Which ELM327 OBD2 adapter works in the browser
Read My Car talks to an ELM327 adapter in the car’s OBD2 socket. Which adapter you need depends on the device you’ll use it with.
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What an ELM327 adapter does
The adapter plugs into the car’s OBD2 socket and translates between the car’s diagnostic protocols and the app. ELM327 is the command set most adapters use, and there are many compatible clones.
Which adapters work
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- Vgate iCar Pro BLE, vLinker MC+ (Bluetooth 4.0/BLE version), OBDLink CX, Veepeak BLE and similar BLE adapters. Work in Chrome or Edge on Android and on a computer, and in Bluefy on iPhone and iPad.
- USB cable, or classic “Bluetooth 2.0” paired with the computer
- Work from a computer with Chrome or Edge, through “USB adapter”.
Bluetooth and USB both need the page to be opened over HTTPS, which readmycar.com always is.
On a phone: Bluetooth Low Energy
On a phone, Read My Car connects over Bluetooth Low Energy. Older “Bluetooth 2.0” adapters and USB cables are supported from a computer.
On iPhone and iPad, Safari can’t use Bluetooth at all. Use the free Bluefy browser with a Bluetooth Low Energy adapter.
When choosing one
- For a phone, check that the adapter is described as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
- For a computer, a USB cable or a classic Bluetooth adapter works as well.
- Some adapters keep drawing power while plugged in. Unplug it when you’re done, unless you know yours goes to sleep.
Older European cars on the K-line can be slow to connect, and some clones struggle to find the protocol by themselves. Read My Car then tries each protocol in turn.
No adapter yet? The demo cars in the app let you try everything first.
Questions
Does a Wi-Fi adapter work?
No. Read My Car connects to adapters over Bluetooth or USB only.
Does my Bluetooth adapter work on my phone?
On a phone, Read My Car supports Bluetooth Low Energy adapters. Older “Bluetooth 2.0” adapters are supported from a computer with Chrome or Edge instead.