Troubleshooting

Find what you're seeing below. Each answer lists the usual causes and fixes, and links to the article that covers it in full. Nothing here fits? Contact support.

The app can't find my device

  • Bluetooth is off or not allowed. Turn Bluetooth on (the app shows Bluetooth is off when it isn't) and let EngineMon use it. If you said no earlier, tap Open Settings on the app's prompt and allow it there.
  • The device has no power. Push it all the way into the OBD-II port and turn the key to ON. That also wakes it if it was asleep.
  • It's been set up before. A registered device isn't offered as new, so it shows greyed out. Hold its button for 5 seconds until the power light blinks, then register it within 5 minutes.
  • Your phone is too far away. Weak or Out of range next to the device means move closer. Sit in the car with it.

The setup steps are in Set up your device.

Registration failed

Move your phone closer to the device and tap Try again. If that doesn't do it, the message tells you more:

  • Try again is greyed out ("Available once you're back online"): your phone is offline. It works again once you're connected.
  • Registration mode ended: setup mode lasts 5 minutes. Hold the button for 5 seconds, then tap Try again.
  • "Too many requests. Please try again later.": you can register up to 20 times an hour. Wait a while.
  • "Device not recognized.": contact support.

If it keeps failing at the same step, copy the error text (you can select it) and send it to support.

Claim this device?, Claim sent, Claim pending, Claim blocked, Can't claim this device now, Can't register this device and Transfer pending mean the device is on someone else's account, or you've offered it to someone. I bought a used EngineMon explains each one.

My car didn't show up after setup

  • The app is stuck on Reading your car's VIN. The device needs the key at ON (the engine can stay off) and to be pushed all the way into the port. Check both. There's no way to add a car by hand: it appears once the device reads the VIN. If it never does, check Will it work with my car?
  • You see Pending access. The car is on someone else's EngineMon account, and its owners have been asked to let you in. See If you're asking for access. If you bought the car, claim it.
  • The car page says ECU detected but not yet supported. The car was added, but EngineMon can't read its engine yet, so there's no engine data. We've noted the car for a future update.

My drive isn't showing up

  • Nothing has sent it yet. The device uploads over a saved Wi-Fi network, or through your phone while the app is open (or background sync is on). Open the app near the car, or add Wi-Fi for where it parks.
  • It's still on its way. Catching up means the device is still sending it. A Live log is still streaming, and an In progress log is waiting for the rest of its uploads. A finished log is ready about a minute after its last data arrives.
  • No car was detected. Logs where the device couldn't identify the car are hidden. Turn the key to ON and check the device is pushed all the way in.
  • It was in someone else's car. Those drives are held until an owner lets you in: see My drives in someone else's car are hidden.
  • You've offered the device to someone. It doesn't sync until they take it, decline it, or you cancel the offer.

More causes: Why hasn't my drive appeared? and log statuses.

Last sync is old, or my device seems offline

On the web, open the device: Last sync says when it last sent data (Just now while it's live), and the row next to it says where it is, with notes like "car is off" or "not plugged in". In the phone app, the Device settings card shows Syncing now or the last sync time. An old time usually has a simple reason:

  • The car is parked. The device sleeps with the car off. It wakes when the car is turned on or used, and checks in now and then while parked. Starting the car wakes it right away.
  • It can't reach the internet. No saved Wi-Fi in range, and no phone nearby with the app open. Open the app near the car, or add Wi-Fi.
  • The car battery is low. The device sleeps to protect it. Drive the car or charge the battery. See Low car battery.
  • The car has sat for a week or more. The device stops listening for your phone. Start the car or turn the key to ON first.
  • A transfer is pending. A device you've offered to someone doesn't sync until the offer ends.

Offline at the top of the website, or You're offline in the app, is about your own internet connection, not the device. More in Is my device working? and What the device does while parked.

It says Catching up

The device is sending data it recorded earlier, like a drive you took without your phone. The Catching up badge shows on the web and in the app, and the app shows a Syncing old data banner with its progress. Live values appear once it's done and the banner says Up to date.

You don't need to do anything. Catching up slowly carries on by itself. If the data is coming through your phone, keep the app open near the car (or turn on background sync). Wi-Fi is faster: if the device has no network yet, tap the banner and choose Set up Wi-Fi. See What "Catching up" and "Syncing old data" mean.

My device won't join my Wi-Fi

Check the status under the network, in the Wi-Fi networks card on the web device page or the Device settings card in the app:

  • Wrong password: click Update password and type it again.
  • Not seen yet: check the name's spelling and capitals, that the car is in range, and that the network is 2.4 GHz (phone hotspots often aren't: see Using your phone's hotspot). For a hidden network, use Advanced Settings in the web form.
  • Couldn't connect: the router may be blocking new devices or out of addresses.
  • Waiting for the device: the change hasn't reached it yet. It arrives the next time the device syncs, so open the app near the car to pass it along.
  • Not on the device: the device holds fewer networks than your list. Remove one, or update to firmware 1.5.0 or later.
  • Re-enter password to reconnect after device re-registration: edit the network and type its password.

Networks without a password can't be added: passwords are 8 to 63 characters. Every status is explained in What each Wi-Fi status means.

A firmware update won't start or failed

  • Update is greyed out on the web. The web can only start an update when the device was on Wi-Fi in the last minute, and the note says when it last was. Park in range of a saved network with the car on and try again, or update from the phone app over Bluetooth.
  • "Only the device's owner can update its firmware." Ask the owner.
  • The phone says Update the app first. Tap Update the app, then update the firmware.
  • It failed. The card says why, and Retry appears when trying again can help. "The car battery is too low to update safely" means start the engine or charge the battery first. If the new firmware didn't start, the device went back to its previous version by itself and keeps working.

