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).
Note: We recently updated the OBDLink app and made improvements to its features and how it looks. The icons on the app's home screen now have a yellow accent instead of blue (iOS) and green (Android) accents. This revised article matches the updated app’s screens and features. Download the latest version of the OBDLink app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) to take advantage of the updated app's features and performance.
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.
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.iOS Android - If this is not the first time you connected to your OBDLink adapter, navigate to Settings > Get Enhanced OEM Add-Ons.
- Browse the list and tap your vehicle manufacturer.
Note: You may see a notification for add-ons that are exclusive to the OBDLink MX+ adapter, including GM; Honda, Acura; and Hyundai, Kia. For example, if you are connecting a GM vehicle, then you must use an OBDLink MX+ adapter to use the exclusive add-ons. - Browse the list and tap your vehicle’s model year.
- Tap Choose to select the diagnostics for your vehicle.
- You may see a notification message about a free add-on for your adapter. We recommend that you tap GET FREE ADD-ON to use all your OBDLink adapter features.
- Tap Get to download diagnostics for your vehicle. It may take 1-2 minutes to download.
If your adapter is Connected to the OBDLink app, you may see a notification like the one shown below.
Tap Disconnect and the OBDLink app will disconnect your adapter and continue to download enhanced diagnostics. - When the download is complete, you will see the diagnostics are installed.
Tap the back arrow (<) two times to return to the home screen.
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. Scroll down and tap CONNECT. 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 Parameter IDs (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.
Tap Yes to allow the OBDLink app to start scanning for enhanced PIDs.
You may not see the example Scanning message shown below because the scan happens quickly.
After the scan completes, continue with the next section to read trouble codes.
Tip:
To connect to a different diagnostic network, navigate to Settings > Vehicle Editor > Enhanced Network > Tap Select.
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Prompt is the default option, which allows you to choose a diagnostic network each time you connect to your vehicle.
To change the default option, tap the network you want and tap OK.
In the example below, we tapped Generic OBD2 and OK. The second screenshot shows the option is set to Generic OBD2.
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View diagnostics
- Confirm that your phone/tablet is Connected to the OBDLink adapter. Tap Diagnostics in the main screen.
- You will see a warning message similar to the one shown below. Tap Yes when you’re ready to continue.
Trouble codes
OBDLink Diagnostics opens up on the Trouble Codes tab.
You will see one of the following screens if there are no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) to display. You may need to scroll down to see the complete status.
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.
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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.
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.
The gold numbers in the example screenshots below indicate low, average, and high values for the displayed PIDs.
Tap Menu (iOS) or 3 vertical dots (Android) in the upper right corner for these options:
- Select PIDs to add PIDs to this tab.
- Reset Min/Average/Max to reset the values of the current PIDs to 0.
- Edit to delete PIDs from this tab.
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Report
Tap Menu (iOS) or 3 vertical dots (Android) in the upper right corner for these options:
- Refresh to generate the report. It can take 1-2 minutes for the complete diagnostics report to load.
You can also refresh by swiping down on your device screen. - Store to save the report. You can enter a report name.
- Load to view a saved report on your device. You can select from multiple saved reports.
- Share 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. Scroll down to see all the report categories. Tap one of the report categories to view more details.
Monitor tests example
This report reviews test results against state-specific readiness values.
Tip: Here's how to select the readiness standard for your state. On the Home screen, tap Monitors > Menu (iOS) / 3 vertical dots (Android) > Readiness Standard.
Trouble codes example
This report lists the DTCs captured by the OBDLink app. Scroll down to see all the information.
Freeze frame example
This report lists certain PID values that occurred at the same time as the DTC.
Oxygen sensors example
This report shows oxygen sensor data for vehicles that are earlier than model year 2008 and that don't use the CAN bus. (This data is also called Mode $05 data.)
The screenshot shows an example of a vehicle that doesn't support oxygen sensor test results.
On-board monitoring example
This report shows oxygen sensor data for vehicles that are model year 2008 and higher and that use the CAN bus. (This data is also called Mode $06 data.)
The screenshot on the left shows an example of a vehicle that doesn't support on-board monitoring.
Vehicle information example
This report lists details about your vehicle. (This data is also called Mode $09 data.)
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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