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What OBDII Scanner Should I Get?

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

This topic is in the MVS Volvo Repair Database » Volvo Diagnostic Code Lookup
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abscate
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Re: What OBDII Scanner Should I Get?

Post by abscate »

I think you can even get a Bluetooth phone compatible version for 10 EURO or so
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eightfifty2x0
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Post by eightfifty2x0 »

abscate wrote: 15 Jul 2020, 18:02 I think you can even get a Bluetooth phone compatible version for 10 EURO or so
But you havent answered my initial question

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Post by esl_97_850_T5 »

eightfifty2x0,

To answer your question...
I think most USA '96-97 850 owners probably use a scan tool >= 1 time per year.
Since 2012, I needed to use a scan tool multiple times per year (while I owned my USA '96 850 T5 and/or '98 S70 GLT).

If your car has the in-cabin OBDII port, and if you have an available Android phone or tablet, then I suggest...

Cut the 200 euros cost down to 15-30 euros to buy whatever Bluetooth ELM327-compatible tool that the (in Finland) author of xiaotec "850 OBD-II" Android app recommends. "850 OBD-II" app can be downloaded from Google Play for 1-2 euros.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... c.fi.obdii
https://xiaotec.fi/?lang=en&a=10
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=83145
https://jonesrh.info/volvo850/elm327_re ... ndroid_app

There are many cheap (supposed) ELM327 Bluetooth tools that will *not* work with "850 OBD-II" app, so I suggest getting a specific recommendation from the author (MVS's xanthefin) -- ideally with a link provided where you can immediately go order one. Else buy a ScanTool.net OBDLink LX BT, OBDLink MX BT, or, best yet, OBDLink MX+ (when the price is lower during sales around major US holidays). A BAFX Bluetooth tool also works acceptably well with "850 OBD-II" (though I personally would not buy another BAFX, since it generated too much garbage for my liking).

esl_97_850_T5
1998 Volvo S70 GLT - 205.5K miles - S70 & M44 testbed in 2016-2019; traded 2019-07-15 (for spare time)
1997 Volvo 854 T5 - 147K miles - 850 testbed in 2012-2017; junked 2017-09

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Post by eightfifty2x0 »

esl_97_850_T5 wrote: 16 Jul 2020, 08:15 eightfifty2x0,

To answer your question...
I think most USA '96-97 850 owners probably use a scan tool >= 1 time per year.
Since 2012, I needed to use a scan tool multiple times per year (while I owned my USA '96 850 T5 and/or '98 S70 GLT).

If your car has the in-cabin OBDII port, and if you have an available Android phone or tablet, then I suggest...

Cut the 200 euros cost down to 15-30 euros to buy whatever Bluetooth ELM327-compatible tool that the (in Finland) author of xiaotec "850 OBD-II" Android app recommends. "850 OBD-II" app can be downloaded from Google Play for 1-2 euros.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... c.fi.obdii
https://xiaotec.fi/?lang=en&a=10
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=83145
https://jonesrh.info/volvo850/elm327_re ... ndroid_app

There are many cheap (supposed) ELM327 Bluetooth tools that will *not* work with "850 OBD-II" app, so I suggest getting a specific recommendation from the author (MVS's xanthefin) -- ideally with a link provided where you can immediately go order one. Else buy a ScanTool.net OBDLink LX BT, OBDLink MX BT, or, best yet, OBDLink MX+ (when the price is lower during sales around major US holidays). A BAFX Bluetooth tool also works acceptably well with "850 OBD-II" (though I personally would not buy another BAFX, since it generated too much garbage for my liking).

esl_97_850_T5
Hey, thanks a lot for the reply, but i didnt find any link to some OBD2 plug on these links you liked

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Post by esl_97_850_T5 »

I suggest you PM xanthefin and ask him for a recommended tool. Tell him you're from Germany, so he knows you are ordering from Europe.
1998 Volvo S70 GLT - 205.5K miles - S70 & M44 testbed in 2016-2019; traded 2019-07-15 (for spare time)
1997 Volvo 854 T5 - 147K miles - 850 testbed in 2012-2017; junked 2017-09

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Post by johnk26 »

I know this is an old thread, but

Will the Autel 802 or 806 retract the EPB to help with replacing rear brakes on a P3 V60?
Is there one that will work that is around $150-$250?

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Post by abscate »

The spec sheet on the 806 says it does support EPB. Thats a pretty high end scanner, I would guess it does.
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Post by johnk26 »

Is there a difference between the reset EPB function and being able to retract the screw on the EPB?
Thanks for you response. I like your co-pilot.

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Post by hal9000f »

FYI.

The following two 10-15 USD bluetooth scanners work with my 855 TDI and the mentioned App:

https://xiaotec.fi/?lang=en&a=10
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... c.fi.obdii

The orange one is better quality.

Do not buy a dirt cheap scanner. It must have a minimum hardware (NOT software) version v1.4b, otherwise it will not work with the App.
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OBDII-ELM327-01.jpg
OBDII-ELM327-01.jpg (13.1 KiB) Viewed 487 times
OBDII-ELM327-02.png
OBDII-ELM327-02.png (56.24 KiB) Viewed 487 times
OBDII-ELM327-03.jpg
OBDII-ELM327-03.jpg (23.86 KiB) Viewed 487 times
OBDII-ELM327-04.jpg
OBDII-ELM327-04.jpg (9.18 KiB) Viewed 487 times
OBD2-Scanner-Connection.jpg
OBD2-Scanner-Connection.jpg (51.33 KiB) Viewed 487 times
[1981 ... 244gld6 D24] - 1992. > 2004.
[1997 ... 855tdi D5252T] - 2004. > today.
[2013 ... V70d3 D5204T7] - 2022. > today.

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