As a car owner, you might be looking for ways to understand your vehicle’s health beyond the dashboard warning lights. Car scanners have become essential tools for both DIY enthusiasts and professional mechanics. With various options available, understanding the “Car Scanner Pro Unterschied” – or the difference between a professional car scanner and other types – is crucial to making the right choice. This article addresses frequently asked questions about car scanners to help you navigate the world of automotive diagnostics and choose the best tool for your needs.
Purchase FAQs
Q: If I purchase Car Scanner Pro, can I use it on multiple devices?
A: Generally, a purchase from app stores like Apple AppStore or Google Play is linked to your store account. This means you can typically install Car Scanner Pro on multiple devices as long as they are associated with the same account within the respective store. However, it’s important to note that a purchase on Google Play is not valid on the Apple AppStore, and vice versa. To restore your purchase on a new device, look for a “Restore purchases” option within the Car Scanner Pro app, usually found in the purchase or settings screen.
Q: Why are there different price options for Car Scanner Pro?
A: You might see different price tiers when purchasing Car Scanner Pro. These price variations are often implemented as a way for users to choose the price they are comfortable paying. Functionally, there’s usually no difference between these price points; it’s simply a flexible pricing model to accommodate different budgets and willingness to support the developer.
Q: Can I purchase Car Scanner Pro outside of the Apple AppStore or Google Play?
A: No, the official and secure way to purchase Car Scanner Pro is exclusively through the Apple AppStore for iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices. These platforms handle all payment processing and ensure a safe transaction.
Q: My bank card is being rejected during purchase. What should I do?
A: All payment transactions for Car Scanner Pro are processed by either Apple AppStore or Google Play, not directly by the app itself. If your bank card is not accepted, the issue likely lies with your payment settings within your AppStore or Google Play account, or potential restrictions on your bank card.
- Check your card: Contact your bank to ensure there are no restrictions or blocks on your card for online or app store purchases.
- AppStore/Google Play settings: Verify your payment information within your Apple AppStore or Google Play account settings is accurate and up-to-date.
- iOS Restrictions: For iOS devices, check if there are any purchase restrictions enabled in
Settings – General – Restrictions.
Compatibility FAQs
Q: Will Car Scanner Pro work with my car?
A: Car Scanner Pro is designed to be compatible with vehicles that adhere to the OBDII (EOBD) standard. The vast majority of modern cars manufactured after the mid-1990s are OBDII compliant. Additionally, Car Scanner Pro extends support to some older and non-OBDII compliant vehicles, including:
- Nissan cars using the Nissan Consult II protocol
- Certain older Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Toyota cars with JOBD
- Suzuki vehicles
- Some Chinese and Russian manufactured cars
However, while support is offered for these non-OBDII vehicles, guaranteed connection and full functionality cannot be assured. For the most reliable performance, ensure your car is OBDII compliant.
Q: My car model isn’t listed in the connection profiles. Which profile should I choose?
A: If you cannot find your specific car model in the Car Scanner Pro’s list of connection profiles, select a profile that corresponds to your car’s brand followed by “OBD-II”. For example, if you drive a Peugeot and don’t see your exact model, choose “Peugeot OBD-II”. This generic OBD-II profile is designed to work with most OBDII compliant vehicles of that brand.
Q: My car has Bluetooth, but Car Scanner Pro won’t connect. Why?
A: It’s important to understand that your car’s built-in Bluetooth system (often used for phone calls and media) is different from the Bluetooth connection required for car diagnostics. Car Scanner Pro, and OBDII diagnostics in general, require a separate OBDII ELM327 adapter. This adapter plugs into your car’s OBDII port and communicates with your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. You cannot use your car’s multimedia system’s Bluetooth for diagnostic purposes. Refer to this guide on choosing the right OBDII adapter for more information.
Q: Car Scanner Pro is displaying a “Bad adapter” warning. What does this mean?
A: The “Bad adapter” warning in Car Scanner Pro indicates that your OBDII adapter is not responding correctly to initial commands during the ECU (Engine Control Unit) initialization process. This is often seen with lower-quality or clone ELM327 adapters.
- Warning, not a block: This warning is informational; Car Scanner Pro does not restrict functionality due to this message.
- Potential issues: However, a “bad adapter” can lead to unreliable data readings, connection problems, or even potential communication errors with your car’s systems. It’s advisable to use a recommended OBDII adapter for optimal performance and to avoid potential issues.
General FAQs
Q: I’m not seeing specific data I want to monitor. Is it missing from Car Scanner Pro?
A: The availability of sensors and data parameters varies significantly from car to car. Car Scanner Pro requests the list of supported sensors directly from your vehicle’s ECU each time a connection is established. If a particular sensor or data point is not visible in the app, it means your car’s ECU does not provide that specific information through the OBDII interface. The data available is determined by your car’s manufacturer and ECU programming, not by the Car Scanner Pro app itself.
Q: I’m connected, but Car Scanner Pro only shows “ELM volts”. Why?
