Recommendations for a code reader

[mattt429]

I purchased an f-super and it works with formidable and forscan (USB) mk6.

Sweet, so you can install forscan with the f-super, forscan seems a better program. N

I think you have to have the older elm chip version 1.4 for it to run with forscan, but yea mine works

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[ned]

I have this one

WP_20160910_13_09_50_Pro.jpg

I'll have a play when I get a new craptop. N

[MK7 user]

Sweet, so you can install forscan with the f-super, forscan seems a better program. N

Alright Ned.

The situation is:

The original F-Super will only read a limited number of communication protocols....the F-Super 2 reads a wider range but it doesn't work with Elm compatible software that's why the vast majority use Fordscan or Formidable....it works on a Mk6 & is shite useless on a Mk7 because it doesn't support the protocals the Mk7 uses.

What is currently being sold as F-Super/Super 2 (the one with the orange label that looks similar to the original F-Super) is different....it supports a greater number of communication protocals & some of them work with Elm compatible software.

The fact is....the majority of us are not the slightest bit interested in what communication protocols the vehicle manufactures uses, all we care about is that we can access what we want when we want without having our pants pulled down for £90/hr diagnostic fees.

The next part is one that is "Baking Peoples Noodles", the stuff we are buying from our favourite auction site is Clone/Fake/Spurious/Knock-off/Not the Real Deal....they are not genuine Elm Electronics Chips, they are a clone with a badge on the outside professing to be Elm kit....if the fake firmware they use use reports them to be be Elm/Elm compatible they will work with Elm compatible software....some of the clone of a clone works & is worth what you pay for it, but all this talk about you need to buy an Elm is poppy cock if you refuse to pay the cost of genuine Elm kit.

So....as I said further up the page, you can have a bit less grief if you just buy one that someone else has tested, the fact that it works with FORScan & Formidable kind of points to the fact that you know it's all fake before you hit the Buy it Now Button.

[ned]

Sweet, so you can install forscan with the f-super, forscan seems a better program. N

Alright Ned.

The situation is:

The original F-Super will only read a limited number of communication protocols....the F-Super 2 reads a wider range but it doesn't work with Elm compatible software that's why the vast majority use Fordscan or Formidable....it works on a Mk6 & is shite useless on a Mk7 because it doesn't support the protocals the Mk7 uses.

What is currently being sold as F-Super/Super 2 (the one with the orange label that looks similar to the original F-Super) is different....it supports a greater number of communication protocals & some of them work with Elm compatible software.

The fact is....the majority of us are not the slightest bit interested in what communication protocols the vehicle manufactures uses, all we care about is that we can access what we want when we want without having our pants pulled down for £90/hr diagnostic fees.

The next part is one that is "Baking Peoples Noodles", the stuff we are buying from our favourite auction site is Clone/Fake/Spurious/Knock-off/Not the Real Deal....they are not genuine Elm Electronics Chips, they are a clone with a badge on the outside professing to be Elm kit....if the fake firmware they use use reports them to be be Elm/Elm compatible they will work with Elm compatible software....some of the clone of a clone works & is worth what you pay for it, but all this talk about you need to buy an Elm is poppy cock if you refuse to pay the cost of genuine Elm kit.

So....as I said further up the page, you can have a bit less grief if you just buy one that someone else has tested, the fact that it works with FORScan & Formidable kind of points to the fact that you know it's all fake before you hit the Buy it Now Button.

The one I have (pictured) works with formidable but is very limited, as my laptop completely died I now have to get a new in but I hear forscan is a better program, so do I stick with with what I have that works or see if it will accept forscan or look at getting a know working elm327, oh the choices lol, gotta get the van going first. N

[m65lancs]

If you said 2 didn't work have you checked the fuse for your obd socket


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[Thequeenscheese]

I have one of these Pumpkin Bluetooth readers and use it with the Torque Lite phone app - the free version.:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pumpkin-ELM327 ... mpkin+obd2

I'm not sure if you need more functions than this this offers, but so far it has worked perfectly with my Mk7 Transit, my 2002 Mondeo, a 2002 Ka and my son in laws 2003 Hyundai. It has paid for itself many times over already, and is in my opinion, worth every single penny.

At less than £9,I'm dead pleased with it.

How did you get on with this, I bought one and just tried to use it but I cannot get anything to Bluetooth to it, and there aren't any led's showing on it etc, any tips for using it?
Cheers..

