car computer???

[jayden-lee]

hello

Does anyone know how to make the wiring to pluge a laptop/pc in to a car's computer to find out what is wrong so you can save money on taking it to a sparkey that cost $60 just to say "unplug your batty and then plug it back in".

as well as the wiring for the plug i would also need the program.:cool:

[Dalo Harkin]

Depends on the make of the car as they all use different plugs.

 

Software is not easy to come by and normally requires it to be bought with the plug and cables you need as a set

[jayden-lee]

for a ford and a houlden.

sorry about the spilling

[Plastic Nev]

As Dalo said, extremely difficult to obtain, normally direct from the car manufacturer and only available to professional car repairers, at least fully legally that is.

No doubt illegal versions, plus botched plugs may be somewhere on the net, and possibly at a price, but that is not a way we can recommend, as it will most probably be a hacked and therefore illegal version, plus the risk of it all coming with a bad dose of malware is high.:D

[Jelly Bean]

I am confused?

 

To plug a laptop into a cars computer?

 

Do you mean SatNav?

 

As a SatNav can be connected via a cable supplied usaly with it to a laptop or a computers USB port.

 

Again I am confused.

[Plastic Nev]

JB, most modern cars have at the very least an engine management unit on board, In the higher ranges of car, these become nearly a full computer. Mechanics use software on a laptop or other computer to get into and view the system information, in order to diagnose engine or other faults.

As Dalo said, the software is different for each car manufacturer, mainly because the on board computers are differently configured by the manufacturer.

Nev.

[Jelly Bean]

Oh thanks Nev.

Just prooves a point I know nothing about newer cars,the last time I worked on a car was an old Cortina when I decarbed the head.That was many years ago.

 

Steps out of this one sooo not my topic,LOL.

[Synapse]

You'll need the interface/wiring harness and software. If I were you I'd have a look on ebay, here's one on the UK website

 

ELM 327 CAR CODE DIAGNOSTIC READER SCANNER V.1.4 - 2010 on eBay (end time 05-Sep-10 16:15:24 BST)

[Poconos]

I have no idea what the situation is in the UK but here in the US all vehicles have a serial port close to the steering column. There are very many diagnostic tools one can buy either stand alone or to interface with a laptop. Packages run from under $100 US to a lot but they all will give you the trouble codes. The higher end units will let you simply do more.

Al

[Plastic Nev]

Not yet quite that good in the UK yet, main dealers and manufacturers do their best to protect their after sales and future servicing contracts. Hence why more difficult to obtain either programs or connection kits.

[Dalo Harkin]

From reading through your original post again, you are just after the fault reader, I have a VAG one that I picked up from ebay for £20. All you can do is see the fault and then delete the fault.

Anything else (remapping etc) I use my lappy and software (software was meant to be £800, I didnt pay that for it :D)

 

I have the Ford software knocking around but I know its old, and again you would need the wiring port that connects your lappy to the diagnostic port