What OBD2 Dongle do you recommend?

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bigbluebear

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
10
Hello,

I want to purchase one so that I can start using Leafspy. What do people recommend nowadays? I was thinking of purchasing this one because it is iOS compatible. Or I can do what others have done and purchase a cheap android phone to keep in the car for tracking purposes. Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC
 
I've ordered two ELM327 v1.5 Bluetooth dongles and both arrived as a v2.1 and were unusable. So, I'm interested in a verified link to order here, too.
 
I don't have a specific recommendation but I'm definitely using one in the 1st Amazon link I refer to at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=431796#p431796.

There's also a list at http://www.electricvehiclewiki.com/?title=Leaf_Spy_Pro&redirect=no#Clone_ELM327_Bluetooth_Scanner.

Maybe skim thru the last 20 pages or so to see of http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=14285 to if someone else mentioned what dongles worked/didn't work for them.

Unfortunately, with any of these, the hardware could be revised/changed without warning and different revisions could be floating around in the market. You might be best off ordering a couple that people said works for them.
 
One of the venders named Sannysis on Amazon has the ones that work. They are the mini (nice and short) with an on and off button. They have also held up very well under hot Arizona interior heat.
 
This is the one I purchased, from Amazon called Cheerlink Konnwei KW902, however it was from the vendor Auto Car, but now it is from Cather Store which I have never dealt with,:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q5YRC4C/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I liked this specific model because it was recommended on the forum here, and also it has an on/off switch, which I used for awhile but now leave it on all the time, so far without problems. I stopped using the switch because I started worrying that it might not be high enough quality to do a huge number of on/off cycles, and at $19.99 I didn't want a little $0.02 switch causing a problem.

I also purchased from Amazon a "Y cable connector" male to dual female Konnwei cable from the vendor YeeOBD for $8.90, but unfortunately it looks like it isn't in stock now:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012BZN96S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would say, at a minimum, you must get a cable extender so that you can plug in to the LEAF OBD2 port, and never touch again, and then plug your OBD2 piece into the cable. Without a "Y cable" though, you will have to remove the OBD2 piece each time you take the car to the dealer, with my "Y cable" I've just left everything and they've plugged into the other connector. They have never commented about the setup either, which I followed from somebody else, possibly in the previous thread mentioned, where they got a long enough cable to reach the center console.

I have been happy with the quality of the Konnwei products, but the Nissan LEAF OBD2 connector is incredibly fragile in my opinion, so you must be extremely careful doing the initial plugin.
 
sub3marathonman said:
I liked this specific model because it was recommended on the forum here, and also it has an on/off switch, which I used for awhile but now leave it on all the time, so far without problems. I stopped using the switch because I started worrying that it might not be high enough quality to do a huge number of on/off cycles, and at $19.99 I didn't want a little $0.02 switch causing a problem.
The on/off switch on mine failed, so I just pushed it with the extra cable behind the console, and use the app to engage it to Leaf Spy. When it's communicating, all the lights flicker, and when Leaf Spy is off there is only one steady light. It was a little too obvious sitting in the console anyway :)
 
I got tired of all the crappy OBDII adapters so when I bought the 2017 Volt, I got a ScanTool OBDLink LX Bluetooth adapter. Yes, it is more expensive, but what a difference! I use it with GreenVolt and Torque Master Pro, among others, and in both my cars, and it is flawless. And fast!
 
TomT said:
I got tired of all the crappy OBDII adapters so when I bought the 2017 Volt, I got a ScanTool OBDLink LX Bluetooth adapter. Yes, it is more expensive, but what a difference! I use it with GreenVolt and Torque Master Pro, among others, and in both my cars, and it is flawless. And fast!
Still happy with this dongle for use with Leafspy?
 
Well after trying 4 different WiFi units, I finally settled on this because I have a Iphone, Bluetooth, and it works really damn good!!
LELink Bluetooth Low Energy BLE OBD-II OBD2 Car Diagnostic Tool For iPhone/iPod/iPad

URL ... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As soon as it arrived, I was home, I unpacked it, ran out to the car, plugged it into my extension cable, pulled out the phone, and before I could set anything up, it was connected, and working great! That was 2 months ago, and this is the best unit I have found!
It just works, and keeps working really great!

Do yourselves a favor, if you want to run Leaf-Link Pro, get this unit.
It just works great!
 
I returned both my LELinkII bluetooth adapters from Amazon because they both failed within 30 days. I now have a VIECAR 4.0 bluetooth and it is perfect. Works great with my iphone.

Amazon has it (although pretty pricey at $50)
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Bluetooth-Scanner-Multi-brands-Function/dp/B00S858SF8

I bought mine from aliepxress for $18. It comes from China, so it took like 3 weeks to arrive.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/2014-Newest-For-IOS-and-Android-Viecar-4-0-obd2-bluetooth-scanner-tool-for-Multi-brands/803871_32233576208.html
 
Hi all,
Is it possible to get something like this; Kingtoys®New 2M Ethernet to OBD Interface Cable E-SYS ICOM Coding F-series for BMW ENET ;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingtoys-Ethernet-Interface-Cable-Coding/dp/B016CX3OPQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484320416&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=oddII+enet

Connect a ASUS WL-330NUL ; http://www.pcnation.co.uk/product.aspx?id=17388&aff=12

this will then in-turn allow it to connect to your home network, which is secured

Is it possible to get the leafspy to connect to the asus which in-turn is connected to the obd which is connected to your car, usually parked outside the house and would be easily accessible with your phone from inside your house, with good wifi.

