OBD II readers

Alun

I was just wondering if, in general, the cheap Bluetooth OBD II readers you can get on eBay / Amazon etc. can be used to clear codes as well as read them? Or is that dependent on the software used on the phone?

I ask as my wife's MX-5 has a habit of throwing up en error after it's been stood still on the driveway for a week or so e.g. when we're on holiday, I don't recall what it was exactly, she takes it into the garage and they clear it for her and it never comes back during normal use. I recall them saying it was a sensor on the exhaust somewhere.

biko

The cheapos usually only read codes.

Check MX5 forums online, I know that for my old BMW I just needed a paperclip. You may get lucky

homingbird

You wont go to far wrong with this & it wont break the bank.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/With-full-set-Newest-2014-R3-R2-New-vci-Full-cdp-ds150e-with-bluetooth-SCANNER-TCS/32658411759.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1JV3Jc

mobfromcork

I got an Elm 327 for around 15 euro, bought the Torque app for around 3 or 4 euro. Can read and clear codes on my car (Saab 9-5) without any difficulty.

Alun

mobfromcork wrote: »

I got an Elm 327 for around 15 euro, bought the Torque app for around 3 or 4 euro. Can read and clear codes on my car (Saab 9-5) without any difficulty.

As far as I can tell ELM327 is the name of the chip used in many of these devices, so there are lots of them called that. Can you remember where you got it?

mobfromcork

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/ELM327-OBD2-II-SCANNER-BLUETOOTH-AUTO-CAR-SCAN-TOOL-ANDROID-TORQUE-DIAGNOSTIC-/252980462417?hash=item3ae6cf8351%3Ag%3AxoEAAOSwiYFXH5bM&_trkparms=pageci%253A80061082-6a23-11e7-b82c-74dbd1807b59%257Cparentrq%253A4b67212b15d0a9921a4da875fffa62c4%257Ciid%253A2

My dad got this one a few months ago and it worked fine. I had the same model but the WiFi version rather than the Bluetooth but we found the Bluetooth connected far better than the WiFi.
Then got the Torque app and it all synced very easily. We were able to read and clear codes on Saab anyway. Posted from Dublin so had it quickly. You can save a few quid getting it posted from the UK or Hong Kong maybe but not enough to make a big difference

Alun

Great, thanks!