Panlong BLE OBD2 Scanner for iPhone & Android

Panlong does not print a Bluetooth version for the PL-B04. What it does promise is iPhone support with the app finding the adapter by itself, and that behaviour matches a Bluetooth LE radio. In practice it means one rule: connect from inside the app, not from the phone's Bluetooth menu.

Both read the same generic OBD-II data. The nine-protocol figure comes from how the ELM327 counts its protocol list: CAN is split by speed and ID length, so the five families add up to nine settings. Every car sold in the US since 1996 uses one of them.

• Pick the PL-B04 if anyone in the house has an iPhone, or if you want the included YMOBD app.
• Pick the B02 if you only use Android and want the long-proven Panlong.
• Skip both if you need Ford MS-CAN, BMW coding or a stated sleep current.

The Bluetooth adapter guide explains Classic versus BLE, and why an Android-only dongle leaves iPhone owners stuck, in more detail.

If you already own the Android B02 and just switched to an iPhone, the PL-B04 is the straight swap within Panlong's range.

YMOBD covers the generic OBD-II jobs a driver needs: read and erase codes, turn off the check-engine light, view freeze frame and real-time sensor data. It also runs three tests that matter before an emissions inspection.

• I/M readiness: shows whether each emissions monitor has finished its self-test.
• O2 sensor test: shows the oxygen sensor results the engine computer stored.
• EVAP system test: shows results for the fuel vapour system, a common source of small-leak codes.

Readiness trips up more drivers than anything else on the list. Clearing codes resets every monitor to not ready, and the car must be driven through its normal cycles before they complete. Many inspection stations will fail or turn away a car with too many incomplete monitors.

That is why clearing a code the morning of a test rarely works. The light goes out, but the readiness screen tells the inspector the codes were wiped recently. The PL-B04 lets you see the same screen at home first.

1. Plug the PL-B04 in and turn the ignition on.
2. Open YMOBD and let it connect.
3. Open the readiness screen and note any monitors still incomplete.
4. Recheck after a few days of mixed city and highway driving.

If YMOBD cannot reach the car, the connection fixes cover ignition states, protocol settings and seating the plug.

Panlong's own advice is to start with each app's free version, which covers daily use, and pay only when you need more. That is sound. Paid tiers mostly add enhanced data for particular brands or extra logging, and whether those extras work depends on your car.

Dr. Prius is the stand-out for hybrid owners. It reads the individual block voltages of a Toyota or Lexus hybrid battery, the first thing to check when a used Prius feels weak.

• Download apps by exact name and developer to dodge imitation apps with subscriptions.
• Close YMOBD before opening another app, since only one app can hold the connection.
• Choose Bluetooth LE in the new app's connection settings on an iPhone.

For a wider comparison of free and paid options, see the ELM327 app guide. Car Scanner is a good second app for most owners, since its free tier already shows a long list of live values on most cars.

• Ford and Mazda: no MS-CAN support is stated, so FORScan cannot reach body modules on that network. The vLinker FD+ reads them from an iPhone.
• BMW coding: BimmerCode and BimmerLink are not on Panlong's app list. The vLinker BM+ is built for them.
• Leave-in use: Panlong states no sleep mode or standby current. Unplug it after use rather than risk a flat battery.
• Heavy trucks: coverage is 12V gas and light diesel vehicles only.

Against other BLE adapters, the PL-B04's pull is its included app and its automatic connection. Branded rivals add features aimed at owners who leave the adapter plugged in or drive a particular make.

If your needs are check-engine codes, emissions readiness and live data on an everyday car, the PL-B04 covers them without fuss. Its YMOBD app suits drivers who want answers rather than settings.

It also makes a sensible second adapter. Keep a specialist Ford or BMW dongle for the deep work and a PL-B04 in the glovebox of the family's other car for quick checks.

One last check: make sure your car is OBD-II compliant. Panlong covers 1996-and-newer US vehicles and 2000-and-newer European and Asian 12V models, which takes in nearly every car on the road.