Standard Equipment And Options

[Ty]

Are we even sure Elio will have an OBDII compliant vehicle? There was some past discussions and if I remember in one of the many Elio videos someone said it would be more like what is used in India to keep the cost down.

I think it was Jerome who said it would be OBDII compliant. Of course, what level that entails is anyone's guess.

 

[xtspode]

I just keep the ELM always plugged in (I have one in each car since they are so cheap) and then use an app on my phone to read info and if a check engine light comes on, the codes comes up and I can click on it and see what it is. From there, an internet search can get you most of the info you need. What Elio should do is just equip every car with bluetooth. Then you (the owner) can download an app that would do more than generic OBD-II but allow you to access every system (i.e. airbags, ABS). Have that app link to a self help section so the owner can quickly diagnose an issue and then properly repair it.

A good example would be if an ABS sensor goes out. Your phone alerts you as to what the code is. You do a click and it gives you what to check and how to replace the defective sensor. Then a "buy it now" button. Part is delivered through someone like Amazon and you get it with free 2nd air shipping. I would think this would be a great thing for the DIY's.

I thought you had to have it unplugged when you finished using it. No problem with just leaving it plugged in all the time though??

 

[Ty]

I thought you had to have it unplugged when you finished using it. No problem with just leaving it plugged in all the time though??

I don't keep mine plugged in all the time though I probably could. I think it powers down after not getting a signal for so long.

 

[Muzhik]

Well put, and there is a vast range of comfortable with technology/mechanical devices. There are lots of ways to insulate the operator from the device or machine so that they don't have to know anything other than to put the lid down when they are done and push the little flush thingy.

Reminds me of a Tom Cruise film mumble mumble years ago called "Days of Thunder." Never saw it, heard it wasn't Cruise's best, but what stuck with me was a bit I heard on the radio where Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) got into a fight with the head of the pit team (Robert Duvall? Randy Quaid?) and the head learned that Trickle didn't know how an engine works. Trickle's reply was to the effect that he didn't need to know how to fix it, he just needed to know how to drive it.

 

[RSchneider]

If I'm going to park the car for a week, I unplug it because I would think it would produce some sort of drain on the battery.

As for OBD-II compliance, pretty much other things like motorcycles are going that way because the whole system has been around since 1996 and OBD-I even longer. Using something proprietary is not a good idea because you will get many people upset. There's more than OBD-II too. You have to communicate with all of the other systems in the car and that's normally done through the CAN-BUS (which is routed to your OBD-II port). I doubt the Elio would not have that because it's an extremely efficient for all of the systems to talk to each other and since they have Bosch and Teves supplying most of the electronics, there is no way they would ever make anything today that wouldn't have that.

The OBD-II functions and all of the other systems can be routed through a bluetooth or Wi-Fi unit and then to your phone. I know some cars already have it.

 

[Muzhik]

BTW... Why is this information such a secret? Why do I need to buy a $10 piece of equipment when I have this great screen right in my truck.

I was going to make some comment about looking it up in the owner's manual (if you can find it under all the trash in the glove compartment) until I wondered: do cars include the owner's manual anymore?

Of course, when my CEL came on in my 20-yo Honda, I had to go online to learn all I had to do was to use a paper clip to press the reset button; the light was to get you to come in for your regular scheduled service (flush brake fluid, check transmission fluid, etc.)

 

[Ty]

Reminds me of a Tom Cruise film mumble mumble years ago called "Days of Thunder." Never saw it, heard it wasn't Cruise's best, but what stuck with me was a bit I heard on the radio where Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) got into a fight with the head of the pit team (Robert Duvall? Randy Quaid?) and the head learned that Trickle didn't know how an engine works. Trickle's reply was to the effect that he didn't need to know how to fix it, he just needed to know how to drive it.

Great movie and good line. That was the first indication on why he and the team lead weren't working well together. Cole didn't speak the language. As soon as they showed him how the different things affected the car and thus his driving, he was better for it. The same goes for the average consumer. The more then know about their car and how what they do affects it, the more likely they are to take better care of it. How many people even wax cars any more? It helps keep water from permeating the clear coat and paint which can cause all sorts of paint maladies... simply waxing a vehicle a couple times a year does wonders for resale.

 

[Muzhik]

Great movie and good line. That was the first indication on why he and the team lead weren't working well together.

Huh. Maybe I'll see if the local library has it on DVD.

 

[Doug McDow]

Great movie and good line. That was the first indication on why he and the team lead weren't working well together. Cole didn't speak the language. As soon as they showed him how the different things affected the car and thus his driving, he was better for it. The same goes for the average consumer. The more then know about their car and how what they do affects it, the more likely they are to take better care of it. How many people even wax cars any more? It helps keep water from permeating the clear coat and paint which can cause all sorts of paint maladies... simply waxing a vehicle a couple times a year does wonders for resale.

I still wash my Truck every week and wax it 3 times a year, and I keep it in my Garage. I also change my own Oil and filter. Always have.

 

[xtspode]

I still wash my Truck every week and wax it 3 times a year, and I keep it in my Garage. I also change my own Oil and filter. Always have.

Would love to wash my truck this week, but the frozen mud on it just won't thaw much. Saw 22 degrees today and it felt pretty good until the sun went away. 8 degrees last night. Weatherman says we are looking to warm up to daytime max of high 30's by the weekend. I need to change the oil so that would be good. Not really good motorcycle riding weather, but it would be great in an Elio, hint, hint . Planning for a motorcycle ride in Feb in Death Valley.