More in Update the firmware and If an update fails.

Live data shows nothing

  • Not streaming right now (web): no device in this car is sending live data. Start the car and check the device is plugged in.
  • Waiting for device… (web) or Waiting for data (phone): connected, but nothing has arrived yet, or nothing for 30 seconds. Start the car.
  • No signal: nothing for more than 5 seconds, so the values are greyed out and marked STALE. The car was turned off, or your phone moved out of Bluetooth range.
  • Car is off or Not plugged into a car: only the device's own sensors update. Turn the ignition on, or plug the device in.
  • "Live data isn't available for this device right now." (with Disconnected from server): you can't watch this device. You're not on the car it's in, or your access request is still pending. Ask a car owner. See Who can watch.

In the phone app, a message often spells out the problem, like "Car is off. Turn the ignition on." Every status is in What the status bar means.

A log says Failed or Not processed, or its page is empty

  • Processing, or "Queued for processing..." on its page: the import is running. Give it a minute.
  • Not processed or Failed ("This log has not been processed yet." or "Log processing failed. Please try reimporting."): reimport it with the ↻ button on its row or its analysis page.
  • "Latest import failed. Showing data from previous successful import.": you're seeing the older data. Reimport to try again.
  • "No data to chart": the import worked, but the log has no sensor data to show.

Reimporting is on the website only. On a car's log, the car's owners and editors can reimport. On a log with no car, whoever uploaded it or owns the device can. Nobody can reimport logs on a car under Past cars. Everyone else sees "Someone who can edit its car can reimport it." If a reimport keeps failing, contact support with the log's link. More in What each status means and Reimport a log.

Clear codes is missing or won't run

No button at all? Clear codes is on the website and in the phone app, but not in EngineMon AI. You need edit access to the car, it needs active codes, and it can't be a past car.

Greyed out with a lock? The reason is underneath. The usual ones:

  • "Car is off. Turn the ignition on first.": turn the ignition on. The engine can stay off.
  • "Device isn't plugged into the car.": plug it in and turn the ignition on.
  • Device has no access: see the next section.

Queued... means the device isn't connected. The clear runs if it connects within 5 minutes; after that it expires and the button comes back. Every reason is in If you can't clear codes.

It says Device has no access

Clear codes and the tools work through the EngineMon plugged into the car, whoever owns it. That only works while the device's owner is an editor or owner of the car. To fix it, a car owner makes that person an editor on Shared access, or approves their access request. See "Device has no access".

I can't see a car someone shared with me

  • They typed the wrong name. You need an EngineMon account, and they need your exact username or the email you sign in with. Only owners can see who has access, so ask an owner to check Shared access.
  • The share link says Couldn't open this link. It was replaced or revoked, or the car changed hands. Ask the owner for a new one.
  • The car was sold. If it went to the new owner with its history, everyone on it lost access. If it went without, your copy is under Past cars.

See Add someone and Send a share link.

My drives in someone else's car are hidden

Your EngineMon logs drives only to cars where you're an editor or owner. In someone else's car, the drives are held and the owners get an access request. You'll find it under Pending access on your Cars page and in the app's Garage:

  • Pending: the owners haven't answered. Ask one to approve it.
  • Denied: the drives stay hidden. If your device logs a drive in that car 30 days or more later, the owners are asked again.
  • Claim pending: you've claimed the car, and its owners have 7 days to answer.

Once an owner approves, you become an editor and the drives show up. If the car is yours now, choose I own this car. See If you're asking for access.

Is someone claiming your device? Its new drives stay hidden until the claim ends: see Someone is claiming my car or device.

I'm not getting notifications

Go through the push checklist. The usual causes:

  • The phone hasn't allowed EngineMon to notify you. The app's Notifications screen then shows a This phone row with the fix.
  • The Push switch on the All notifications row, or the category's Push switch, is off. Your alert rules starts off.
  • Quiet hours are on.

If one particular alert never arrived, see An alert never showed up.

I forgot my password

On the sign-in page, click Forgot password?, enter your email and click Send reset link. The link works for one hour. It only goes to an email address you've confirmed, so check your spam folder. It works even if you signed up with Google or Apple. See Forgot your password?

I never got the confirmation email

Check your spam folder, then use Resend confirmation email (once a minute), or Use a different email if you mistyped it. The link expires after 24 hours. See Confirm your email.

I want to start over

A factory reset erases the device's Wi-Fi networks and settings:

  • Web: open the device, click the card with its name, choose Factory reset, then Confirm.
  • Phone: in Device settings, tap ⋯, then Factory reset and Reset.

It runs on the device's next sync, not right away, and not while a firmware update is running. You stay the owner. Afterwards, hold the button for 5 seconds, register it again in the app, and add your Wi-Fi again. See Factory reset.

Giving the device to someone? A reset doesn't do that: transfer it instead.

Contacting support

On the web, the Support page has three cards:

  • Documentation: these guides.
  • Chat with virtual agent: starts a chat with EngineMon AI, which can look things up in your own data. It's there when EngineMon AI is on for your account.
  • View my tickets: reach a person. Click New ticket (just New once you have tickets), fill in Subject and Description, and click Create ticket. Replies show up there, and we email you too.

The phone app has no tickets screen. Ask EngineMon AI to open a ticket for you, then approve it: see Reach a person.

So we can help quickly, include:

  • The device's name and the car.
  • The exact message you saw, word for word, plus any code shown with it.
  • What you were doing, and whether it was on the website or the phone app.
  • For an order, its order number from Settings > Billing.

Tip: Tickets don't take attachments, so paste the message text instead of a screenshot.

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