Elgrand Android APP

[KKOK]

I built an android app for my own E51 (a S1 2002 Highway Star on LPG) to allow me to read / reset fault codes without a JOBD reader or using my laptop, anyway the functionality has grown to be a full on e51 Elgrand diagnostic / health monitoring tool, It's turned out well enough that I think it could be useful to other members, so I'm happy to share it.

I should say up front that I'm not an Elgrand expert & relied on this forum for advice to develop the app. The E51 uses Nissan's own Consult-II protocol rather than generic OBD-II, so I logged and decoded / reverse engineered my own van's Consult-II signals (a bit of a pain to do & may contain misinterpretations of signals / data). There's a lot of knowledge on this forum that I don't have, and your input would make a real difference to finishing it properly & rolling out to the forum.

What it does

• How: Downloads from Android Play Store, runs off your android headunit or phone / tablet. Connects to a (good) Elm327 or STN OBD dongle (I used a vLinker MC+), can also connect by VAG K line cable.
• Fault codes: reads and clears codes from the engine, gearbox, ABS and airbag modules off your phone / headunit.
• Cat monitoring: compares the rear lambda sensors with the front ones, and bank 1 with bank 2, and tracks the trend over weeks to attempt to flag the early signs of a failing cat.
• Health checks: fuel trims (petrol and gas), all four lambda sensors, alternator and battery (including the voltage dip while cranking), coolant, gearbox temperature and warm idle. Each check gives a plain-English verdict and the figures behind it. For best output the app needs to run on every drive and data collects over time to show trends.
• MPG: live, per trip and per tank, kept separately for petrol and LPG. It calibrates itself from data pushed by the van.
• LPG gauge: tracks gas used and remaining, with a range estimate (no more resetting trip counter).
• Trip log: every drive is logged with distance, fuel and cost.
• Head-unit dashboard and Android Auto: a live view of the van with every reading shown. The head unit or phone connects by itself every drive.
• Workshop: service and MOT reminders, a soft-tyre check using the ABS sensors, and active tests (these only run when the van is parked and idling).
• Garage report: Health report & log outputs you can share and analyse away from the van.

What you need: an Android phone or head unit (Android 8 or newer), and a Bluetooth OBD dongle. The vLinker MC is the one that's been tested.



Looking for beta testers

So far it's only been tested on my S1 van. Before I share it with the forum properly, I'm after a handful of E51 owners to help iron out the creases. Petrol and LPG vans are both welcome. It would also help to hear from anyone who knows these vans well and can tell me when a verdict or a reading doesn't look right. There's a Report button in the app that bundles up everything I need.

Nothing leaves your phone unless you choose to share it. It's free, with no account and no adverts, and it's an independent project that I'm happy to share with the forum if useful.

If you're interested, PM me and I'll send you the test link - I think I'll limit it to a few initially to make sure others can connect / use as I do.

Cheers, Kev

 

[LeStempy]

Nice work. I think perhaps most useful for me would be options to interrogate the ECU's that NDS doesn't see, The BCM and 4WD.

I don't have an Android HU as I've fitted a mini Windows11 PC to mine and have a permanent OBD/USB connection to NDS2 so not much use as a guinea pig but I'm sure there will be a few up for it. Good luck with the development.

 

[KKOK]

Nice work. I think perhaps most useful for me would be options to interrogate the ECU's that NDS doesn't see, The BCM and 4WD.

I don't have an Android HU as I've fitted a mini Windows11 PC to mine and have a permanent OBD/USB connection to NDS2 so not much use as a guinea pig but I'm sure there will be a few up for it. Good luck with the development.

Thanks. I used a windows tablet and NDS2 until recently with VAG cable. It's a shame as I was hoping your expertise would fill some gaps in the app! I have built in an address scanner into the app but at present can only read ECU / ABS / SRS and Gearbox - I can't see BCM & don't have 4wd on my van... It will run on your android phone if you fancy a go...

 

[KKOK]

I built an android app for my own E51 (a S1 2002 Highway Star on LPG) to allow me to read / reset fault codes without a JOBD reader or using my laptop, anyway the functionality has grown to be a full on e51 Elgrand diagnostic / health monitoring tool, It's turned out well enough that I think it could be useful to other members, so I'm happy to share it.

