Know Your Car Inside And Out: How To Hack It

[Guest]

Here’s how to access your car’s onboard computer so that you can check how it has been handled, and rate its performance and efficiency. Self diagnose!

Know Your Car Inside And Out: How To Hack It : Read more

 

[Guest]

the OBD-II spec is an Open Standard. The port is openly accessible. Calling this "hacking" is just like crossing a crosswalk when it's green and calling it jaywalking. The port is there so anyone can hook up to it and do diagnostics.

Now, if you were to get on the single-wire CAN network and reverse engineer some manufacturer-specific commands to control the locks/brakes etc, that would be considered hacking.

 

[Guest]

I happen to be an automotive technician and I have to say that some of these are great, but when it comes down to it I'll take a real piece of diagnostic equipment any day. Like the ETHOS EESC312W from snap on. Sure the actron is good but can it give you live data feeds from any sensor in your vehicle? or run your engine/transmission through a diagnostic test? Not only that but even best scanner on the market can not diagnose a mechanical problem, that's still left to the experience of the tech servicing the vehicle. Oh and by the way here's a link to what a real diagnostic tool looks like: http/diagnostics.snapon.com/ethos

 

[ram1009]

YAWN!! This story is at least 10 years late.

 

[TomD_1]

"as well as whether you want it to report Metric or English units"

English units? Don't you mean imperial units?

 

[TwoDigital]

Kinds of bummed you left out the BEST scanning tool (plugs into a PC where you can use any of a dozen nice OBDII programs for tracking, etc...) scantool dot net.

 

[truerock]

OK - I don't get it. Why wouldn't you connect your notebook conputer or iPhone to your car? Why do you have to buy a scanner?

 

[truerock]

Well it took 3 minutes of research, but I guess you would use this cable to connect your car to your notebook computer:
http/www.sensolutions.com/products/browse-products/diagnostic-connectors/
and you would use one or all of these free software applications:
Opendiag, Freediag and/or pyOBD
I don't understand why anyone would buy a scanner. Obviously the guy who wrote this useless article doesn't have a clue.

 

[truerock]

OMG... I found it. I can hook my car up to my iPhone via OBDII...
http/gopointtech.com/blog/products/
So far, I haven't found a cheap bluetooth interface... still looking

 

[Guest]

The problem with using this well known technology is demonstrated in the article. A catalytic converter causing rough engine idle? Unless the cat has spontaneously welded your exhaust shut on a car with wastegates, it is physically impossible for the cat to affect idle. So go ahead, "second guess your mechanic" based on an ODBII scan as this article suggests. See where that get you (maybe a blown transmission at 1am in the middle of nowhere).

I use a BT scanner with USB output. Diagnostic and real time logging. Best of both worlds.

Hacking a car, by the way, is done via the ECU, not the ODBII. ODBII is read only.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Interesting article. Never thought of trying to access my automobile's onboard computer.

 

[Regulas]

I think it is an evasion of privacy and should be disclosed at time of purchase allowing the buyer to opt out. More nanny state big brother crap.

 

[Guest]

Indeed old news..
for the nerds who want to hack their Volkswagen/Audi/Seat/Skoda there is a tool called VAG-com which allows you to change a lot more then just the service interval indicator ;-))
In the netherlands there is one man who has a dedicated website for VAG-com and extensive lists of codes: http/www.gerritspeek.nl/vag-com.html

 

[Guest]

I'm an auto mechanic, for 44 years, and I'm all for people knowing more about their vehicles.

With that said, there are a few problems with knowing a LITTLE about your vehicle.

Fact is: auto repair is more complicated than brain surgery.

OBD II programs have been available since 1996, one for the Palm handheld comes to mind, I believe it cost $89.00. including the cable.

As another mechanic above (a little testily) pointed out, just getting the code doesn't give you the answer.
Even when you know what the code is for.

A stored code points in the direction the problem appears to be.
and it could be wrong.

I use a $7600.00 scanner, the Modis, and it's just a cheap, slow computer that may not be as powerful as an iphone, but, it contains megabytes of data, of tech tips, diagnostic procedures, some of which it can run for you right there on the spot.

This is needed since this code needs to be interpreted a lot more, for example: a code for vacuum leak can be either: an actual vacuum leak of unknown source (many possibilities, none of which the code or computer can tell you where); an EGR problem (leaking EGR valve, which is rare); a leaking intake valve, or more.
Tracking down the cause of the code often takes special equipment, lots of experience, expertise, and patience.

Reading live data is useful if you know what they all mean. Often there are more than 60 parameters that the computer displays for you.

Arming yourself with some of this when you do talk to your mechanic can help the problem be found.

Not everyone can be a mechanic. a good one. It takes special skills, so, don't throw out your mechanic and try to do it yourself.

 

[pollom]

for palm
http/www.auterraweb.com/software.html

 

[Guest]

Does this scanner work on all cars?

 

[Guest]

" Well it took 3 minutes of research, but I guess you would use this cable to connect your car to your notebook computer:
http/www.sensolutions.com/produc [...] onnectors/
and you would use one or all of these free software applications:
Opendiag, Freediag and/or pyOBD
I don't understand why anyone would buy a scanner. Obviously the guy who wrote this useless article doesn't have a clue. "

With more than 3 minutes research, the "gocha:"

=2&tx_commerce_pi1[path]=38,37]http/www.sensolutions.com/products/browse-products/generic-obdii/?tx_commerce_pi1[mDepth]=2&tx_commerce_pi1[path]=38,37

" Please note: The OBDII to serial cables are straight through and have no interface in them. Plugging them directly into a computer serial port will likely damage it. "

 

[frankliverpoolfrank]

HI dos any one know were the scanner point on a hyundai coupe se 2000cc year 2001 thanks frank