A: Some older vehicles, particularly those from Nissan, Renault, and Subaru, have very limited OBDII support. On these cars, the OBDII standard might only be implemented for basic functions like reading and clearing Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). They may not provide live data or extensive sensor information through the OBDII protocol.
- Nissan Consult II: For older Nissan vehicles, you might have better luck accessing more data by using the Nissan Consult II protocol option within Car Scanner Pro if your adapter and car support it.
Q: The speed displayed in Car Scanner Pro is inaccurate!
A: Car Scanner Pro does not calculate or measure speed directly. It displays the speed data as reported by your car’s ECU, which in turn receives this information from the vehicle’s speed sensors. Discrepancies between the scanner reading and your speedometer are common and often due to the following factors:
- Speedometer Calibration for Safety: Car manufacturers intentionally calibrate speedometers to read slightly higher than the actual speed. This is a legal requirement to ensure that the speedometer never under-reads the true speed, even with variations in tire wear, tire pressure, or load.
- Wheel/Tire Diameter Variations: Even minor changes in wheel or tire diameter (due to wear, inflation, tire brand differences) can affect the accuracy of wheel speed sensor readings and thus the displayed speed on both your speedometer and the car scanner.
- Margin of Error: Speedometers are designed with a built-in margin of error to account for these variations and ensure legal compliance.
Therefore, slight differences between the speed displayed in Car Scanner Pro and your speedometer are normal and do not indicate a problem with the scanner or your car.
Q: The voltage reading in Car Scanner Pro seems incorrect!
A: Car Scanner Pro itself does not measure voltage. The voltage value displayed in the app is digital information provided by your OBDII adapter. The adapter, or in some cases the car’s ECU, is responsible for the voltage measurement.
- ELM327 Clones: Inaccurate voltage readings are frequently observed with low-cost Chinese clone ELM327 adapters. These clones often use cheaper components and may not measure voltage accurately.
- Adapter Issue: If you suspect the voltage reading is incorrect, the issue is most likely with your OBDII adapter’s voltage measurement circuitry, not with Car Scanner Pro. There is nothing the app can do to correct inaccurate voltage reporting from the adapter itself.
iOS Specific FAQs
Q: I can’t pair my Bluetooth adapter in iPhone/iPad settings; it says “Not supported”.
A: You do not need to, and should not, attempt to pair Bluetooth OBDII adapters through the standard Bluetooth settings menu on your iPhone or iPad. For Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) adapters, the connection process is handled directly within the Car Scanner Pro app. Consult the iOS Bluetooth connection guide for step-by-step instructions.
Q: Does Car Scanner Pro support Bluetooth ELM327 adapters on iOS?
A: Yes, Car Scanner Pro on iOS supports Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Low Energy – LE) OBDII adapters. However, “classic” Bluetooth ELM327 adapters are not compatible with iOS devices due to Apple’s restrictions on Bluetooth communication profiles. Ensure you are using a Bluetooth 4.0 LE compatible adapter for iOS. Refer to adapter selection guide.
Q: I’m having trouble connecting with a Wi-Fi adapter on iOS.
A: To use a Wi-Fi OBDII adapter with Car Scanner Pro on iOS, you must first manually connect your iPhone or iPad to the Wi-Fi network broadcast by the OBDII adapter itself. This Wi-Fi connection is established outside of the Car Scanner Pro app, in your iOS Settings -> Wi-Fi.
- Adapter Wi-Fi Network: Ensure your Wi-Fi adapter supports Wi-Fi connectivity and that you are connecting to the correct network. The adapter’s Wi-Fi network name is often something like “OBDII”, “obd2”, “OBDII_WIFI”, or similar. Consult your adapter’s documentation if you are unsure of the network name.
- Wi-Fi Connection Guide: Review the Wi-Fi connection guide for detailed instructions.
Q: My connection drops when I minimize the app or receive a call on iOS.
A: Apple’s iOS operating system has limitations on apps running in the background and maintaining Wi-Fi connections. Due to these iOS restrictions:
- Wi-Fi Disconnection in Background: Car Scanner Pro might lose connection with Wi-Fi adapters when the app is minimized or when you receive a phone call. This is a limitation imposed by iOS and not by the Car Scanner Pro app itself.
- Bluetooth LE Background Operation: Car Scanner Pro can maintain a background connection with Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) adapters for a limited time, until iOS system resources require the app to be suspended or terminated. Background operation with Bluetooth LE is more reliable than with Wi-Fi on iOS.
Android Specific FAQs
Q: Can Car Scanner Pro run in the background on Android?
A: Yes, Car Scanner Pro can operate in the background on Android devices, allowing you to monitor data while using other apps or when your screen is off.
- Enable Background Mode: To enable background operation, you need to activate the “Work in background” setting within Car Scanner Pro’s
Settings -> Connectionmenu. - Android Battery Optimizations: Some Android versions and device manufacturers have aggressive battery optimization settings that might kill background apps. You may need to add Car Scanner Pro to the “whitelist” or “exceptions” list in your Android battery optimization settings to prevent the operating system from terminating the app when it’s running in the background. This ensures continuous background operation as intended.
