OBD Solutions

The OBDLink® app displays several dashboards and diagnostic gauges by default, including engine RPM and speed. Follow the steps in this article to edit dashboards and add new gauges. 

Note: We recently updated the OBDLink app and made improvements to its features and how it looks. The icons on the app's home screen now have a yellow accent instead of blue (iOS) and green (Android) accents. This revised article matches the updated app’s screens and features. Download the latest version of the OBDLink app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) to take advantage of the updated app's features and performance. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Connect your adapter
• Edit existing gauges
• Edit a dashboard
• Example: Change how a display looks
• Example: Add a push button display
• Troubleshooting
• Next steps
• Learn more
• Need more help?

Connect your adapter

Your OBDLink adapter can be in the Not Connected state while you add and edit dashboard gauges in the OBDLink app. However, we recommend that you do these steps while Connected via the OBDLink app, because the OBDLink app will show you all the displays your vehicle will report data for. (Before it is connected to your vehicle, the OBDLink app will display all the PIDs it can access, some of which may not be available for your vehicle.)

To access the OBDLink app dashboards, tap the Dashboards icon from the app's main screen. 

Note: In this article, iOS screenshots are shown on the left and Android screenshots are shown on the right.

iOS	Android

The default dashboards and gauges are displayed. Swipe to see all the dashboard pages.  

Edit existing gauges

To modify the configuration for an existing gauge, press and hold the gauge until the Edit Display menu is shown.

You can modify the following characteristics for a gauge:

• Size and Location: Manually adjust the size and location of the gauge. Note that the values used here are based on percentages of the dashboard size. Currently, the gauges must be square and the lesser of the width and height dimensions is used.
• Display Configuration: Update the displayed title and Parameter ID (PID), number of decimals used for the value displayed, and min/max values for the range (radial gauges only).
• Style: Update the color, label size and location, bevel properties, and other style related characteristics of a gauge. Note that the style for a gauge can be stored and reused from the Menu option in the top right corner of the style editor.
• Bring to Front: If a gauge overlaps another gauge, this can be used to adjust the Z-order to bring this gauge to the front.
• Send to Back: If a gauge overlaps another gauge, this can be used to adjust the Z-order to send this gauge to the back.
• Copy: Copies the selected gauge so you can paste it in a different location. 
• Remove Display: Deletes the gauge from the dashboard. You must confirm this action before the app deletes the gauge.
• Drag and Move: Use your finger to adjust the position of the gauge within the dashboard.
• Resize: Use your finger to adjust the size of the gauge.

See Example: Change how a display looks for step-by-step instructions to edit one of the default gauges.

Edit a dashboard

Tap Menu (iOS) or 3 vertical dots (Android) in the upper right corner to open the Dashboard Configuration menu.

You will see a list of dashboard options that you can select.

• Add Display: Adds a new gauge to the current dashboard page.
• Add Dashboard: Adds an empty dashboard page to the list of dashboard pages.
• Remove Dashboard: Removes the current dashboard page from the list of dashboard pages.
• Dashboard Settings: Updates the dashboard background color.
• Load Default Dashboards: Replaces the existing dashboard set with the default dashboards.
• (iOS only) Toggle HUD Mode: Enables your device to be used as a heads up display by mirroring the screen.
• Reset Min/Max: Reset the minimum and maximum indicator values displayed on all gauges on a dashboard page.

See Example: Add a push button display for step-by-step instructions to add a gauge to one of the dashboards.

Example: Change how a display looks

You may want to change a display to make it more visible. Follow the steps in this section to change the style of a display. 

In this example, we changed the battery gauge to have a white background.

Before you begin, be sure to:

• Start your vehicle and connect your phone/tablet to your OBDLink adapter.
• Make sure your phone/tablet is not streaming to any other Bluetooth/BLE devices.

1. Confirm that your phone/tablet is Connected to the OBDLink adapter and tap the Dashboards icon.
2. To modify the battery display, press and hold the display until the Edit Display menu is shown. Tap Style.
3. You will see the Frame tab on the Style menu with the current display settings. Tap Menu in the upper right corner.
   In the Menu Options dialog, tap Load Template.
4. You will see a list of display templates. Scroll to find the one you want to use.
   In this example, we selected the Light template. Tap Back or the back arrow (<) to save your selection.You will see the default settings for the display you selected. You can make changes as needed.
   Tap Back or the back arrow (<) to save your selection.
5. You will see the dashboard page with the display you updated.

