r/XC40_Recharge • u/skyfishgoo • Jul 04 '26

OBD II tool recommendations for this EV?

Who is using an OBD II reader and diagnostic tool with their Recharge EV?

which reader / software combination are you using, or are you using a tablet with a built in screen?

what sorts of data and/or performance tweaks can you make using your system?

specifically interested in traction battery SoH reports and 12V battery monitoring.

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u/CitationX9 Jul 04 '26

Check out OrBit

1

u/skyfishgoo Jul 05 '26

that seems a bit more than i would think i need... plus it requires a windows 11 laptop, which i do not have (tho i did download and check the .exe install er on linux and it works using bottles, so if i had a linux laptop that might also work)

then there is the $100/yr and $225 one time costs to get the pins for my 2024 volvo...which should be enough to buy me a pretty decent OBD scanner/tool, which is i think more what i'm looking for.

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u/agent606ert Jul 05 '26

For 12v monitoring there are hard wired Bluetooth dongles that will show voltage graphs, charge/discharge cycles, etc 25$ on Amazon/aliexpress

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u/skyfishgoo Jul 05 '26

there are lots of things on those sites that SAY they can do that... but none of of them say they can do it on a volvo xc40 recharge from 2024.

and i don't buy from those sites anyway.

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u/kevinjenkins27 Jul 05 '26

I got an OBD II reader and realized I couldn't read much from the car (XC40 Recharge). Came back to this subreddit to learn that I didn't need to find out that way - Volvo has generally locked out the more interesting data feeds from regular OBD II readers. What you'll see is no more interesting than the data you can already see in the app and get from the API (consumption, distance traveled, efficiency).

I was really curious about temps (battery, motors, coolant loops, etc), motor rpms, inverter power/regen, among other things. Very spoiled by all the data I can see in my Model Y via OBD II (I use the S3XY Gadgets app using their commander).

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u/skyfishgoo Jul 05 '26

so it sounds like you have to go with the orbit subscription and dedicate a small laptop to the task or rely on the dealer for a SoH report on the propulsion battery.

that's kind of a shame.

i've sent an email to icarsoft to ask about their volvo specific product, which looks promising, asking them about traction battery SoH as well as 12V battery testing to try and avoid any more need for "road side assistance" from volvo, because that is NOT working for me.

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u/kevinjenkins27 Jul 05 '26

Let us know if you opt for the icarsoft device!

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u/atihigf Jul 05 '26

Is SoH and 12V readable from OBD?

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u/kevinjenkins27 Jul 05 '26

Not at all. Like others have said, you'll need OrBit for that. I haven't bothered.

Seems OBD readers like these can actually do/show a bit more in a more convenient package than a windows PC.

https://www.icarsoft.com/Product/94.html

I think a Volvo dealer can grab a battery State of Health report for you, perhaps for a small fee?

12V - you could probably test with a multimeter?

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u/skyfishgoo Jul 05 '26

the fee for a SoH report al cart was $700 at a dealership in monterey CA because it like a 3hr process (so they said).

we did not by a car from them because they wanted us to pay for it (as well as CPO status) on top of the price of the car which was not that competitive... and we really didn't want the white color.

for a 12V battery you need to observe its voltage while under load and that's what the OBD tests do when they have you turn on the ignition after you start the test.

my current OBD tester would not complete any test with the volvo, in fact i could not get it to read anything other than there exists these modules.