I should say up front that I'm not an Elgrand expert & relied on this forum for advice to develop the app. The E51 uses Nissan's own Consult-II protocol rather than generic OBD-II, so I logged and decoded / reverse engineered my own van's Consult-II signals (a bit of a pain to do & may contain misinterpretations of signals / data). There's a lot of knowledge on this forum that I don't have, and your input would make a real difference to finishing it properly & rolling out to the forum.

What it does

• How: Downloads from Android Play Store, runs off your android headunit or phone / tablet. Connects to a (good) Elm327 or STN OBD dongle (I used a vLinker MC+), can also connect by VAG K line cable.
• Fault codes: reads and clears codes from the engine, gearbox, ABS and airbag modules off your phone / headunit.
• Cat monitoring: compares the rear lambda sensors with the front ones, and bank 1 with bank 2, and tracks the trend over weeks to attempt to flag the early signs of a failing cat.
• Health checks: fuel trims (petrol and gas), all four lambda sensors, alternator and battery (including the voltage dip while cranking), coolant, gearbox temperature and warm idle. Each check gives a plain-English verdict and the figures behind it. For best output the app needs to run on every drive and data collects over time to show trends.
• MPG: live, per trip and per tank, kept separately for petrol and LPG. It calibrates itself from data pushed by the van.
• LPG gauge: tracks gas used and remaining, with a range estimate (no more resetting trip counter).
• Trip log: every drive is logged with distance, fuel and cost.
• Head-unit dashboard and Android Auto: a live view of the van with every reading shown. The head unit or phone connects by itself every drive.
• Workshop: service and MOT reminders, a soft-tyre check using the ABS sensors, and active tests (these only run when the van is parked and idling).
• Garage report: Health report & log outputs you can share and analyse away from the van.

What you need: an Android phone or head unit (Android 8 or newer), and a Bluetooth OBD dongle. The vLinker MC is the one that's been tested.

View attachment 122135

Looking for beta testers

So far it's only been tested on my S1 van. Before I share it with the forum properly, I'm after a handful of E51 owners to help iron out the creases. Petrol and LPG vans are both welcome. It would also help to hear from anyone who knows these vans well and can tell me when a verdict or a reading doesn't look right. There's a Report button in the app that bundles up everything I need.

Nothing leaves your phone unless you choose to share it. It's free, with no account and no adverts, and it's an independent project that I'm happy to share with the forum if useful.

If you're interested, PM me and I'll send you the test link - I think I'll limit it to a few initially to make sure others can connect / use as I do.

Cheers, Kev

Some screen shots from live drive off my android head unit.

 

[sg66]

@Lpgc

 

[LeStempy]

Thanks. I used a windows tablet and NDS2 until recently with VAG cable. It's a shame as I was hoping your expertise would fill some gaps in the app! I have built in an address scanner into the app but at present can only read ECU / ABS / SRS and Gearbox - I can't see BCM & don't have 4wd on my van... It will run on your android phone if you fancy a go...

Can put it my phone if you want to PM me the details, happy to help if I can.

 

[Lpgc]

@Lpgc

Kev @KKOK has been PM'ing me about this but thanks for tagging me anyway

 

[Londonglide]

Have become a Beta Tester.....probably more about which adapters work/don't work at this point.
I have a number of usb types for various vehicles, but I think it will be interesting to see how many Bluetooth adapters work, which seems to be the main sticking point for other vehicles I have.
Software loaded nicely on my Android 14 Tablet btw.

 

[KKOK]

Have become a Beta Tester.....probably more about which adapters work/don't work at this point.
I have a number of usb types for various vehicles, but I think it will be interesting to see how many Bluetooth adapters work, which seems to be the main sticking point for other vehicles I have.
Software loaded nicely on my Android 14 Tablet btw.

The app should work with ELM dongles but due to their slower (than vLinker or similar STN dongles) read rate the app automatically tones down polling of the gearbox / ABS modules, on the vLinker dongle it polls the other modules once a minute - this gets turned off when using an ELM to allow it to focus on the engine module alone. I'm going to borrow a £5 pound ELM off a pal and test as well as a wifi dongle. I think the cheapest STN capable is the vLinker BM+ at £23 quid on eBay (not tested but same chip as mine).