ScanGauge OBD-II Questions: Location & Need to unplug for dealer service?

That is the OBDII connector.

No need to unplug it unless the shop needs to plug in a scanner to retrieve DTCs.

 

At which point they will likely unplug it themselves.

 

2009Prius,

I don't think this question is at all trivial as it speaks to your
relationship with your "service team;" the service writer and the tech(s).

I've got a ScanGauge and I keep it hooked up when I go in for service.
I have it located on the dash, just to the left of the MFD. I've had five
service visits at four different dealers from Maine (2) to Florida... It
just worked out that way due family related travel.

I think that I'm sending a clear message to the service team that I'm
not your typical "just drive it" Prius owner. My last experience at the
Toyota dealer in Portland, ME was telling. At this dealer, the service
writer walked with me to where Amapola was parked in the covered
bay to "see what you've got."

He saw the SG and asked what readouts I used -- he didn't have a
Prius "yet." So we talked SG, MPGs, pulling codes, etc for a few
minutes.

I don't know if it was this exchange or the dealership as a whole, but it
was the best service I've gotten, friendly and fast.

At the other dealers not a word was said about the SG. I wonder what
that means? Like what, they didn't see it? Yeah, right... sometimes the
readouts have been changed!

One note: when I go in, I do change the EVM(ode) readout. I don't
want to hear any BS about "not OEM," not authorized in NA," etc.

Hope this helps.

 

The first couple of times I took my '07 Camry Hybrid in, I removed and hid the SGII (just in case they claimed that it might damage the car SOMEHOW). The third time, I forgot, and nothing was said.

Until this last time, there was no problem.

Since my car is going out of warranty. I wanted to get ALL TSB's and problems corrected. One problem was the AM radio was picking up only 2 stations. The tech claimed to have removed radio (w/ NAV) and placed it in another car, then it picked up "dozens" of stations. His diagnosis:

CUST HAS RADAR DETECTOR IN CAR. TOYOTA ENGINEERS ADVISE THAT THE USE OF THE DETECTOR CAN/WILL INTERFERE WITH OTHER DEVICES IN THE CAR.
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In VA, radar detectors are ILLEGAL! The radar detector? My SGII. When "Service Manager" talked to me about the detector interfering w/ radio, I told him it was a Scan Gauge. Response: "HUH? What's that?"

So, I would say, leave it in and don't worry about it unless they can't figure out what the problem is, then they'll claim that the problem was the Scan Gauge. Easy to pull the plug and tell them to try again.

-- Side note, after the radio/NAV head was removed, put into another car, then replaced, my NAV presets were still there. (I thought removing power would erase radio AND NAV presets.) So I really doubt that he swapped out the radio. :suspicious: :focus:

 

One poster's here would not work after the service but don't recall the results, if the connector was deactivated if that is possible, or what.

 

I had to take my 2004 in to get the brake pedal sensor replaced and forgot to unplug my scan gauge like I usually do. I got a call from the service rep asking me what it was. I assumed at the time it was idle curiosity. I explained and was a bit surprised they couldn't figure it out themselves. Anyway nothing was said or written on the work sheet so no harm, no foul.

edit: forgot. I got some velcro and stuck mine to the dash behind the steering wheel. The cord fits nicely in a crevice between the steering wheel column and the console to the socket. The excess was coiled up and stashed under the dash.

 

I've had CAN-View installed for 3 years, and i've had the rare instances where they didn't plug-in the CAN-View properly, which caused some glitches with the dash, like false VSC, ABS failures.

 

RonH, could you post some pics on your install.

 

I was just about to ask the same question as the OP; thank you for a well written response.

I had unplugged the SG2 from the OBD2 port (and left the cable dangling near the port) just before we brought our Prius into our local dealer for the 10k servicing this week.

The mechanic helpfully plugged our SG2 back into the OBD2 port when they finished with our car! Pleasantly surprised!