How do I install CarChip in my car?
To install CarChip or CarChipE/X, first find the OBDII port on your vehicle. The D-shaped OBDII port will be located within three feet of the steering wheel and should be easily accessible to a person in the driver's seat. If you have trouble finding your OBDII port, don't forget to look under the dashboard or in the dashboard area in front of the passenger seat. For help finding your OBDII port, visit National OBD Clearing House interactive database. Once you find the OBDII connector, plug CarChip into it. Check to make sure CarChip’s indicator light is blinking. This verifies that CarChip was properly inserted into the OBDII port and is communicating with your vehicle.

What is the difference between CarChip, CarChipE/X, and CarChipE/X with Alarm?
CarChip records up to 75 hours of trip details. It monitors the time and date of each trip, distance traveled, speed, idle time, hard accelerations and decelerations, and the time and date of each time CarChip was connected or disconnected. CarChip also monitors engine diagnostic trouble codes and the status of engine parameters at the time the codes occurred.

CarChipE/X records up to 300 hours of trip details. (Actual number of hours logged depends on the number of parameters monitored and the logging interval selected by the user.) CarChipE/X has all the features of CarChip plus it allows you to select and monitor any four out of 23 additional engine parameters in addition to those recorded by CarChip. The user can set CarChipE/X to re-cord data at intervals between 5 to 60 seconds. CarChipE/X also has an accident log which shows the last critical 20 seconds of speed before a hard deceleration. CarChipE/X with Alarm offers all the features of CarChipE/X as well as an audible alarm that sounds when the driver exceeds the acceleration or deceleration limits you have set.

How do I connect CarChip to a computer? Can I use a USB port?
If you have a serial version of CarChip (product numbers 8210, 8220, 8240, or 8244), your download cable requires a serial port connection. In order to use a USB port with these CarChips, you will need our Serial to USB adapter, product number 8434.

If you have the USB version of CarChip (product numbers 8211, 8221, 8225, 8241, or 8245) your download cable requires a USB port connection. To connect CarChip to your computer, locate a free port on your computer and insert the 9-pin connector or USB connector of the download cable into the port. (For serial port versions, you must also plug the power adapter cable into the power jack on the 9-Pin connector, and plug the power supply into an AC outlet.) Then plug the 8-pin micro connector into the port on the CarChip data logger. CarChip is now interfaced to the computer.

Can I connect my CarChip to a Mac?
CarChip is not compatible with Macintosh computers.

How does CarChip work?
CarChip plugs into the OBDII port, which is found in most 1996 or newer vehicles, to record trip and performance data. The data is then downloaded into your computer, providing a detailed look at how the vehicle was driven. It also detects any OBDII trouble codes which might occur during the trip. CarChip software displays vehicle data in summary, plot or table format and can also be exported to Microsoft Excel.

What is OBDII?
OBDII stands for "on-board diagnostics two." It is the on-board automotive diagnostics system that has been required by the EPA on every new motor vehicle sold in the USA since 1996. The on-board diagnostics system monitors virtually every component that can affect vehicle emissions and many other vehicle functions and operations as well. Any detected problems will be recorded by OBDII and will cause the vehicle's "check engine" light to be illuminated.

Will CarChip work with my vehicle?
Generally all vehicles, both foreign and domestic, model years 1996, later and sold in the USA will work with CarChip. Starting in 1996, all vehicles made for sale in the US and Canada were mandated to have an OBDII connection that complies with specific protocols. The protocols are: J1850-41.6, J1850-10.4, ISO 9141, and KWP2000 (ISO 14320). Some vehicle manufacturers have begun to adopt a newer protocol (CAN) in their latest models. CarChips shipped as of April 2005 (model numbers 8211, 8221, 8225, 8241, and 8245) will also accommodate this newer protocol as well as the four prior protocols. Please check our CarChip Conflicts and Exclusions for a list of vehicles that use the CAN protocol, as well as vehicles that have a known conflict with CarChip.

What are the additional 23 parameters that CarChipE/X will monitor?
CarChipE/X and CarChipE/X with Alarm can monitor vehicle speed, engine speed, coolant temperature, en-gi ne load, intake manifold pressure, air flow rate, intake air temperature, timing advance, fuel pressure, fuel system status, short term fuel trim (two sensors), long term fuel trim (two sensors), battery voltage and oxy-gen sensor output voltage (eight sensors). You may select four parameters to monitor during a trip and you can change the selection using CarChip’s software.

Can I get real time data with CarChip?
No, there is no way that you can get real-time data from CarChip. CarChip must be unplugged from the OBDII connector and connected to your PC via the included serial or USB download cable to download and review your vehicle’s data.

Will CarChip clear trouble codes?
CarChip will report what the cause of the light was, and provide a “snapshot” of the engine’s parameters at the time the light came on. While CarChip will not clear the trouble code from the engine’s computer, it will, in most cases, allow you to turn the “Check Engine” light off. You do this through the software by “instructing” CarChip to reset the light the next time it is plugged into the vehicle. If the issue that caused the light to come on is still there, then the “Check Engine” light will illuminate again.