Welcome to the CarCheckup Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
Here you will find answers to common questions you may have about how the system works and how to use it. We are always here to help, so if you have further questions or need additional help, please visit our full Support Page.
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Questions About CarCheckup's System
What is the CarCheckup System?
The CarCheckup device is a data-gathering device that plugs into your car’s OBDII connector. Once installed, the CarCheckup device records telemetry information about the vehicle’s operation, such as:
- Miles Driven
- Time Spent in Various Speed Bands
- Maximum Speed
- Trip Start and Stop Times
- Hard Acceleration and Breaking Incidents
- Present and Pending Trouble Codes
If there are pending or present trouble codes, you will be provided not only with the same trouble code information that you mechanic will see, but also an easy to understand explanation of what could be causing the issue, what your mechanic will likely need to do to fix it, and possibly information regarding what things to be wary of when you take your car to the shop.
Important Safety Information!
The CarCheckup System has been carefully designed and tested to be compatible with most 1996 and newer cars and light trucks sold in the USA. It is possible that some vehicles will not be compatible with the CarCheckup System, or a vehicle subsystem (ECM, ECU, various sensors, etc) may be malfunctioning. There are manufacturers that also do not fully implement all aspects of the OBDII protocols correctly.
You must refer to the Known Compatibility Issues list to see the current list of known compatibility issues.
The CarCheckup System has been tested on numerous vehicles and is reliable and safe.
If, at any time while you are using the CarCheckup System, you notice abnormal vehicle behavior:
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Pull off the road and out of traffic as soon as it's possible to do so safely
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Disconnect the CarCheckup device from your vehicle and see if the problem clears
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Call an ASE certified mechanic or your local repair shop and speak to a professional
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Contact CarCheckup Support and notify them of the issue.
What Cars are Known to Need an Extension Cable?
Though the CarCheckup device was designed to work on the broadest range of vehicles, there are some vehicles that do have interior trim that will prevent the CarCheckup device from connecting without an extension cable.
These OBDII extension cables are available at a very reasonable price, from our online store
Vehicles Known to Need an OBDII Extension Cable can be found on our "Known Compatibility Issues"
Is CarCheckup a "Black Box"
No!
"Black Boxes," also referred to as Event Data Recorders or "EDR", do have some similarities with the CarCheckup System in that they both record telemetry data....that's where the similarity ends.
EDR are normally "snapshot" devices that are triggered by an event like an air bag deployment and record only a few seconds of data pertaining to the instant directly before the triggering event.
EDR are also not usually accessible to the general public, with the tools and software needed to access them being limited to manufacturers and accident investigators.
The CarCheckup System is designed from the ground up to put the same cutting edge automotive technology that mechanics have used for years into an easy to use system to empower consumers in both automotive repair situations AND monitoring driver performance!
Where is My OBDII Connector?
All cars manufactured for sale in the US since 1996 have a OBDII diagnostic port as mandated by federal law. This connector is within 3 feet of the steering wheel and must not require tools to access.
Normally this port is located just under the dashboard above the gas or brake pedal. It can normally be located by simply looking under the dashboard or running your hand along the bottom edge of the dashboard until you "bump" into the connector.
There are other instances where the connector is behind a cover panel to make its appearance more appealing. In these cases it's necessary to open that panel to gain access to the OBDII port.
More information on finding your OBDII connector can be found here:
In the picture below you will notice that, in this case, the OBDII plug is under the dashboard and above the brake pedal:
How Does the CarCheckup Device Connect to my Computer?
The CarCheckup device connects through its built-in USB connector to any available USB port on your Windows XP, Vista or 7 based computer.
To access the built-in USB connector, turn the CarCheckup device over and swing out the USB arm.
In most cases, this built-in USB connector is all you will need! No extra cable to get lost or tangled!
For those who have USB ports on their computer that are hard to reach,
we offer USB extension cables in our online store for your convenience.
Visit our Store by clicking here.
How Much Data can the CarCheckup Device Store?
The CarCheckup Device is designed to have enough memory to hold 30 days worth of data for the average driver.
However, different vehicles make varying amounts of information available. Some manufacturers support just the minimum required data, others go far and above and provide many, many data points.
These differences in manufacturer's implementation of OBDII directly impact the amount of data that can be stored on the device.
For those using the device for business mileage tracking, we recommend downloading your data every day or two so the trips are fresh in your head and you can accurately note what the business purpose is for. The IRS really demands documentation; this will allow you to generate that.
How often should I upload data from the device?
That's up to you!
Here are some suggestions based upon the experience of current users:
If you are primarily concerned with monitoring your teen driver -
We recommend downloading data daily or weekly so as to be able to provide feedback to your driver. By reviewing the telemetry data (e.g. speed, rpm, hard accelerations, hard braking) with your teen in a timely manner, you can both gain insight that can be used as an aid to correct bad driving habits.
