Maximize Your Auto Diagnostics: How OBDII App Records Data for Expert Analysis

For automotive repair professionals, accurate diagnostics are paramount. Modern OBDII applications offer a powerful capability to record vehicle data, enabling in-depth analysis and more effective troubleshooting. Car Scanner, a leading OBDII app, provides robust data recording features to capture crucial vehicle parameters for later review and processing. This article delves into how to effectively utilize Car Scanner’s data recording functionality to enhance your diagnostic procedures.

Understanding OBDII Data Recording with Car Scanner

Car Scanner is designed to record data directly from your vehicle’s systems, providing a detailed log of parameters that can be invaluable for diagnosing intermittent issues or performance anomalies. To initiate data recording, navigate to the Data recording section on the main screen and ensure the “Data recording” switch is toggled on. While this can be activated while connected to the vehicle, it is best practice to enable it prior to establishing a connection to ensure immediate data capture from the start of your diagnostic session.

Enabling data recording in the Car Scanner OBDII app to capture vehicle diagnostics data.

To effectively use the data recording feature, it’s essential to understand these key principles:

Focus on Displayed Data: Car Scanner intelligently records only the parameters currently displayed on your screen. For instance, if your diagnostic focus is engine load and RPM, configure your “Dashboard” or “Live data” views to prominently feature these parameters. This ensures that your recording prioritizes the most relevant data for your specific diagnostic task.
Comprehensive Data Capture: The app goes beyond simply recording what you see. When you request a specific parameter, such as oxygen sensor voltage, the vehicle’s ECU often transmits supplementary data within the same response. Car Scanner captures this additional information as well. For example, requesting oxygen sensor voltage will also record short-term fuel trim (STFT) data, even if STFT is not explicitly displayed, providing a more holistic view of engine performance.
Intelligent Dependency Recording: Car Scanner is designed to capture interrelated parameters. If you choose to display “Vehicle speed,” the app will automatically record not only vehicle speed but also related parameters like “Average speed” and “Total distance.” This intelligent recording of dependent parameters ensures a complete dataset for analyzing vehicle dynamics and performance metrics.
Fuel Consumption Data (Optional): If you have enabled the “Always calculate and save fuel consumption” setting, Car Scanner will extend its recording to include all fuel consumption-related parameters and any parameters used in these calculations. This feature is particularly useful for diagnosing fuel efficiency issues and analyzing driving patterns.
Recording File Management: Data recordings are saved automatically when you disconnect from the vehicle by pressing the “Disconnect” button or when you manually turn off the “Record data” option. It is crucial to disconnect properly or disable recording before exiting the application or navigating away from the “Data recording” section to ensure your data is saved correctly. Abruptly closing the app or navigating away during recording will result in data loss for the current session.
Numeric Data Priority: Car Scanner is optimized for quantitative analysis, and therefore, it exclusively records data with numeric values. Text-based data, such as diagnostic trouble code descriptions, are not included in the data logs. This focus on numerical data ensures efficient data processing and analysis within spreadsheet or data analysis software.

Analyzing Recorded OBDII Data: Viewing and Interpretation

Once you have recorded vehicle data, Car Scanner provides intuitive tools for reviewing and interpreting the captured information directly within the app. Navigate back to the Data Recording section and select the desired recording file. You will be presented with a list of all recorded parameters. Simply tick the checkboxes next to the parameters you wish to visualize.

Reviewing recorded OBDII data logs in the Car Scanner app with chart visualization tools.

Car Scanner offers two distinct visualization modes:

Separate Charts: Each selected parameter is displayed on an individual chart, allowing for focused analysis of single parameters and their behavior over time. This is ideal for examining specific sensor readings or system responses in isolation.
Combined Chart: All selected parameters are overlaid on a single graph, facilitating the comparison of multiple parameters and the identification of correlations or dependencies between different vehicle systems. This mode is particularly useful for analyzing system interactions and identifying complex issues involving multiple parameters.

