Set up help needed

[Rip]

Great, thanks. Yeah, I have no problem paying for useful software...just wondered if it works better. Sounds like it does.
What type of splitter do you use? I see two types on Amazon...one cabled (probably not as useful in this case) and a couple that plug in and have side-by-side female receptacles for OBDs. One sort of swivels up and down. I have the MX+ already and have ordered a CX+, so the splitter idea sounds good.

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[RickLightning]

@RickLightning pretty much nailed it. The difference for me is the paid version allows ABRP to use the data from the OBD to put the pre-plan into motion and useable on Android Auto. The charging stops and times can update based on the real time conditions. If I need to change something on the fly, ABRP has better filters to choose which charger I want to go to compared to Google Maps. I also like to pay developers when they come up with a good product, so the $50 a year is worth it to me. ABRP still routes around traffic like Google Maps, and has a less of the distracting characteristics and implanted ads that Google Maps has.

I don't disagree with some of what was said. But some other points.

1) ABRP is owned by Rivian. Let them fund it. I bought CarScanner, it's a one-time purchase of under $7 as I recall. ABRP is annual. We take trips 2 or 3 times a year.
2) GoogleMaps comes up with alerts like speed traps, objects on road, etc.
3) Using GoogleMaps with Android Auto, with the Mach-E (and soon the Lightning), will precondition on the way to a fast charger. ABRP will not (matters in winter).
4) ABRP offline has a slider, with + or _. Simple thing to hit either symbol a few times and true up the SOC%.

I run GoogleMaps (or Ford Nav) on the big screen, ABRP on my phone, and plane GoogleMaps on my wife's phone. I also have CarScanner on my phone. I found on my most recent trip that my phone couldn't handle the processing load (Google Pixel 6a), I know have a Pixel 8, will be interesting to see if it handles it ok.

 

[B177y]

Great, thanks. Yeah, I have no problem paying for useful software...just wondered if it works better. Sounds like it does.
What type of splitter do you use? I see two types on Amazon...one cabled (probably not as useful in this case) and a couple that plug in and have side-by-side female receptacles for OBDs. One sort of swivels up and down. I have the MX+ already and have ordered a CX+, so the splitter idea sounds good.

I think with the CX+, you may not need a splitter. I think someone earlier in the thread said that OBD connector does both forms of Bluetooth. Double check before listening to me...

I had a cable splitter, but the cables eventually cracked and disconnected. I recently got one of the double males (one female). Just make sure the orientation is correct, so that you don't have an OBD facing up towards the dash as for me that wouldn't fit.

 

[flypony53]

The OBDLINK MX+ is made by a good company. I have that dongle plus their hard-wired EX. If you want one from them that is compatible with ABRP, you need their CX model.

I also have the VeePeak OBDCheck BLE that works good and is much cheaper. Works with CarScanner and ABRP. I do not leave it plugged in with the truck off though.

Here are what the ABRP folks recommend:
https://www.iternio.com/abrp-obd

I have the same VeePeak and it stopped working with ABRP for some reason. I went to the OBDLink CX and Paid for ABRP as the only real way to trip plan in the Lightning. Cannot with built in Navigation as it still cannot navigate to a Tesla charger, Apple Maps does not allow any customization (at least the last time I used it) for charger types and I think they allow for paid placement by brand as the last time I used it in a rental, it took me to a ChargePoint L2 charger instead of the EVGo that was across the street that did not even show in the list.

The only gripe I have with ABRP is it displays a different SoC % most of the time. I believe that is a disconnect in how ABRP rounds the numbers. Ford is showing the absolute 2 digit, meaning the battery is 74.7%, ford shows 74, ABRP shows 75.

 

[Bwanapete]

I have a different method. On a trip, I use the Tesla phone app to search for superchargers and write dow the street addresses of sSuperchargers that are useable with the adapter. Then I use the Ford app to navigate to chargers that are spaced where I want.

This is crude but easy to do for non-tech savy drivers.

 

[Rip]

I don't disagree with some of what was said. But some other points.

1) ABRP is owned by Rivian. Let them fund it. I bought CarScanner, it's a one-time purchase of under $7 as I recall. ABRP is annual. We take trips 2 or 3 times a year.
2) GoogleMaps comes up with alerts like speed traps, objects on road, etc.
3) Using GoogleMaps with Android Auto, with the Mach-E (and soon the Lightning), will precondition on the way to a fast charger. ABRP will not (matters in winter).
4) ABRP offline has a slider, with + or _. Simple thing to hit either symbol a few times and true up the SOC%.

I run GoogleMaps (or Ford Nav) on the big screen, ABRP on my phone, and plane GoogleMaps on my wife's phone. I also have CarScanner on my phone. I found on my most recent trip that my phone couldn't handle the processing load (Google Pixel 6a), I know have a Pixel 8, will be interesting to see if it handles it ok.

All good to know. I have an Android phone (Galaxy S22 Ultra). I don't get Google Maps on my big screen without Android Auto, so I'm hoping (based on what I've seen in some of these threads) that once I have ABRP on the phone, it will show up on Android Auto. Is that not the case?
My luck I'll get all this installed and learn to use it and Ford will come out with a fully-functional Nav program...not holding my breath, though...