If you are using the CarCheckup for tracking business mileage -
We recommend downloading every day or two so that the data is fresh in your head and you are able to note the business reason for you trips. This will help you create strong documentaion that the IRS will appricate.
If you are primarily concerned with what is causing your "Check Engine Light" (also know as MIL or Malfunction Indicator Light) -
Most users download the data from the device on a weekly basis. This will help keep download times small and allow CarCheckup to provide insight into various maintenance tasks. Of course, if your "Check Engine Light" comes on, simply restart your car! The device will automatically record all pending and present trouble codes.
Does the device work on hybrid vehicles?
Unfortunately, the CarCheckup device doesn't currently support hybrid vehicles due to differences in the in the on-board computer systems between hybrids and non-hybrid cars. While the system is able to pull present and pending trouble codes, it is unable to reliability and accurately record trip details like start time, end time, speed, rpm, etc. due to the way the vehicle switches from battery to gas engine. CarCheckup is working on a solution for hybrids, so stay tuned!
Your Account
What is included in the purchase of the CarCheckup?
You get one device that plugs into any 1996 or newer vehicle. This device records telemetry of your vehicle as you drive. They you can plug the device directly into your computer and download the data to your account. After downloading you will have the ability to :
 Review driver performance (idle times, speeds, hard accel & brakeing, etc.)
View Charts and graphs of your trips
See start and stop times
Understand why your check engine light has come on
Track Mileage for business, commuting, personal, charity, and medical
Print reports easily
Download to Microsoft Excel
Can I use my device on other vehicles?
The purchase of a device allows you to use the system on one vehicle as often and however long you want.
Additional vehicles can be added to your account for $25 each. No limit to how many vehicles you have in your account!
Is there a renewal fee?
No. You can use the device on your vehicle for as long as you want! If you choose to add another vehicle to your account, you can easily do so for $25.
If I want to use it on another car, how do I do that?
Just plug it into that car! The system is smart enough to know when it has been plugged into a new vehicle. So just plug it in and it records the data. Then when you download the data to your account, it will ask for the new vehicle information (Make, Model, Year) and allow you to purchase the addition of the new vehicle at that time!
Canada Usage
Can I use the CarCheckup system in Canada?
System Requirements
Requirements to Use CarCheckup
The CarCheckup system requirements are actually quite simple...You simply need the following:
Supported Operating Systems
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- Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
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- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
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- Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate)
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- Windows 7
Other Requirements:
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- An internet connection is required
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- A broadband connection is HIGHLY reccomended (cable mode, DSL, etc)
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- A USB port is REQUIRED
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- Mouse, Monitor, Keyboard required
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- Printer is optional for printing reports, etc.
Macintosh Owners Info
Although CarCheckup does not yet provide official support for Mac systems, we do have users that are successfully using the CarCheckup system Bootcamp, VMWare Fusion, and Parallels for Mac.
Once your machine has booted into Windows (via Bootcamp or a Fusion VM) simply plug in the CarCheckup device and allow the "Add New Hardware Wizard" search for drivers on the internet...just like a typical Windows device install.
Once it completes the CarCheckup system should work on your Mac just like in Windows as long as you make sure to use Internet Explorer to download the data from your device.
Please let us know by sending an email to help@carcheckup.com. When you do, please include in the subject "Request for Mac Support" and include information about your hardware and the version of OS you are running.
*Nix Users Info
Linux is great too! If you are disappointed that it is not currently supported we welcome your feedback! We try to adapt our efforts to meet our users' needs, and your "vote" for *nix support can help determine our development priorities!
Please let us know by sending an email to help@carcheckup.com. When you do, please include in the subject "Request for Linux Support" and include information about your linux flavor and version (this goes for the unix flavors too).
Currently Unsupported Systems
Macintosh Systems -
Although CarCheckup does not yet provide official support for Mac systems, we do have users that are successfully using the CarCheckup system Bootcamp, VMWare Fusion, and Parallels for Mac.
Once your machine has booted into Windows (via Bootcamp or a Fusion VM) simply plug in the CarCheckup device and allow the "Add New Hardware Wizard" search for drivers on the internet...just like a typical Windows device install.
Once it completes the CarCheckup system should work on your Mac just like in Windows as long as you make sure to use Internet Explorer to download the data from your device.
Please let us know by sending an email to help@carcheckup.com. When you do, please include in the subject "Request for Mac Support" and include information about your hardware and the version of OS you are running.
Linux based systems -
Linux is great too. If you are disappointed that it is not currently supported we welcome your feedback as we try to adapt our development efforts to meet our user's needs.
Please let us know by sending an email to help@carcheckup.com. When you do, please include in the subject "Request for Linux Support" and include information about your linux flavor and version (this goes for all of the unix flavors too!)
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