It’s now easier than ever to understand what’s going on with your vehicle when that check engine light illuminates. With the right app and your iPhone, you can quickly scan your car’s computer for diagnostic trouble codes, giving you valuable insights right at your fingertips.
To check the codes your car is throwing, follow these simple steps within the app:
- Tap on the Diagnostics section. This is your gateway to accessing your vehicle’s health information.
- Next, open Trouble Codes. This will initiate the process of communicating with your car’s onboard computer to retrieve any stored or pending codes.
- Allow a moment for your vehicle to respond. The app is now communicating with your car, pulling the diagnostic information.
- Once the process is complete, the codes will be displayed. Each code is provided with an identifier (often starting with a letter like P, followed by four numbers) and a description, if available.
After you’ve scanned and have the codes, understanding what they mean is the next step. If you’re not a car expert, don’t worry. A quick Google search of the code (for example, “P0171 Toyota”) along with your car’s make and model can provide a wealth of information. Include keywords like “cost to fix” to get an idea of potential repair expenses. You might even find that the issue is something simple, like a loose gas cap.
Understanding the types of codes is also helpful:
Stored Codes: These are active, current codes in your car’s system. If your check engine light is on, it’s because of a stored code. These codes indicate problems that the car’s computer has confirmed are occurring.
Pending Codes: These codes are like warning signs. They indicate potential issues that the car has detected but hasn’t yet confirmed as a persistent problem. Pending codes won’t turn on your check engine light, but they are worth investigating as they could become stored codes later if the issue continues.
If you’ve addressed a problem, or are simply curious, you can clear the codes. Here’s how:
To clear codes, you need to have an existing code present. Once a code is detected, the Clear codes button will become active, usually located in the upper right corner of the app interface. Tap Clear codes, and then confirm your decision to erase the codes. Clearing codes can be useful to see if a code reappears after a repair or to reset the system after fixing a minor issue.
Important Note: Clearing codes resets emissions-related data. If you’re due for an emissions test that uses the OBD system, clearing codes right before the test might cause you to fail. Allow a few days of normal driving after clearing codes to allow the sensors to reset and the system to re-evaluate. This ensures your car is ready for an accurate emissions test.
For deeper dives into specific codes, OBD-Codes.com is an excellent online resource. If your app provides basic code descriptions, OBD-Codes.com can offer more detailed explanations, potential causes, and possible fixes, empowering you with even more information about your vehicle’s health.
