OBD-II adapters for a Prius and iPhone

To test a Prius hybrid battery you need an OBD-II adapter that an iPhone can talk to, and that can reach Toyota's battery computer.

Bluetooth LE, not "Bluetooth OBD2"

iPhone can only talk to Bluetooth LE ("BLE", "Bluetooth 4.0", "for iPhone") and Wi-Fi OBD-II adapters. Most cheap "Bluetooth OBD2" adapters are Bluetooth Classic: they never appear on an iPhone.

You don't pair the adapter in iOS Settings. Hybrid Battery Test finds it by itself.

Toyota's battery computer

Toyota keeps the hybrid battery on its own computer. Some clone adapters can't switch to it. The free check's last step tells you, before you pay anything.

Adapters known to work with iPhone

• OBDLink CX
• Vgate iCar Pro BLE 4.0
• Veepeak OBDCheck BLE+

Plugging in

The OBD-II port is under the dash, to the left of the steering column. Push the adapter fully in, then press the power button with your foot on the brake until READY lights.

Getting a good reading

• Stay in READY and keep the phone near the car during the test.
• If the pack was charging or working during the rest read, the app says so. Re-test after a few minutes in READY.
• For the load step, turn the A/C to max and stay in READY for 60 seconds. Don't drive.
• Close any other OBD app first. An adapter can only talk to one app at a time.

If the check fails

1. Unplug the adapter for 5 seconds and plug it back in.
2. Close any other OBD app.
3. Make sure the model and year are right.
4. If the battery computer still doesn't answer, the adapter may not support Toyota's battery computer.

Still stuck? Email support@bulpara.com with the adapter's brand and model.