The data viewing interface includes interactive features such as scaling and scrolling, allowing you to zoom in on specific timeframes or data ranges and navigate through the entire recording. In combined chart mode, you can further refine your analysis by selecting zoom modes for the X-axis (time), Y-axis (value), or both simultaneously. For precise data point analysis, holding your finger on the chart will display the exact value of each parameter at the selected point in time.

Exporting OBDII Data for Advanced Analysis and Sharing

To leverage the full power of recorded OBDII data, Car Scanner allows you to export your recordings for in-depth analysis using external tools or for sharing with colleagues. Export functionality is available in two formats: CSV and BRC.

CSV (Comma Separated Values): This is a universally compatible plain text format that can be opened by virtually any spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, or even simple text editors. CSV format is ideal for importing data into data analysis software or for sharing data in an easily accessible format.
BRC (Car Scanner Internal Format): This is Car Scanner’s proprietary data format, which preserves all data integrity and app-specific information. BRC files can only be imported and read by Car Scanner itself. This format is best suited for sharing recordings with other Car Scanner users or for archiving data for future use within the app.

The export procedure differs slightly between iOS and Android platforms:

Export on iOS:

Method 1 (Share Sheet):

Swipe left on the recording file you wish to export.
Tap “More” and then “Share“.
Choose your desired format: CSV or BRC.
Select your preferred sharing method, such as email, messaging apps, or cloud storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Method 2 (iTunes File Sharing – BRC format only):

Connect your iOS device to a computer (Mac or PC) and launch iTunes.
Select your connected device in iTunes and navigate to “File Sharing”.
Choose “Car Scanner” from the app list.
Locate the desired BRC file in the list and drag it to your desktop or any folder on your computer.

Export on Android:

Long-press (touch and hold) the recording file you want to export. A “Share” button will appear at the top of the screen (or possibly under a three-dot menu depending on your device).
Tap the “Share” button.
Select your desired format: CSV or BRC.
Choose your preferred sharing method, such as email, messaging apps, or cloud storage services.

Importing OBDII Data: Sharing and Accessing Previous Recordings

Car Scanner supports importing recorded data in BRC format only. CSV import is not supported. Importing allows you to access recordings shared by others or to restore your own archived data.

Import on iOS (iTunes File Sharing):

Connect your iOS device to a computer (Mac or PC) and launch iTunes.
Select your connected device in iTunes and navigate to “File Sharing”.
Choose “Car Scanner” from the app list.
Drag and drop the BRC file you wish to import into the Car Scanner file sharing window in iTunes.

Import on Android:

Simply locate the .BRC file on your Android device (e.g., in your email app or file manager).
Tap the .BRC file. Car Scanner will automatically launch and import the recording. You can then find the imported file in the Data Recording section of the app.

Managing Your OBDII Data Recordings: Rename and Delete

Car Scanner provides essential file management features to keep your data recordings organized. By default, files are named using the recording start date and time (YEAR-MONTH-DAY HOUR-MINUTE-SECOND).

Renaming Recordings:

iOS: Swipe left on the file, tap “More,” and then “Rename.”
Android: Long-press the file, and a “Rename” button will appear at the top (or under a three-dot menu).
Enter your desired new file name, ensuring you avoid special characters that are not permitted in filenames. Tap “OK” to save the new name.

Deleting Recordings:

Deleting a Single Recording:

iOS: Swipe left on the file, tap “Delete,” and confirm deletion.
Android: Long-press the file, and a “Delete” button will appear at the top (or under a three-dot menu), confirm deletion.

Deleting All Recordings:

Tap the trash can icon (usually located at the top or bottom of the Data Recording screen) and confirm the deletion to remove all recorded data files.

By mastering Car Scanner’s OBDII data recording features, automotive professionals can significantly enhance their diagnostic capabilities, moving beyond simple code reading to in-depth data analysis for more accurate and efficient vehicle repairs.