Will it work with my car
It depends on one thing: whether the car has an OBD-II socket. Everything else the app sorts out itself.
Check your car
When the socket became mandatory
The gap between petrol and diesel in Europe is three years — that is exactly why a 2002 diesel often stays silent.
Protocols
Nothing to choose here: the adapter and the app determine the protocol themselves. The list is here so you can see there is no setup to do.
Where the socket is
- Under the steering wheel, usually on the left, within half a metre of the column.
- Sometimes behind a plastic cover, in the ashtray or under the fuse panel.
- Sixteen pins in a trapezoid shape — it cannot be confused with anything else.
- The ignition must be on: with the key off most modules stay silent.
What depends on the model
Fault codes, live data and the VIN are standard — they work the same everywhere. Service routines are not: the reset of a service interval is done differently by every maker, and on some cars it does not go through at all. The app says so in advance instead of trying blindly.
Short answers
Which cars does CarScan support?
Any car with an OBD-II socket: in the USA and Canada from the 1996 model year, in Europe petrol from 2001 and diesel from 2004. Fault codes, live data and the VIN are read on all of them.
Why does my 2002 diesel not answer?
In Europe the socket became mandatory for diesel engines only in 2004 — three years later than for petrol. A 2002 diesel may simply not have it.
Do I need to choose a protocol?
No. The adapter and the app work it out themselves — there is nothing to set up.
Where is the socket?
Under the steering wheel, usually on the left, within half a metre of the steering column. Sometimes behind a cover, in the ashtray or under the fuse panel.