[oldtimer47]

hi,
I bought this one, mine is a late 2010 model, so I worked out it is a Mk 7
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Diagnost ... 2749.l2649
I havent had it long, it will give me readouts of all the settings required, but wont talk to my Laptop, so by the forums it is a Chinese Clone, but I believe it will do everything else.

Oldtimer

[Beaker]

I have one of these Pumpkin Bluetooth readers and use it with the Torque Lite phone app - the free version.:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pumpkin-ELM327 ... mpkin+obd2

I'm not sure if you need more functions than this this offers, but so far it has worked perfectly with my Mk7 Transit, my 2002 Mondeo, a 2002 Ka and my son in laws 2003 Hyundai. It has paid for itself many times over already, and is in my opinion, worth every single penny.

At less than £9,I'm dead pleased with it.

How did you get on with this, I bought one and just tried to use it but I cannot get anything to Bluetooth to it, and there aren't any led's showing on it etc, any tips for using it?
Cheers..

It should be plug and play. The instruction leaflet looks pretty useless at first glance, but actually contains everything you need to know.

When you plug it in you should get a red constant LED come on, and the green LED should flash a couple of times then go out.

It will stay constant red until you turn on the engine, then connect to it via Bluetooth.

It it is doing nothing at all I would suggest that you either have a DOA Pumpkin, or that you have no power to your OBD socket.

If you can, plug it in to another car to check it. If no LEDs come on, the Pumkin is dead. If you get a red Led come on it implies that the Pumpkin is ok and the fault is with the OBD socket. I know there is a fuse for the socket which could have blown, but don't know which one - I'm sure one of the experts will be able to tell you.

If it is DOA, send it back - they are supposed to be pretty good with returns.

[Thequeenscheese]

I think it's a duff then unless Ive got one of those fake odb things haha but there was a gps plugged into it at one point so I think I'm in the right socket lol

[MK7 user]

....so I worked out it is a Mk 7

G'day oldtimer

Erm....err....yes, you have a Mk7 Euro IV (Euro 4), now that some of use in the northern hemispher are emucated we have started to call the same van a VM.1

[Beaker]

Sorry to hear that Queenscheese. If you got it from Autopumkin on Amazon it will be the real deal.

So you tried it on another car?

One other thing to try after reading around a bit. Some vehicles only supply power to the OBD2 socket with ignition on, while others are permanently live.

If it's ignition activated you won't get any LEDs lighting up until you turn the key.

It's possible that your van (and the other car you tried it in) is wired slightly differently to mine, and that it won't send power to the OBDII socket until you turn the ignition on.
If this is the case, plug the Pumkin in and turn the engine on. If you get the LEDs lighting up it works, if you still get nothing it's a duffer. If it's duff send it back for a replacement or refund.

[Thequeenscheese]

Sorry to hear that Queenscheese. If you got it from Autopumkin on Amazon it will be the real deal.

So you tried it on another car?

One other thing to try after reading around a bit. Some vehicles only supply power to the OBD2 socket with ignition on, while others are permanently live.

If it's ignition activated you won't get any LEDs lighting up until you turn the key.

It's possible that your van (and the other car you tried it in) is wired slightly differently to mine, and that it won't send power to the OBDII socket until you turn the ignition on.
If this is the case, plug the Pumkin in and turn the engine on. If you get the LEDs lighting up it works, if you still get nothing it's a duffer. If it's duff send it back for a replacement or refund.

Hmm I've started another thread for this, it works fine in the missesess car (powers up anyway) but won't power on in the mk7 no red led..

[Really Good Idea]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pumpkin-ELM327 ... mpkin+obd2

Just ordered one of these and downloaded the full Forscan Lite APK, will report back.

[Thequeenscheese]

Right fitted my fuse now lol so what's the best app to get? I've got a few on demo and have purchased the one that the leaflet suggests which seems ok but what is everyone else using?

[Beaker]

So it's working now ok? Good news.

I'm using Torque Lite which I find is easy to read and navigate round. The paid version has a few extra bells and whistles and can do mpg readings which the free version won't do.

Torque, Dash Command, and OBD Doctor seem to be the most popular, and have free versions so you can see if they suit you or not.

Forscan Lite looks like a good one but there is no free version, just a demo version to check if it all works ok with your phone, vehicle and OBD reader. At least that means that you don't waste money paying for an app that won't work. If you want to try it, dowload the Forscan Lite Demo, and check it works BEFORE shelling out on the actual app.

I downloaded OBD Doctor but did not like the look of it - Torque suited me better, and I have not tried Dash Command either.

The Forscan Lite works fine for me, and is a different kettle of fish to Torque, and I'm not sure how useful it could actually be - and I won't know without buying it.