OBD2 Diagnostics - Read and Clear Trouble Codes and Access Real-Time Sensor Data
With Piston, your vehicle's diagnostic information is right at your fingertips.
Is your Check Engine Light (MIL) on? Use Piston to transform your mobile device into a car scanner and read Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) along with Freeze Frame data. This helps you pinpoint and resolve issues efficiently.
You'll need an ELM327-based adapter—Bluetooth or WiFi—that connects to your vehicle's OBD2 port. Piston will walk you through the setup process. You can find step-by-step instructions on the Home page after initial setup or anytime via the Settings menu.
With Piston, you can:
• Read and clear Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) as defined by the OBD2 standard
• Review Freeze Frame data (a snapshot of sensor readings when the ECU detected an issue)
• Access real-time sensor data
• Check the status of Readiness Monitors (for emission control systems)
• Store read DTCs in a local history
• Log in and save your DTCs securely in the cloud
• View sensor data charts
• Export real-time sensor readings to a file
• Check your vehicle's VIN
• Review ECU details, such as the OBD protocol and supported PIDs
Some of these features are part of our Premium package, available through a one-time in-app purchase—no subscriptions required.
To use Piston as a car scanner, you'll need a separate ELM327-compatible Bluetooth or WiFi adapter. Piston is compatible with OBD-II (also known as OBDII or OBD2) and EOBD standards.
All vehicles sold in the United States since 1996 are required to support OBD2 standards.
In the European Union, EOBD became mandatory for gasoline vehicles starting in 2001 and diesel vehicles from 2004. In Australia and New Zealand, OBD2 is required for all gasoline cars manufactured from 2006 and diesel cars from 2007.
Note: This application can only access data that your vehicle provides via the OBD2 standard.
For questions or suggestions, reach out to us at [email protected].
What's New in Version 3.8.0
Last updated on Aug 2, 2024
• Android 14 support
• Enhanced Sensor Selection Screen
• Added support for additional sensors (availability may vary by vehicle)
