Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Review Tuesday: VEEPEAK OBDII Bluetooth Scanner Adapter

VEEPEAK OBDII 
Bluetooth Scanner Adapter

Back in January a check engine light came on in my car. I used my ol' reliable OBDII scanner to read the issue and delete the code. I've been watching to see when all the sensors will repopulate data in the car's computer. It's something of a pain in the neck to connect the old style devices with the long cables and having to run the scan each time you want to have a look. 

I decided I wanted to try a "real-time" solution. At that same moment a sale on AMAZON for the VEEPEAK OBDII Bluetooth Scanner Adapter came up on Amazon, so I gave it a whirl. 

The device is very simple to use. Plug it into your vehicle's OBDII plug in the car. If you have some smart device like an Android phone or tablet equipped with Bluetooth, scan for for it. OBDII pops right up. Pair with it. Connect with it. Now you need software to interpret the data. 

THIS DEVICE DOES NOT COME WITH SOFTWARE.

However, they suggest several Android apps, specifically TORQUE or TORQUE LITE that you can download for free! I tried it. Start up the app, connect with the OBDII adapter, and you have tons of options. You can scan the ECU, or you can use your device for up to date info provided by the various sensors. You can read trouble codes and delete them. You get live data, even things like RPM, water temp, vacuum, etc. Anything with a sensor, you can read. 

I also tried an app called OBD AUTO DOCTOR on my Windows phone. It works well and provides all the data I was looking for despite specifically stating that the adapter is only for Android and iOs devices.

If you like to be aware of what your car is up to, but don't want to buy big scanner, this is a perfect alternative. This device cost around $10 coupled with free software, the wallet doesn't take a hit at all. I have seen similar devices ranging from $5 to $30. I can't imagine any of them being much different. 

High recommendation!

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