atikovi
Well-known member
I have an Autel 906BT bidirectional scan tool. Will Leafspy give any more information then that can? I generally dislike an app based diagnostic product vs. a dedicated scan tool.
Is Leafspy better than a scan tool?
- Thread starter atikovi
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Please define the Leaf diagnostic functions of Autel 906BT, e.g. read/reset fault codes, change ECUs' modes, etc.
atikovi
Well-known member
Yes read/reset fault codes. Don't know what you mean by change ECUs' modes. That's why I'm asking.
I think your Autel will be able to do more, but may not lay out the info in a way to easily read it as Leafspy. Both receive the exact same info on the Can Bus.
I tend to agree with your thinking.
One big problem with the Leaf (and I would guess all purely EV's) is they don't have to comply with the OBD2 protocol so you can never be sure what can and cannot be done unless you buy the tool and try. While the Leaf has an "OBD2" "port", it will not work with many tools that are built for OBD2 access.
Neither Autel nor Leafspy "acess" the info directly, they only can report what the cars internal stuff is reporting to each other on the CAN BUS.
Some of the more expensive diagnostic scanners/ tools can reset things like brake 0 travel and steering etc, things that I don't believe Leafspy can. Some can match new TPS senders to the car and other functions.
The thing Leafspy does well is lay the info out in graphs in a way it is easy to look at, like cell balance, for example. The info is still available on a scanner it just might not be graphed as nicely.
If you have or work on other cars, a good versatile scan tool that is compatible with more cars, in my view, would be better than one that can only work on the Leaf. That said, if you have a smart phone that can download the app, all you need is a dongle to connect, so around $35 or so to have both types. If you have to buy a smart phone to download, and you already have the Autel, I wouldn't think it would be worth it. Just depends on how much your Autel can do.
I tend to agree with your thinking.
One big problem with the Leaf (and I would guess all purely EV's) is they don't have to comply with the OBD2 protocol so you can never be sure what can and cannot be done unless you buy the tool and try. While the Leaf has an "OBD2" "port", it will not work with many tools that are built for OBD2 access.
Neither Autel nor Leafspy "acess" the info directly, they only can report what the cars internal stuff is reporting to each other on the CAN BUS.
Some of the more expensive diagnostic scanners/ tools can reset things like brake 0 travel and steering etc, things that I don't believe Leafspy can. Some can match new TPS senders to the car and other functions.
The thing Leafspy does well is lay the info out in graphs in a way it is easy to look at, like cell balance, for example. The info is still available on a scanner it just might not be graphed as nicely.
If you have or work on other cars, a good versatile scan tool that is compatible with more cars, in my view, would be better than one that can only work on the Leaf. That said, if you have a smart phone that can download the app, all you need is a dongle to connect, so around $35 or so to have both types. If you have to buy a smart phone to download, and you already have the Autel, I wouldn't think it would be worth it. Just depends on how much your Autel can do.
Are you guessing, or do you actually have the Autel and used it? If so, then tell us what you have done with it on your Leaf.
Says he does.
Really? Are you guessing too? Have you used the Autel on a Leaf? Furthermore, It sounds like you don't fully understand the functionally of LeafSpy.
Can the Autel properly re-flash Leaf ECUs to change their functionality like LeafSpy does?
I don't have the tool in question, but have experience with commercial tools used in the trade. Do you "know" the Leafspy is correctly change functionality or are you just guessing?
Anything short of Nissan Consult, can you really be sure??
Anything short of Nissan Consult, can you really be sure??
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That is what i've discovered also with the Mitsubishi. They have the MUT tool similar to Nissan Consult and the Toyota Techstream, etc for all the OEMs.
For ICE cars they have to meet the protocol and PIDs of SAE J2534 spec for scan tool access, but the EVs seem to "almost" follow the spec formats, but they don't use the standard PIDs to identify ECUs, data items, OBDII "modes", etc. Why did they not?
i have been looking at captures from a CAN bridge to intercept the traffic and commands being sent by the MUT and the responses of ECUs. These contain PIDs that are not seen over the regular CAN Buss during normal driving and charging, so are never seen by the phone apps or passive scan tools.
The commands and replies partially follow the format described by the SAE spec, so it looks familiar to some extent, but the differences leave you guessing.
In terms of ease of access and use, then Yes Laefspy if better than a scan tool to get the data that you really want to see quickly in a nice graphical format. It's low cost and will run on an old burner android phone or tablet device that you can get cheap at the thrift store--no need to have a cell phone or account. i have an old cell phone with no acct that i leave with the obd dongle just to use for quick scans of cars to check the cells.
