[DeanGibson]

Reason unknown

Why does anyone need a code reader that displays on their head unit? Why is the phone itself not good enough?

I can't figure it out either. Google, Apple, & the vehicle manufacturers have spent millions to provide a head unit that is near the line of vision with the road, when they could have just let people continue to drive while viewing their cell phone in their laps.

 

[securityguy]

@DeanGibson...I greatly appreciate your sarcasm but I think you are misunderstanding my point. It has nothing to do with the head unit itself and its position in the car but why does anyone need to see that information when driving? What purpose does it serve? If you are looking for a code based on a check engine light, your phone works just fine for that while the vehicle is stationary. In addition, if you do need or want to see info displayed from your OBD2 port, you can also buy a ton of different phone mounts that clip to an air vent, stick to a windshield or custom clips like pro-clip that are specifically designed to mount to a specific vehicle. We have enough distractions while driving...do you really need to monitor every aspect of your car by taking your eyes off the road even more than you do today??? God Bless the EyeSight system so when folks are distracted by looking at things they shouldn't be while driving...it may just save both our @$$es!

 

[DeanGibson]

Nothing is fool-proof, because fools are so ingenious

... It has nothing to do with the head unit itself and its position in the car but why does anyone need to see that information when driving?

Well, people don't need to see the art cover for music that they are playing, either.

It used to be (perhaps before your time) that most cars had physical gauges for coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, & volts (& those are 4 that I have selected to be displayed on my head unit). Some cars still have those gauges, and since actual gauges cost the manufacturer money, I presume they saw (& still do) a valid use for them.

I've never heard of anyone having an accident because they were watching the oil temperature or any other gauge. I have heard of people having an accident because they weren't watching some gauge.

Now, we all know what people are like ("why is my voltmeter showing 14 volts for a 12 volt battery; won't that harm the battery?"), so perhaps the move to "idiot lights" is well-motivated (albeit misplaced in my opinion).

However, the idiots have just moved to complaining about something else. Visit Google's "Android Auto" discussion group and see the following actual requests:

• Why did you remove the AA mountain background & replace it with a plain color?
• I want to change the AA background. Yours is boring.
• I want to be able to set the AA background to match the color of the interior of my car.
• Google Maps on my phone shows satellite images. I want that on AA (ignoring both the bandwidth issue, & need to see satellite detail on a small screen).
• I want to be able to read & send eMail. My job requires this.
• I want to watch YouTube videos. (Note: there is an "Unknown sources" app that allows this.)

So far, I haven't seen a request to be able to order takeout food, but I'm sure that's coming.

 

[Haystack]

Keeping a eye on your gauges can save your car. I've seen it happen way too many times, people ignore what their cars telling them and then it gets expensive real fast.

 

[securityguy]

Keeping a eye on your gauges can save your car. I've seen it happen way too many times, people ignore what their cars telling them and then it gets expensive real fast.

I don't disagree with you Haystack, or Dean for that matter, and I can recall the years of old when we all had several more gauges than we do today. We are not driving a sports car with a high performance engine...it is a 4 cylinder non-turbo engine producing 152hp...sorry but I don't see the need to monitor a ton of variables on this car. There are other cars where the logic above makes more sense but not on this car.

 

[Tom]

I've not read all the responses to your initial question, but I do have and like the Ultragauge I use. Low cost, compact, had it for 3-4 years now, easy enough to use and mount and a bargain at the cost. I'd buy another, but you can easily and quickly transfer it to another vehicle. And it gives the trouble codes for further reseach and repair.

 

[securityguy]

UltraGauge OBDII Scan tool & Information Center

 

[Viktor8288]

I am using a friends scanguage e to monitor coolant temp just enter car info and plug into ecu no harm I have used many of these gauges without issues
My bottom rad hose is cool top hose is hot

Can anyone check their lower rad hose and see if it is cool please
Caution exhaust is nearby
Don't get burned

If the lower is cool and top is hot then that is coolant building up most likely and isn't circulating properly. Your thermostats is stuck shut or needs to be changed. Seeing the top hose sometimes helps but most likely just need to replace the shit.

 

[Cwilbur]

After a good bit of study, I realize I have no way to know the true coolant temperature of my Impreza. I know if it is cold (blue indicator light), getting too warm (flashing red indicator light), and too hot (solid red indicator light). Clearly, normal operating temperature is indicated by the absence of any indicator light.

Being from what is called, the "old school," I am more comfortable looking at an actual analog dial. If that is not possible, an LCD or LED display showing numerals is acceptable. A quick Google search turned up something called an Ultragauge in both wired and wireless variants for $80USD. With more than 70 customizable indicators, it sounds like an incredible bargain.

Is anyone using one of these? Is it reliable? How do you like it? Are there other alternatives?

The last thing I want to do is screw up the electronics in my wife's Subie. Please let me know if this is risky and why.

Thanks... Mack

How did you get all the digital gauges on your screen? I know you have a limited and I am in a base, but is this possible? Is it through the OBD2 reader you have up or did you need to install some software?

 

[Cwilbur]

From XDA-Labs ...



[APP][5.0+]OBD2 Plugin for Android Auto - Use Torque with AndroidAuto

Where can I get this to support my base model with an iPhone?