The OBDLink® app provides enhanced diagnostics for many vehicle types, which let you access additional modules and parameters that are not included in the SAE OBD-II standard. Common examples are reading and clearing codes for ABS (anti-lock braking system), SRS (supplemental restraint system), and TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system).
Follow the steps in this article to:
Note: Enhanced OEM Add-Ons are available primarily for vehicles sold in North America. If you need help determining whether an add-on is supported for your vehicle, refer to the articles below.
- Is my vehicle supported?
- Are enhanced diagnostics available for my vehicle?
If there is no checkmark in the column labeled OEM DTCs in the OEM-Specific Enhanced Diagnostics Support Coverage PDF, then your vehicle can’t access the Enhanced OEM Add-Ons. Standard OBD-II diagnostics are available for your vehicle. - If you need more help, submit a support ticket.
Note: This article is focused on the OBDLink® MX+ adapter, because enhanced diagnostics for many vehicles are included free of charge in the OBDLink app with your purchase. Add-ons that are exclusive to OBDLink MX+ include: GM; Honda, Acura; and Hyundai, Kia. If you have another OBDLink adapter model, then you can purchase add-on diagnostics, but they are not guaranteed to access all OEM-specific PIDs and DTCs. For example, if you have an OBDLink LX adapter and a Ford vehicle, you can purchase the Ford add-on, however, you will not be able to read certain Ford PIDs that come from the MS-CAN network.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Download enhanced diagnostics
Before you begin, be sure to:
- Start your vehicle and connect your phone/tablet to your OBDLink adapter.
- Make sure your phone/tablet is not streaming to any other Bluetooth/BLE devices.
- When you connect to your OBDLink adapter for the first time, a dialog appears with options to edit the settings for your vehicle and to download enhanced OEM add-ons. Tap Get Enhanced OEM Add-Ons.
If this is not the first time you connected to your OBDLink adapter, navigate to Settings > Get Enhanced OEM Add-Ons.
Note: If you don’t see the option to get enhanced OEM add-ons, then your vehicle is not supported for enhanced diagnostics. Standard OBD-II diagnostics are available for your vehicle. Skip to the View diagnostics section. - Browse the list and tap your vehicle manufacturer (highlighted).
Note: You may see a notification for add-ons that are exclusive to the OBDLink MX+ adapter, including GM; Honda, Acura; and Hyundai, Kia. - Browse the list and tap your vehicle’s model year (highlighted).
- Tap Get to download diagnostics for your vehicle.
It may take 1-2 minutes to download.
When the download is complete, you will see the diagnostics are installed.
After the enhanced OEM add-ons are installed, your OBDLink adapter will be disconnected. Continue with the steps in the next section.
Select vehicle network
Note: Skip to the View diagnostics section if your vehicle manufacturer is one of the following:
- GM
- Honda, Acura
- Hyundai, Kia
You do not need to select a vehicle network for these manufacturers.
- Confirm that your phone/tablet is Connected to the OBDLink adapter.
- You will see a dialog asking to select a vehicle diagnostic network. Select the network that has the modules you are looking for.
We recommend that you select Generic OBD2 for everyday use. If OEM Live Parameters (described in the OEM-Specific Enhanced Diagnostics Support Coverage PDF) are supported for your vehicle, the first time you connect to an enhanced network, the OBDLink app will scan your vehicle for supported enhanced PIDs. This scan may take 1-2 minutes. The scan results are saved so that you do not have to repeat the scan the next time you connect.
If you want to connect to a different diagnostic network, navigate to Settings > Vehicle Editor > Enhanced Network > Select.
You can also select the Prompt option, which allows you to choose a diagnostic network each time you connect to your vehicle.
After the scan completes, continue with the next section to read trouble codes.
View diagnostics
- Confirm that your phone/tablet is Connected to the OBDLink adapter.
- In the main screen, tap Diagnostics. You will see a warning message similar to the one shown below. Tap Yes when you’re ready to continue.
Trouble codes
You will see one of the following screens if there are no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) to display.
| iOS | Android |
If there are DTCs, you will see a screen similar to the example below, which also has a button to Clear Codes.
Warning: You should only clear codes with the ignition ON and the engine OFF. You should never try to clear codes with the engine running.
Tap a trouble code to open a screen with more information. The screenshot below shows basic information for P0100.
Tap ONLINE LOOKUP to read more about the DTC definition. The screenshot below shows detailed information for P0100.
Tap Menu (iOS) or 3 vertical dots (Android) in the upper right corner, then tap Help to learn about reading trouble codes, including the status definitions.
| iOS | Android |
Freeze frame
When a DTC is generated, the ECU will capture a set of PID values. The freeze frame data may help you understand what was happening at the time the DTC was generated.
The freeze frame data is deleted when you clear codes.
Freeze frame data is not visible on this tab after you disconnect, but it can be viewed on the Report tab.
The example below shows that the engine coolant temperature, engine RPM, and vehicle speed were in the high range when the P0100 DTC was generated. You can use this data along with the generated DTC to troubleshoot the reported issue.
PID values
Vehicle speed in MPH and engine RPM are displayed on this tab by default.
Tap Menu (iOS) or Select PIDs (Android) in the upper right corner to select other PIDs.
The blue numbers in the example screenshot below indicate low, average, and high values for the displayed PIDs.
| iOS | Android |
Report
It can take 1-2 minutes for the complete diagnostics report to load.
Tap Menu > Store (iOS) or the Disk icon (Android, highlighted in green) in the upper right corner to save the report.
| iOS | Android |
After a report is saved and you have disconnected from your vehicle, tap Menu > Load (iOS) or 3 vertical dots > Load (Android, highlighted in yellow) to load the saved report to the screen. You can select from multiple saved reports.
Tap Menu > Share (iOS) or 3 vertical dots > Share (Android) to send the report in HTML format to email or other applications.
The screenshot on the left shows the report loading, while the screenshot on the right shows the complete report. Tap one of the report categories to view more details.
Monitor tests example
This report reviews test results against state-specific readiness values.
Select a readiness standard using one of the following:
- iOS: From the Home screen, tap Monitors > Menu > Readiness Standard
- Android: Tap the menu icon
| iOS | Android |
Trouble codes example
This report lists the DTCs captured by the OBDLink app.
Freeze frame example
This report lists certain PID values that occurred at the same time as the DTC.
Vehicle information example
This report lists details about your vehicle (tagged Mode $09).
PID snapshot example
This screen lists the PIDs and values reported by the vehicle. You can use these values for troubleshooting.
Learn more
- To understand the readiness tests that are done by the OBDLink app, see the Get Started with Monitors article.
- See this Wikipedia article on PIDs that are supported by the SAE OBD-II standard.
- For descriptions of terms used in this article, see the Glossary of Acronyms and Terms.
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