Support
Support
Most problems are one of the ones below. If yours is not, write to us and a person will answer.
Common problems
These are the ones that come up most. For anything else, the M1 manual covers every screen in the app, from plugging the adapter in to reading what came back.
How do I claim the DriveDecode Pro months that came with my adapter?
There is no code to enter. Open Settings, tap redeem adapter order, and enter the order number from your purchase. The full steps are at drivedecode.co/claim. Pro attaches to your account, so sign in first if you have not. If you cannot find the order number, or the redemption will not go through, email us and we will look it up. Nothing else in the app needs this: trouble codes, live data, freeze frame and readiness monitors are free and work with no account at all.
The app cannot find my adapter.
Turn the ignition to on before scanning. The OBD-II port has no power in some vehicles until it is, and the adapter's light should come on. Then check that the adapter is not paired in your phone's own Bluetooth settings: DriveDecode connects to it directly, and a system pairing can hold the link open so the app cannot claim it. If it is listed there, choose forget this device and scan again from inside the app.
It connected but says it cannot talk to the car.
That means the adapter is awake and the car is not answering. Almost always the ignition is off or only in accessory, and accessory power wakes the adapter but not the engine computer. Turn the key to on, or press start without your foot on the brake. If the engine is running and it still fails, unplug the adapter and plug it back in, which forces a fresh protocol search.
One live gauge shows "--" and never fills in.
Your car does not report that sensor. Every vehicle publishes a different subset of the standard readings, and the list a car advertises is often longer than what it actually answers. DriveDecode keeps asking anyway, at no cost to the rest of the screen, so the reading appears the moment your car starts answering, when a hybrid restarts its engine for example.
Why can I not see my ABS or airbag light?
Generic OBD-II only guarantees access to engine and emissions systems. ABS, airbag, TPMS and transmission-specific codes live on manufacturer-specific channels that need make-specific decoding, and no generic adapter can read them. We would rather say so plainly than sell you something that disappoints.
I cleared my codes and now I cannot pass emissions.
Clearing codes also resets your readiness monitors, and a test station will fail a car whose monitors have not run. They reset themselves over a mix of driving, typically 50 to 100 miles including highway and stop-and-go. Check the readiness screen in the app before you drive to the station.
The battery check says my charging voltage is low.
Run it again with the headlights and blower on. Many newer cars deliberately dial charging back to 12.6 to 13.2 volts under light load to save fuel, and that is normal. If the voltage climbs once the load is on, nothing is wrong. If it stays low, the alternator, its belt or a connection is worth having looked at. Note this is a voltage reading, not a load test. A battery can read a healthy 12.6 volts and still fail to start the car on a cold morning.
Can I give my mechanic something from the app?
Yes. A scan or a readiness check exports as a PDF with your vehicle details, the codes and what they mean, or as a CSV if you would rather have it in a spreadsheet. Print it, share it, or look at it on screen first.
Can I see the app before I buy an adapter?
Yes. The first screen offers "Explore with sample data", which runs the whole app against a simulated vehicle, with no adapter, no account and no connection needed. Everything is marked as sample data, including exports.
Do I need a subscription?
Not for diagnostics. Reading and clearing trouble codes, live data, freeze frame, readiness monitors, the battery and fuel trim checks and PDF reports are free, with no account and nothing recurring. DriveDecode Pro is a subscription and it unlocks one thing: AI analysis of your codes. Buying an adapter includes months of it, redeemed with your order number.
Contact us
Include your adapter's order number and the make, model and year of your vehicle if the problem is a connection one. It saves a round trip. Ideas for the app are welcome here too: choose suggest a new feature.
Prefer email? Write to [email protected]. We answer within one business day.