Can anyone recommend an ODB reader? I need to know why my cruise control isn’t working so what would be suitable. It just seems a bit of a minefield out there.

Thanks chaps

Kev

The Autel AP200 Bluetooth diagnostic device is wildly recommended by people 😀.



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For a simple cheap reader i use Torque Pro on my android phone Jules

Quote:

For a simple cheap reader i use Torque Pro on my android phone

Jules

I have no experience of the Torque Pro but I purchased an Autel ÀP200 last August because I had seen good reports on this forum…….
As I mention on previous posts…this replaced à Lynx Diagnostic kit…..that I used for 11years…..no DTCs ever recorded….when I used the AP200 ….19 fault codes appeared…….so It works….has been very good especially for the price……….ok 4 times more than thé Torque Pro but at around £65 good value in my opinion.
Have a look at videos on dean1234……very informative….. FL2 SD4 HSE Lux Auto MY 2012— current
D2 TD5 HSE Man MY 1999 470kmls….gone 2014 ….lovely engine..chassis rotten
D1 300TDI Man MY 1996 56kmls….gone 1999…D2 much better
Wife’s FL1 1.8P MY 2001 32kmls …gone 2007…has Mini since.

I've used Torque Pro with a cheap OBD2 reader off of the Bay of E and it's a good makeshift setup. The only problem with it is I believe it only scans the main ECU for codes and nothing more. The Autel and other similar diagnostic tools goes through each and every separate module on the car and scans them individually for DTC's.

So for example, you could have a door lock on the way out. This DTC will be logged on the Body Control Module. Since Torque Lite/Pro only scans the main ECU, it won't see this issue and therefor won't show it. Where-as the Autel (or other similar diagnostic reader) will flag the DTC once it's scanned that module.

To me I'd sum it up like this...

- If you want a basic engine code reader > Torque Pro and a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth dongle.
- If you want to see live data in a pretty and nice user interface kinda way > Torque Pro and a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth dongle.
- If you want the ability to see more than basic engine DTC codes complete with all sorts of details of when the DTC was triggered > Autel AP200 or other similar diagnostic kit.
- If you want to see more than surface level live data down to individual sensors > Autel AP200 or other similar diagnostic kit.

Sometimes when you do a scan on a car with Torque, it might come back with DTC1234 which will give you a vague area of where the issue maybe. Where-as a more substantial code reader might bring back DTC1234-56. Those last 2 numbers can sometimes point to the exact sensor or at least a more defined area to where an issue maybe .

One downside to the Autel AP200 that I've found so far is that it cannot log data. A workaround that I've found to that is to select just the live data that you want to see and run a screen recording on the phone so you can see the live data back after you've finished driving . https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4
https://www.facebook.com/ScottandAlana4x4

Dean1234 wrote:

The Autel AP200 Bluetooth diagnostic device is wildly recommended by people 😀.

+1

Autel AP200

It’s also used on my mates evoque and my Range Rover Vogue

If and when (no, definitely when ) my FL2 presents a problem that a I cant solve with Torque Pro then I'll be getting an Autel AP200.

Ive had Torque Pro for donkeys years and have used it on many different cars; VAG, Ford and JLR vehicles. It has served its purpose but I agree reporting only 4 digits is a limitation

I think the AP200 is manufacturer specific - please correct me if Im wrong. Jules

Yes you get 1 free choice of Manufacturer which is good if you have several RR/Landrovers in your circle.
Then its a charge for every other manufacturer, $22 I believe.
https://www.autelstore.co.uk/wholesale/aut...anner.html

But while support for the original car is continuous, support for a second car has to be renewed each year. It only takes a few years to make buying an AP200 for each car if you mean to keep them.

Not exactly true, there is no 1 car rule, its a 1 manufacturer rule. You only pay each year for your 2nd manufacturer. So in that case better to buy a 2nd device if you have a different manufacturer in your circle etc and it will pay for itself after 2 years.

Just seen this on FFRR forum this morning, no idea how good/bad it is for the FL2 etc but the write up seems impressive.

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic73281.html

Dean1234 wrote:

I've used Torque Pro with a cheap OBD2 reader off of the Bay of E and it's a good makeshift setup. The only problem with it is I believe it only scans the main ECU for codes and nothing more. The Autel and other similar diagnostic tools goes through each and every separate module on the car and scans them individually for DTC's.

So for example, you could have a door lock on the way out. This DTC will be logged on the Body Control Module. Since Torque Lite/Pro only scans the main ECU, it won't see this issue and therefor won't show it. Where-as the Autel (or other similar diagnostic reader) will flag the DTC once it's scanned that module.

To me I'd sum it up like this...

- If you want a basic engine code reader > Torque Pro and a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth dongle.
- If you want to see live data in a pretty and nice user interface kinda way > Torque Pro and a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth dongle.
- If you want the ability to see more than basic engine DTC codes complete with all sorts of details of when the DTC was triggered > Autel AP200 or other similar diagnostic kit.
- If you want to see more than surface level live data down to individual sensors > Autel AP200 or other similar diagnostic kit.

Sometimes when you do a scan on a car with Torque, it might come back with DTC1234 which will give you a vague area of where the issue maybe. Where-as a more substantial code reader might bring back DTC1234-56. Those last 2 numbers can sometimes point to the exact sensor or at least a more defined area to where an issue maybe .

One downside to the Autel AP200 that I've found so far is that it cannot log data. A workaround that I've found to that is to select just the live data that you want to see and run a screen recording on the phone so you can see the live data back after you've finished driving .