How to Pair a Bluetooth OBD2 Adapter to an Android Headunit
Plug the adapter into the diagnostic port, then pair it under Settings and Bluetooth on your headunit before you open any diagnostics app. If you haven't paired it there first, no app will find it, and that's the order almost everyone gets wrong.
OBD2 Scan Gauge Tool Bluetooth Reader Module
View product: OBD2 Scan Gauge Tool Bluetooth Reader ModuleWhat this gives you
You get live engine data on the dash screen: coolant temperature, boost, RPM, lambda and fault codes, on a 70 Series with no factory way to show you any of it.
Before you start
- A Bluetooth OBD2 adapter. Many of our headunits shipped with one included, so look for the OBD2 Scan Gauge Tool option on your order, and you can also buy it on its own: OBD2 ScanGauge Bluetooth Reader. Any ELM327 compatible adapter works too.
- The adapter pairing code, printed on the adapter or in its instructions.
- The ignition on, so the adapter has power.
Step by step
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Plug the adapter in
You'll find the diagnostic port under the dash on the driver side. Push the adapter in fully. Most adapters show a light once they have power.
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Turn the ignition on
The port goes live with the ignition on. You don't need the engine running to pair, though you do for live data.
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Pair it on the headunit, not in the app
Go to Settings, then Bluetooth, then search for devices. You'll usually see the adapter listed as OBDII, OBD2 or a similar name. Tap it and enter the pairing code from the adapter.
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Check it's paired before you open anything
You should see the adapter listed as a paired device. If it isn't, no diagnostics app will find it, whatever you do inside the app.
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Open your diagnostics app and connect
In the app, choose Bluetooth as the connection type, then pick the adapter from the list of paired devices.
If it does not work
- If you never see the adapter in the search, unplug it, wait ten seconds, then plug it back in. Cheap adapters can need a power cycle before they advertise.
- If it pairs but you can't connect in the app, close the app fully and open it again. The app reads the paired list at startup.
- If it drops out while you're driving, it's usually the adapter rather than the headunit.
Worth knowing
The headunit pairs with your phone and the adapter at the same time without a conflict, so you don't have to choose between calls and diagnostics.
