September 12, 2014
By Christopher Collins
Trailering can be stressful, having a CEL harassing you from the dash doesn't help calm any nerves, either.
When it comes to trailering your boat, besides keeping your trailer in tip-top shape, keeping the vehicle you tow with up-to-spec is just as crucial. If you are throwing a check engine light (CEL), the odds are you're losing precious towing power and eating up unnecessary dollars at the gas pump. Not only that, breaking down on a fishing road trip is just no fun!
While auto parts stores often offer a free "auto diagnostic" service that will tell you what engine "codes" are making your CEL active, it's often an inconvenience and they won't clear them for you if you have already attempted to solve the issue.
Lemur Monitors recently introduced the BlueDriver, a small bluetooth "scan tool" code reader that plugs into your vehicles OBDII port, models 1996 and newer, that gives driver's real-time data on a myriad of engine information. Not only can you check out the codes your vehicles computer is already throwing out, but you can see possible trouble codes and view live engine data. Everything from the voltage readouts on every oxygen sensor and individual cylinder misfire data to simple engine operating temperatures. When putting your car or truck under the stresses of trailering a boat, especially long distances, this could certainly prove invaluable.
Using it is simple, as well, just download the BlueDriver App on your IOS or Android device and then plug the driver into your cars OBDII port. A blue light should begin to flash on the driver, just the bluetooth connection and get to scanning. The App is very user-friendly (free!) and also includes five free repair reports, which help users find possible solutions to engine codes. The App also allows you to easily delete codes, while this does not fix the problem it allows users to try possible solutions and see if the code reappears.
For more information visit www.lemurmonitors.com .