Piston

Unlock the full potential of your vehicle's diagnostics with Piston, bringing all the essential information directly to your mobile device. If your Check Engine Light (MIL) is on, Piston transforms your phone into a powerful car scanner. It allows you to read Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and view the Freeze Frame data, pinpointing the exact issues your car is facing. This comprehensive insight helps you address and resolve problems efficiently.

To get started, you'll need an ELM327 based adapter, available in Bluetooth or WiFi versions, which you connect to your vehicle's OBD2 socket. Piston offers step-by-step guidance on the connection process, accessible from the Home page after your first installation or anytime via the Settings menu.

With Piston, you gain access to a suite of features that enhance your diagnostic experience:

• Read and clear Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) as defined by the OBD2 standard
• Explore Freeze Frame data, capturing a snapshot of sensor data at the moment an issue was detected by the ECU
• Monitor real-time data from vehicle sensors
• Check the status of Readiness Monitors, ensuring your emission control systems are functioning correctly
• Save the DTCs you've read to a local history
• Log into your account to store DTCs in the cloud for future reference
• View detailed charts of sensor readouts
• Export sensor data in real-time to a file for further analysis
• Verify your car's VIN number
• Inspect ECU details, including the OBD protocol and PIDs

Some of these advanced features are part of our Premium package, available through a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks all premium functionalities without any recurring subscriptions.

To utilize Piston as a car scanner, you will need a separate ELM327 compatible device, either Bluetooth or WiFi. Piston supports both OBD-II (also known as OBDII or OBD2) and EOBD standards, ensuring broad compatibility across different vehicles.

In the USA, all vehicles sold since 1996 must comply with the OBD2 standard. In the European Union, EOBD compliance was required for petrol vehicles from 2001 and diesel vehicles from 2004. In Australia and New Zealand, OBD2 became mandatory for petrol cars from 2006 and diesel cars from 2007.

Please note: Piston can only access the data that your vehicle supports and provides through the OBD2 standard.

For any inquiries or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

What's New in the Latest Version 3.8.0

Last updated on Aug 2, 2024

• Support for Android 14
• Enhanced Sensor Selection Screen for easier navigation
• Added support for additional sensors, though availability may vary by vehicle