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Like the early "wild west" days of CC emissions. Every mfg had their own system. OBD2 put a end to that, and good riddance. I was working in the trade, those early days.
There are all kinds of scanners on the market, and it can be hard to differentiate between them on their listed spec's alone.
Autel is a US name in the business, there are better and not as good, You are unlikely to know what it can and can not do until you try, and you can't know it does it the "right way" unless you have access to how the software engineers at Nissan intended "it" to be done, all others are reverse engineered, and may or may not be correct.
That's not true! You can always test the functionally of an ECU once you've re-flashed it, e.g. a mode change.
By the way, Autel is a Chinese company.
So if leafspy does it, and it function it must be correct but if Autel does it, it may be suspect? Explain that?
Both are reverse engineered.
Please use the Autel on a Leaf and tell us what it does.
Unless you have better info, the Autel website indicates no Leaf????
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It is a multi national with a US presents, I admit I don't know where it was founded, but have been in the business of autoscanners/ repair since 2002. Well known in the "trade" not necessarily the best but not a fly by night company either.
Last saw the scanners were made in Vietnam, not China, but lets face it, China makes a lot including the Leaf's battery.
I have no opinion other than they are a known name and a brick and mortar presence in the US that you could, if you were considering them, query about their scanners and how they relate to the Leaf.
Someone who cares for or works on several makes will likely have a professional scanner to cover multiple makes, they cost more and often do more than something that is made for one model. Even Leafspy is useless on a Kick's!
Whether the added cost is worth the money, depends on each individuals situation. I wouldn't recommend the adv Leaf owner spend the money on Nissan Consult, nor would I recommend a well equipped shop have a different program and scan tool for each model they service.
Since the question was "is there more that Leafspy can tell me over the Autel" and not which was "made " where, I don't see it as pertinent.
All scan tools connect to the same CAN BUS, so receive the same info so it is up to how they interpret what is happening on the BUS.
You didn't look in the right place
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Gret
I own numerous generic OBDII scanners, five of which are Autels - none for Leaf, for the many ICEVs I'm involved with. After using LeafSpy
and its functionality for the price, I would not consider buying an Autel for just a Leaf.
Great! Use it and write a review. I've been using LeafSpy since shortly after its release on both my '13 & '19 Leafs. Works great for my needs.
I own numerous generic OBDII scanners, five of which are Autels - none for Leaf, for the many ICEVs I'm involved with. After using LeafSpy
and its functionality for the price, I would not consider buying an Autel for just a Leaf.
I wouldn't either for one car and one model, as I said before. But if I was still in the trade, and had to deal in many makes and models, I would be looking for one tool.
BTW can Leadspy reset the brake booster zero setting? The 906 Autel can.
BTW can Leadspy reset the brake booster zero setting? The 906 Autel can.
In the over tens years owning a Leaf, I've never had a need to "reset the brake booster zero setting", nor have I had brake booster fault codes.
Please provide a datasheet link for the Autel 909 with regard to the EV systems it's capable of accessing. Based on your previous post,
it appears that the Autel 909 is just accessing generic Nissan Leaf mechanical system ECUs.
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He has a 906, and you can find the spec sheet on their website.
You may not have had to replace a brake booster but that doesn't mean that someone else might. You seam to be arguing that Leafspy is the best/only tool for the job. It isn't, not a bad tool, handy and cheap for the owner, but not the only or best tool out there. Someone who already has a 906 (depending the exact model) will likely find it can do more than Leafspy.
Many of the more difficult problems that can happen on the Leaf, Nissan Consult would be very handy, but not for the car owner, unless they have unlimited funds, likely not worth the cost. There are many quality choices between Leafspy on the low end and Nissan Consult on the high.
You may not have had to replace a brake booster but that doesn't mean that someone else might. You seam to be arguing that Leafspy is the best/only tool for the job. It isn't, not a bad tool, handy and cheap for the owner, but not the only or best tool out there. Someone who already has a 906 (depending the exact model) will likely find it can do more than Leafspy.
Many of the more difficult problems that can happen on the Leaf, Nissan Consult would be very handy, but not for the car owner, unless they have unlimited funds, likely not worth the cost. There are many quality choices between Leafspy on the low end and Nissan Consult on the high.
Please provide a link. What are the "many quality choices". Thanks
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