Reading mileage & VIN ...connected to laptop?
- Thread starter PS78
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Yup,know the odo is mechanical. I've just installed a new one as the last one wasn't ticking up the miles, despite speedo working. Need to set the odo with the PCM-stored digital figure which I had read years ago when I took it to local Dodge dealership, which closed recently, leaving no shop anywhere near me that is equipped to plug in to an old Dodge PCM! It'd be great to just plug my laptop in with a suitable connector and read off any PCM data after installing suitable software.....and not having to travel anywhere to get ripped off by a co. that can do it, or have to buy my own ££££DRB
MtyMous
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I'm really interested in this option, too. I'd love to have all of the diagnostic tools needed in my own garage. Let me know what you find.
They do make a DRB emulator, but that's still on the pricier side ($1500+ I think). There is a somewhat more dubious one that's basically a Chinese clone that uses an older version of the software that doesn't have to "phone home" to FCA to work (~$300), but if you accidently have it try to check for updates it can "brick" it. I've debated picking one up for myself just so I have it before they are impossible to find, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. You would think there would be some kind of reader out there though that would be minimal cost. The DRB stuff is more for when you really need to dig into something and change settings.
One other option I've looked at is a "universal" sort of service tool. The Autoengenuity is like a dealer tool similar to a DRB or whatever other brands use. You buy a license for the make/model or whatever that you want to work on. That's certainly more in the legal realm of things, though also on the pricier side at around $900 with a Dodge license as I recall. Was never 100% sure what all it would do vs a true DRB, but it could be worth looking into since you could use it on other cars too with a purchase of another software pack.
One other option I've looked at is a "universal" sort of service tool. The Autoengenuity is like a dealer tool similar to a DRB or whatever other brands use. You buy a license for the make/model or whatever that you want to work on. That's certainly more in the legal realm of things, though also on the pricier side at around $900 with a Dodge license as I recall. Was never 100% sure what all it would do vs a true DRB, but it could be worth looking into since you could use it on other cars too with a purchase of another software pack.
Many thanks MoparMap - interesting to read your info. I had the idea from another UK car enthusiast who said these sorts of kits should be available fairly widely but i should nail him for more info if i still have his #.....
$900 is still on the pricey side for my current needs and use frequency :-(
$900 is still on the pricey side for my current needs and use frequency :-(
Yeah, that's kind of where I stood too. I have an old laptop sitting around that was going to be my "shop computer" for the emulator since the wireless in it is basically broken anyway. That way I wouldn't have to worry about the clone hardware trying to do an update, but I've just never gotten around to doing anything. I know of someone local that has had one for a few years and it seemed to work fine for him. I'd love to get the actual factory handheld DRBIII, but they don't come up often and are typically rather pricey. The main advantage with those is you can use some hardware add-on stuff like temperature sensors and level sensors for setting caster on the gen 3+ cars.
Someone was actually trying to build a DRBIII emulator themselves with a plain OBDII dongle at one point. I think they had gotten to the point of reading out info, but it was not in a terribly easy to decipher manner.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CarHacking/comments/5ecpdo/mopar_chrysler_drbiii_hacking_precan_dealership/
Looks like he hasn't updated in quite a while though. He might have been close to what you were looking for however.
Someone was actually trying to build a DRBIII emulator themselves with a plain OBDII dongle at one point. I think they had gotten to the point of reading out info, but it was not in a terribly easy to decipher manner.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CarHacking/comments/5ecpdo/mopar_chrysler_drbiii_hacking_precan_dealership/
Looks like he hasn't updated in quite a while though. He might have been close to what you were looking for however.
Discovered no more on the dongle-laptop hunt.....but, I now have a DRBIII ! Borrowed from a fellow UK GTS owner. His is a 97 Blue and White though; the software says 94-96 and the hardware has 98 written on the 1 paperwork sheet with the device.... Have tried most of the menu options while plugged into my 2000 - so far no sign of mileage & VIN
Has any one here used a DRB before?
Has any one here used a DRB before?
You might try here and see what you find. This was a manual I found online that walks through most of what the system can do as far as I'm aware.
http://www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/DRB_3_Features_Menus.pdf
http://www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/DRB_3_Features_Menus.pdf
VIN located!...and matches windscreen column VIN badge, phew! Mileage/odometer has very little mention in the DRB and the user manual link above (mainly mentioned in relation to mileage recorded since DTC). It's in the PCM somewhere as it was read by a local Dodge dealership 5 years ago ....no dealerships remaining in UK now :-( (Chrysler gone too). Search goes on (i've tried just about all the options in the DRB unit). Maybe i need the post-1999 reader card, but i think mileage data would be a generic staright-forward item to read - process surely not changing much across all gen2 year models? ...certainly seems so for the VIN
I would tend to think so as well. At least over here across the pond I would have to imagine that's a governmental regulation to be able to pull that data fairly easily so that it can be checked for accuracy to prevent fraud. I though I remembered reading about setting it somewhere, but am trying to remember what the whole story was. I think it had something to do with the odometer reading being stored in both the gauge cluster itself and the PCM, though they didn't read from each other or something weird like that.
