850 OBD-II

Review by eFreeware

If you own a 1996–2004 Volvo and already have an ELM327 adapter lying around, this app is probably the most direct way to get real diagnostic information out of the car. The developer built it specifically for the P80 generation, with growing support for the P1 and P2 platforms, and it goes well past what a generic OBD-II scanner will show you. Instead of only reading the standard emissions-related codes, it talks to individual modules directly, which is where older Volvos tend to hide their more interesting faults.

The price is $1.99, there are no ads, and there are no in-app purchases. For a tool that a home mechanic might reach for every few months, that is a straightforward arrangement: you pay once and the app is yours. The developer describes it as a terminal tool for ELM327 adapters, which is an accurate way to think about it. It assumes you know roughly what you are doing and it gives you the access to do it.

Reading modules the standard scanner misses

The central idea is that standard OBD-II often fails on these cars. A fault can be present without a P-code showing up, because the affected module does not report through the generic channel. This app addresses that by connecting to modules individually, so you can see what a specific control unit has to say rather than waiting for the car to volunteer it through the usual port.

The supported list is long and platform-dependent. On the P2 platform from 2000 onward, including the 1998 and later S80, it reaches CEM, ABS/BCM, TCM, ME7, MSA15.8, EDC16, ETM and DEM. For the S40 and V40 up to 2004, ABS and dashboard programming are supported.

The developer is upfront about what will not respond. Yazaki dashboards, the M4.3 and MFI systems, Fenix 5.2, Motronic M4.3, the ECC air conditioning and cruise control are not reachable through an ELM327 adapter. Knowing it in advance saves a frustrating afternoon of trying to force a connection that will never happen.

Codes, live data and service resets

The everyday features are the ones most owners will use first. You can read and clear fault codes, including Volvo-specific DTCs that the app translates rather than leaving as raw numbers. The service light reset handles the SRI reminder. If the SRS light is on and there are no remaining fault codes, the developer notes it will turn off.

Live data is available across a wide set of modules: ABS and BCM on the P80 platform, SRS, the instrument cluster, the AW 50-42 and AW 30-43 automatic gearboxes, MSA15.7, Motronic 4.4, ME7 over CAN, the immobilizer, VGLA, ECC, power seats and the heater control. Watching values scroll in real time is useful when you are trying to work out whether a sensor is behaving or drifting.

Beyond reading, the app can program and adjust module parameters through the advanced commands section. Examples the developer gives include injector testing on Motronic M4.4, dynamic timing on the TDi fuel pump with MSA15.7, and VGLA remote programming, which the developer describes as now being possible without a dealership. It can also read system information such as ECU part numbers and configurations, which helps when you need to match a replacement module.

Using it as a plain ELM327 terminal

One feature that is easy to overlook is the terminal mode. The service screen also accepts manual commands, and you can queue several at once. For anyone who has spent time typing AT commands into a serial console, having that capability inside the same app that already knows about Volvo modules is a practical convenience.

An information button in the app offers guidance on this. The website is also described as the most complete reference for the full command list, since the in-app description runs out of space. That is worth remembering before assuming a particular function is absent.

What the app asks of you

The main requirement is an ELM327 adapter, version 1.4b or newer, connected over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB. The developer singles out firmware quality as the most common source of trouble: cheap adapters with incomplete command sets can handle standard OBD-II but fail on the app's more specific functions. The app has a pop-up that notifies you when this is detected, which at least tells you where the problem lies rather than leaving you guessing.

On P2 cars from 2005 onward, including the S60, S80 and the later V70, XC70 and S40 ranges, the developer advises changing the CAN Bus year setting to 2005 up to establish a connection on supported modules. It is a small step, but one that would otherwise look like a failed adapter or a broken app.

The location permission is requested because of how Bluetooth scanning works on Android. Wi-Fi support requires the change Wi-Fi state and internet permissions. The app may still have bugs, since testing is mostly done on one car and a bench, and logs sent by email help get them fixed.

Getting the most from a diagnostic session

Go in with a plan. Decide which module you care about before you plug in, because the value of this app is in the specific access it provides, not in a broad automatic scan that tells you everything at once. If you are chasing an intermittent fault, the live data view is the place to spend time, watching the relevant values while the symptom is present.

Keep the adapter firmware question in mind from the start. If the app flags your ELM327 as limited, replacing it with a better one is likely to open up functions that currently fail. That is a hardware purchase, not an in-app one.

For P2 cars from 2005 on, check the CAN Bus year setting before you conclude anything is broken. When something does go wrong, sending an email log is the intended path. The feedback loop is part of how it improves.

A focused tool for older Volvo owners

At $1.99 with no ads and no in-app purchases, the cost is low enough that the decision rests almost entirely on whether you own a compatible car and an ELM327 adapter. If you do, the app covers a range of modules and functions that generic scanners simply do not reach on these vehicles. The service light reset alone is the kind of thing that pays for itself the first time you avoid a dealer visit.

The app is not trying to be a universal OBD-II solution. It is built around a specific set of Volvo platforms and a specific adapter, and it is honest about the modules it cannot reach. Owners of 1996–2004 Volvos, and increasingly the P1 and P2 cars, who are comfortable working through module-by-module diagnostics will get the most from it. The developer's willingness to act on emailed logs suggests it will keep improving.

What's new in version 2.0.2

-Rewrite CAN Bus fault code reading to easier up to keep plus fixes on some known issues. -Fixed multiple Day mode theme related issues.