 

[RickLightning]

All good to know. I have an Android phone (Galaxy S22 Ultra). I don't get Google Maps on my big screen without Android Auto, so I'm hoping (based on what I've seen in some of these threads) that once I have ABRP on the phone, it will show up on Android Auto. Is that not the case?
My luck I'll get all this installed and learn to use it and Ford will come out with a fully-functional Nav program...not holding my breath, though...

Paid version will show up. Unpaid will not.

 

[Rip]

Paid version will show up. Unpaid will not.

Got it! Thanks so much.

 

[flypony53]

I have a different method. On a trip, I use the Tesla phone app to search for superchargers and write dow the street addresses of sSuperchargers that are useable with the adapter. Then I use the Ford app to navigate to chargers that are spaced where I want.

This is crude but easy to do for non-tech savy drivers.

This to me still seems silly 1 year after launch of the Tesla access. Tesla and Rivian nail this perfectly.

Also, anyone else have an issue with CarScanner showing an inaccurate SOC? Mine is off by as much as 5-7%.

 

[Rip]

+1 for paid version of ABRP. I think it's worth it for both the planning and driving phases of a multiple DCFC road trip.

Unfortunately, your OBDLink MX+ won't work with ABRP as it only uses BLE (Bluetooth low energy). Unless the newest version of the OBDLink MX+ supports BLE (my MX+ doesn't), you'll need another OBD dongle to get the real time car info in ABRP.

I use an OBD splitter to use my OBDLink MX+ and BLE dongles at the same time so that I can use CarScanner Pro paid version (uses the MX+) and ABRP concurrently.

It's a shame we have to go through so much workaround technology to get the proper information from our car/truck, but until Ford updates their mapping software and provides useful information on the sensors of our EVs, this is what we have to do.

So, a couple of questions. I bought an OBD splitter, and installed the OBDLink MX+ and the OBDLink CX. The MX+ seems to work OK, and I got it connected (at least it shows up that way in the OBDLink App, and I was able to download the latest firmware update for it). When I tried to set up the CX in the OBDLink app, though, it finds the device but I keep getting connection failed errors. Any idea what might be going on? OBDLink support has not been responsive.

 

[B177y]

So, a couple of questions. I bought an OBD splitter, and installed the OBDLink MX+ and the OBDLink CX. The MX+ seems to work OK, and I got it connected (at least it shows up that way in the OBDLink App, and I was able to download the latest firmware update for it). When I tried to set up the CX in the OBDLink app, though, it finds the device but I keep getting connection failed errors. Any idea what might be going on? OBDLink support has not been responsive.

I am not familiar with the CX as I only have the MX and use it with the CarScanner app.

If the CX supports Bluetooth low energy (BLE) then there shouldn't be any reason to link it to the OBDLink app. Try unpairing from OBDLink and "forget" it in your Bluetooth phone settings, then open ABRP and follow the settings in that to pair the CX with ABRP.

I would also do the same thing with the MX unless you are using the OBDLink app to monitor your other truck settings. The MX (at least the older model that I have) doesn't support BLE but it does work with ForScan and CarScanner and transmits data faster than BLE according to the makers of ForScan.

 

[Rip]

I am not familiar with the CX as I only have the MX and use it with the CarScanner app.

If the CX supports Bluetooth low energy (BLE) then there shouldn't be any reason to link it to the OBDLink app. Try unpairing from OBDLink and "forget" it in your Bluetooth phone settings, then open ABRP and follow the settings in that to pair the CX with ABRP.

I would also do the same thing with the MX unless you are using the OBDLink app to monitor your other truck settings. The MX (at least the older model that I have) doesn't support BLE but it does work with ForScan and CarScanner and transmits data faster than BLE according to the makers of ForScan.

I will give that a try, thanks!

 

[Rip]

I will give that a try, thanks!

So I unpaired everything, had the OBDLink app forget my vehicle, and then tried again with ABRP. Here's what I get. Any ideas? I hate to keep asking here, but ABRP does not seem to have any sort of support.

 

[Rip]

I will give that a try, thanks!

See my note above (replied to the wrong message)...

 

[Rip]

+1 for paid version of ABRP. I think it's worth it for both the planning and driving phases of a multiple DCFC road trip.

Unfortunately, your OBDLink MX+ won't work with ABRP as it only uses BLE (Bluetooth low energy). Unless the newest version of the OBDLink MX+ supports BLE (my MX+ doesn't), you'll need another OBD dongle to get the real time car info in ABRP.

I use an OBD splitter to use my OBDLink MX+ and BLE dongles at the same time so that I can use CarScanner Pro paid version (uses the MX+) and ABRP concurrently.

It's a shame we have to go through so much workaround technology to get the proper information from our car/truck, but until Ford updates their mapping software and provides useful information on the sensors of our EVs, this is what we have to do.

So, just an update. I already had the MX+, and bought the CX. I also bought a splitter. The MX set up easily, but I had a lot of trouble with the CX. OBDLink actually provided some service via email. I finally got it to work today, but I had to pull the splitter and just plug the CX in. It paired up and connected immediately once I did that.

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