The asus can then we in turn powered by a battery power-block; https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTA-000mAh-Power-Block-Battery/dp/B00E3T2FUC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484321194&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+power+block+rechargeable

hundreds are there to power phones , which means no need to worry about the 12v battery in the car running out.

The only issue I see here is what hardware is in the obd and the ability to set the leafspy to a different ipaddress rather than the default gateway?

Any thoughts?
 
Here is the review for the Bluetooth unit that works extremely well with my Iphone 6s Plus ...... and Leaf Link! Funny, it happens to be one of the units the App author designed the App around.....

Well, I have been on the hunt for a dependable OBDII unit for quite a while. I used to drive a Prius, now I drive an all electric LEAF. I love both cars, and to that end I had software that would read the OBDII port and give back useful systems info. Now that I use the LEAF, I rely on that data more than ever. The last 4 OBDII units, all WiFi, were all returned, but with the LELink, I think, sure hope, that I found a winner. First, it's Blutooth, I will try it, WOW, it started communicating with the phone even before I picked it up, an Iphone 6s Plus, really, no setup, at all, it just works, that's marvelous!!. To top it off, I am in my office at home, 30 yards from my car, and it's still currently in communication with the car during a battery charge sequence. WOW, I love this unit, it really works quite well!!
If anything changes, I will be back to amend this review, but I sure hope I don't have too, the LELink just kicks butt!!
Ya gotta just ... Love it!

Here is the URL to Amazon to purchase one!!..

https://www.amazon.com/LELink-Bluet...eywords=lelink+bluetooth+4.0+le+obdii+adapter
 
I've had two of these LELink recommended interfaces fail. The first one failed immediately, and they gave me a refund, the second lasted a few months.
 
I bought this one (Android version) a month ago and it works very well with a Dell tablet . This is a OBDII ELM327 V1.5, not v2.1

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B011NSX27A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
There are 3 basic classes of scanners. First is the generic OBDII readers ($75-$150) such as the Innova (BTW I wouldn't trust that the Innova really reads MB proprietary codes unless its documentation specifically states so, or someone can confirm by testing.) Also, one more question - I understand that this forum is not the best place for this question, but nevertheless, I would like to ask, anyone from you to know a good casino with the best welcome bonus? Recently, I found this website - https://casinobonus-ca.com ?
 
FYI. I also purchased this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC/

LELink Bluetooth Low Energy BLE OBD-II OBD2 Car Diagnostic Tool For iPhone/iPod/iPad
by LELink

Last month I successfully used it with iPhone 6 running LeafSpy Pro, on a:
2018 Leaf SV (40 kWh battery)
2017 Leaf S (30 kWh battery)
2016 Leaf S (24 kWh battery)
 
I think some people are spending way too much on their obd2 plugs... I have bought both the wifi and Bluetooth versions for both android and apple phones, and it is not a hard choice. mine all worked fine for less than 15-20 dollars.

What may take a little fiddling is setting up your phone to communicate with the plug.... Read the directions carefully and you will be fine.
 
powersurge said:
I think some people are spending way too much on their obd2 plugs... I have bought both the wifi and Bluetooth versions for both android and apple phones, and it is not a hard choice. mine all worked fine for less than 15-20 dollars.
I'm actually agreeing with you here. :shock:

Quonit's post that resurrected this thread is frankly useless for the purposes of finding a dongle for use with Leaf Spy and could lead people down an expensive rabbit hole of buying very expensive dongles that might not even work with Leaf Spy. It should be ignored.

Turbo3 (author of Leaf Spy) recommends LELink for iPhones. It also now works with Android phones as long the Android phone supports Bluetooth LE (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=19147&p=473679&hilit=lelink#p473679). LELink tends to be around $40 or a bit less (currently $35 at Amazon). Price of LELink would be the upper bound of what anyone should spend, IMHO.

The two Bluetooth (non-LE) ones I pointed to at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=506937#p506937 work for me on Android. This was WAY before Leaf Spy on Android had Bluetooth LE support and possibly before even the iOS version had it. The Panlong one cost me $12.99. The other one that says ELM 327 on it cost me $7.82.

There are plenty of other inexpensive dongles that work for Android and some that work on iOS. Just look for user reports from the past year or two here on MNL of ones that worked w/the desired phone/tablet OS. Avoid the KW-902 (https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=23776). Not worth the wasted time.

@Quonit: Do you actually have a Leaf? Which dongle do you use that you've confirmed works w/Leaf Spy?
 
And what about BlueDriver OBD?
I've found it that it can show problems with ABS and SRS. Comparison here: https://www.obdadvisor.com/lelink-bluetooth-le/
Does Leaf sensors for that, or not?
Tnx!
 
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