ODB2 interfaces and the Torque app on Android

OBD Scan BT adapter
OBD 2 Scan BT adapter

Did you ever wish your car had a gauge or readout that’s missing?  Do you want to be able to see and diagnose problems?  Using an OBD2 or OBD-II interface and an application on your phone or tablet might just be something you would like to try.

These adapters are available on eBay, Amazon, and a couple of other places for not that much money, and typically come in either Bluetooth or WiFi models.  I bought one of each.  I use the WiFi one with an older tablet that only supports WiFi, and the Bluetooth one with my newer Nexus Android devices.

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Bluetooth pairing is pretty straight forward.  If the phone or tablet you plan on using with your OBD 2 interface has Bluetooth, you could use an adapter that uses that for connecting.  One benefit of this is that if your device also has a cellular data and/or WiFi connection, it can still be connected to the internet at the same time for other tasks.

OBD 2 WiFi adapter
OBD II WiFi Interface

If your device ONLY has a WiFi connection, they make similar OBD 2 interfaces that connect using WiFi.  The WiFi must be setup with an SSID that the interface broadcasts on, and that your phone or tablet connects to.  This can get confusing if you are trying to use it around other networks that your device is already setup to auto connect to.  It also means that you will likely lose connection to things on the internet, since your device will see a WiFi connection to the OBD 2 interface and by default to to use that, and it won’t work for any data other than that from your car.

Each of these interfaces came with a printed instruction sheet and either a disk of drivers and free software or a link to download it.  I didn’t need to install any software drivers.  I had also read that one should beware of malware that might be on those disks.  I didn’t use them and instead just installed the Torque app from the Google Play store.

Torque app for Android
Torque app for Android

I have no idea if there is a similar app for iOS devices.  Torque Lite is free to use and Torque Pro is available for a small cost and comes with additional features.  After I made sure my adapters would work, I gladly purchased the upgrade for my use.  I think there are some other Android apps that do similar things but I didn’t try any others.

OBD 2 connector on interface
OBD 2 connector on interface

You will need to locate the OBD II port below your steering wheel or just off to one side or the other. Most vehicles only have a single OBD 2 port under the dash, but it’s possible to have multiple ports.  My vehicle has two of them, and that may have something to do with it being a plug in hybrid.

OBD 2 interface installed into connector under the dash
OBD 2 interface installed into connector under the dash

Tablet and phone use is pretty straight forward once you get the adapter connected and receiving data from your car.  The default set of gauges should for the most part be working.

Gauges and indicators in the app
Gauges and indicators in the app

The upgraded app allows for greater control over the type and style of the gauges, and you can build different layouts for different vehicles or different uses.  I customized mine by using some PID information I researched in order to be able to show some specific things about my vehicle.  You are able to save these customizations and layouts.

Mounting your tablet or phone where it’s not distracting to look at it  while driving may be the toughest part of this.  You also have the ability to datalog while driving and then review it later.

Here’s a short video I created by screen capturing the Torque app while driving.