Example: Add a push button display

The OBDLink app includes a push button display type that lets you reset some vehicle PIDs with a tap, including total fuel economy and trip counter. You can also add a push button display to start and stop logging. Follow the steps in this section to add a push button display.

In this example, we added a push button display to reset the total fuel economy. Typically, you reset this PID value after you refill your vehicle with fuel.

Before you begin, be sure to:

• Start your vehicle and connect your phone/tablet to your OBDLink adapter.
• Make sure your phone/tablet is not streaming to any other Bluetooth/BLE devices.

1. Confirm that your phone/tablet is Connected to the OBDLink adapter and tap the Dashboards icon.
2. In this example, we want to add a push button on the same dashboard page as the Total fuel economy display.
   Swipe to the second dashboard page and tap Menu (iOS) or three vertical dots (Android) in the upper right corner.

3. Tap Add Display in the list of Menu options.

4. Scroll down to select the Display Type from the list of options, then tap Next.
   In this example, we selected Push Button.

5. Scroll down to select the type of built-in display from the list of options, then tap Next.
   In this example, we selected Light.

6. Tap the Action selection box to show the list of options.

7. Scroll the list and tap the option you want. (iOS users: Tap Done to make your selection.)
   Tap Done in the upper right corner to save the display.
   In this example, we selected Reset Total Fuel Economy.

8. You will see the dashboard page with the display you added. Sometimes the new display is covering another display.
   Press and hold the display to open the Edit Display options and tap Drag and Move. Use your finger to move the display where you want.
9. You will see the new display on the dashboard.
   To use the push button display, tap it while you are connected to your vehicle.
   You will see a confirmation message about resetting the Total fuel economy PID. Tap Yes to continue.
10. On the dashboard, you will see that the Total fuel economy display has been reset.

Troubleshooting

You may notice that vehicle gauge data in the OBDLink app is different from the values you see on your vehicle dashboard. These differences may be caused by several factors. Here are some useful tips:

• In the OBDLink app, tap Diagnostics > Report > PID Snapshot to capture a snapshot of all supported Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) PIDs and the values they report at that exact instance. You can compare this snapshot to your vehicle dashboard gauges.
• The OBDLink app reports data directly from your vehicle Electronic Control Unit (ECU). For temperature readings, the OBDLink app checks for temperature PID values less often then it checks for speed PID values, so there could be a delay before the temperature gauge in the app changes. 

  If you set up a user-defined PID, then you can set the priority for how often the PID is checked. For step-by-step details to do this, see the Display Transmission Temperature Gauge article, in the OEM PID reference section.

• Some vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) have limited the vehicle’s temperature display to show a range from Cold to Hot without any numerical values. The OBDLink app reports the ECU data for Engine Coolant Temperature with 1 decimal point precision. For an exact comparison between your vehicle display and the OBDLink app, contact your vehicle OEM’s service department for OEM PID details. Alternatively, you can try searching a forum for your vehicle and see if other users have posted tips or recommendations.

• The OBDLink app calculates fuel economy (miles per gallon or MPG) using values from the Vehicle Editor. To get more accurate MPG, you may need to adjust your vehicle settings. For details, see the Edit Your Vehicle Settings article, in the Fuel economy section. 

  You can display vehicle MPG following these steps: Dashboards > Menu (iOS) or 3 dots (Android) > Add display > Select display gauge type and appearance > PID > Fuel > Instant Fuel Economy or Total Fuel Economy

  Fuel economy is automatically calculated by the OBDLink app. Navigate to Logs > Files to view the data.

  Reset the MPG value in the OBDLink app by navigating to Trips > Trip Meters and tapping Reset for each trip and the Total value.

Next steps

• In the OBDLink app, tap Settings > Help > Dashboards to learn more. You can set up custom dashboards for different vehicles and reorder dashboards to suit your needs.
• Learn how to show your vehicle’s transmission temperature in the Display Transmission Temperature Gauge article.

Learn more

• You can explore other OBDLink features and functionality using our support article knowledge base.
• For descriptions of terms used in this article, see the Glossary of Acronyms and Terms.
• This NAPA article has more information about reading your vehicle's temperature gauge.
  Note: The link leads to a resource that is not affiliated with OBDLink. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information.

Need more help?

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