and the 282k miles doesn't scare you I'd go for it - that's just my 2 cents though.

You better post a picture of that baby if you end up pulling the trigger.

I've had good luck with this one and Torque free.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_C27UCbTN54J61

Have a smartphone?

Get one of these
http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

And the "torque" app
(different apps and readers for different phone types, choose accordingly)
Total cost should be like, $30 and it can be used for years.

It will read the fault and tell you what it is, you can clear the fault and see if it returns (if you dont understand it)

A co-worker got a fault for low idle at startup, he changed the air filter, I cleared the code, and it never came back.

You can get a cheap bluetooth one like this and interface it with something like the Torque app on Android. It's worked pretty well with my Honda Accord so far.

Try one of these if your car will take it. It has saved me money. I can just take the code to the mechanic and they can give me a repair plan. Then I can shop for the parts and make the repair.

This is the code reader if in the future you're interested or working on another car. The app was free and I seriously love it. Code readers that a garage use are expensive because you're paying for a powerful handheld computer, but most of us already have powerful handheld computers!

For data readout, get a bluetooth OBD2 reader and an app like torque pro. You can get both for around 30 bucks.

torque


the reader that i use

Right, I'm saying that I can do all of this already with the cheap hardware on the market (example).

You do get what you pay for, but it does work. The Android app Torque is what made these interfaces even more popular.

There are better interfaces on the market, which can be used with devices such as the Arduino (example)

In MPG? Not sure honestly, my gas gauge is inconsistent and I haven't driven it long distance in a few weeks. Though if you believe the gauge, 45 miles (40 highway) cost about a quarter tank, about 8.5 gallons. So that'd be roughly 5MPG but like I said, I don't know how much I trust it given how I only had a quarter tank to start with.

I was going to order this to have a look, would you recommend it, or a different one?

Sort of glad to hear that my goof probably isn't what caused it, and if it's just that emissions thing I won't bother for now since it got inspected in November last year, still plenty of time. But as soon as I'm done typing this I'll hit up AutoZone and see if they'll read my code. Where would I go about finding out what the code means?

Edit: P0137, O2 Sensor. I don't need an inspection sticker until September, so I'm no longer worried. I'll fix it when I get the chance. Thanks for the help!

Since I haven't seen anybody address your data logging question, I highly suggest the Torque app available on android paired with a $25 OBDII reader from amazon. Plus then you don't have to pay $50-$250 on a scanner tool. I've got mine setup to start logging as soon as it connects to my car every time i start it up.

http://torque-bhp.com/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/

You should ask what the advantages of that one vs this one are. Mine is a third of the price and posits with my phone, laptop, and tablet running a few different programs.

Bought 3 before I got one to work on my 02 Grand Prix. GM doesn't work with them all. Of course NONE of the products info tell you this.
Bought the BAFX which worked.
http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vHhJGG4iL.jpg

Always check the Kelley Blue Book value.

You may also want to look online for common issues that the vehicle has.

Make sure the check engine light isn't on, and that they haven't disconnected the battery recently (since this is a quick way to clear any trouble codes detected by the car. You should do that with a scan tool, but you can also look for other less definitive clues (like the radio presets being reset).

A scan tool is definitely worth investing in. I personally purchased this bluetooth one, and have some apps on my Android phone to connect to it. If you have an Apple phone, you will have to look elsewhere, or carry a bluetooth capable laptop to check on the sensors.

If you do notice any issues, it's sometimes worth asking the seller if they will be willing to fix it, or if they will be willing to lower the asking price to compensate. If it's something like the battery not charging, the alternator may be bad, but that's something relatively cheap. If the transmission is fucked, you'll be looking at a serious repair bill in the thousands. At that point, however, the seller will probably be interested in finding a sucker elsewhere.

Finally, find out why the seller is selling their car, and how long they've been trying to sell it. If it's been on the market for weeks, that's usually a bad sign - decent cheap college kid cars get snapped up quick.

> Bluetooth OBDII scanne

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS

If I buy one like this, can I leave it plugged in all the time? I have one currently that I have to plug in and unplug every time I want to use it. Not that that's a huge issue - it's right in front of the gas pedal - but if I can find a small form-factor one I wouldn't mind leaving it connected at all times.

You can buy a cheap Bluetooth OBDII adapter (which is worth every penny as a diagnostic tool regardless - for about $20 you'll never have to wonder why your check engine light is on again) and use Torque or a similar app on your phone to check your emissions readiness. If your vehicle is a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury I can also very much recommend the ForScan Lite app.

I don't think you understood my question - Bank 1 and Bank 2 each have 2 sensors - B1S1 (Bank 1 Sensor 1 - Upstream), B1S2 (Downstream), B2S1 and B2S2.

You need to replace B1SX - What's the X? You should find that out, rather than replacing both (which are about $100 a piece).

If it's a code that's being thrown, you should buy a cheap OBD2 scanner and download Torque (Android) or CarDoctor (iPhone) or another OBD2 app on your phone to read the codes. If you have an iPhone, they usually only support WiFi enabled devices, while Android phones support Bluetooth. I got this (https://smile.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526942582&sr=8-4&keywords=ELM327) and it works great, but I have an android.

You can read out what the code is, and it will probably tell you which bank and sensor is throwing it as well (maybe not, but if he narrowed it down to that bank, its worth a shot).