5 Easiest car maintenance tasks to save money using OBDeleven

Car maintenance can be a challenge for anyone's wallet. Whether it's preparing for a new season, doing a routine checkup, or dealing with various malfunctions and breakdowns, it all costs time, money, and inconvenience. 

  

With OBDeleven, however, you can cut down on these things. In this article, we'll look at 5 simple car maintenance tasks you can do yourself. 

 

  

Changing brake pads is usually a simple task for many car enthusiasts. However, many of today's newer car models are equipped with an electronic parking brake, which makes changing the rear brake pads a bit more challenging. 

  

Replacing the rear brake pads on these vehicles usually requires a special tool. With OBDeleven, you can do it yourself by connecting the adapter to your vehicle's OBD2 port and using the Brake Pads Replacement One-Click App to open and close the rear calipers for easy replacement. 

 

 

Whether your battery is showing signs of aging – like slow cranking or dim headlights – or it suddenly dies, knowing how to replace it is crucial. Car batteries typically last 3-5 years, but they can fail without warning, especially in cold weather. 

To change your battery, you first need to access the old battery and prepare the new one for the change. Once you have successfully swapped the batteries, don't forget to take a picture of the new battery's details. 

 

Next, it's important to register a new car battery to ensure your vehicle operates properly. Different cars have specific battery registration procedures.   

 

For older Volkswagen Group (VAG) models: 

Use the OBDeleven diagnostic app, go to the "Battery Regulation" control unit, and select "Long Adaptation." Enter channel number 4, input your battery details starting with the battery capacity followed by the manufacturer code (use "UNK" if unknown) and serial number (change the last digit if you don’t know), and then confirm the changes. 

 

For newer VAG models: 

Navigate to the "Gateway" control unit and choose "Adaptation." Select "Battery adaptation," fill in all the fields with the battery capacity, manufacturer, serial number, and battery technology, then confirm to complete the process. 

 

For BMW vehicles: 

Use the OBDeleven NextGen device and mobile app, go to "Apps" and select "Battery Type and Capacity" if the new battery differs from the old one. Then open the "12V Battery Registration" app, choose the "RESET" option, and confirm to register the new battery. 

 

Check out our step-by-step video tutorial below for a more detailed visual walkthrough. It will guide you through battery replacement and registration so you can feel even more confident before doing it on your own. 

 

  

Most vehicles have an upcoming oil change reminder so you can track when the next one is due, and you need to reset after every oil change. OBDeleven makes this task effortless by turning it into a single tap on your smartphone. 

  

Just open the mobile app, navigate to One-Click Apps, and find Oil Service Reset. If you'd like, on VAG vehicles, you can also change the interval between oil changes, so you'd get a reminder every 365 or 730 days. 

 

  

Service reminders on your dashboard don’t always mean a trip to the workshop is necessary, especially if you know how to perform basic maintenance tasks on your own.  

 

Much like with the Oil Service Reset, you can use OBDeleven’s Service Reset One-Click App to clear reminders after performing periodic maintenance tasks such as changing the air intake filter, spark plugs or wiper blades. 

 

If you’re comfortable handling these tasks on your own, there’s no need to pay for a workshop visit just to reset the service alert. This lets you take control of your car’s maintenance and save both time and money. 

 

 

One of the most exciting aspects of OBDeleven is the ability to personalize your driving experience. With our no-code customizations – One-Click Apps – you can quickly tailor your vehicle to fit your preferences without complicated manual coding or trips to the dealership.  

 

Some of the most popular One-Click Apps include the Virtual Cockpit Theme, which allows you to change the theme of your dashboard, and the Ambient Colors App, which expands the available ambient lighting color palette to up to 30 colors. 

  

Another great example is deactivating the Start/Stop system. Instead of manually disabling it every time you start your car, you can permanently deactivate it with the One-Click App. 

 

For those who find the seat belt warning chime distracting, especially when maneuvering in parking lots, the Seat Belt Warning One-Click App provides an easy solution by letting you permanently disable the chime. 

The Auto Folding Mirrors One-Click App is another great feature, allowing you to set the side mirrors to automatically fold in when you lock the car. This helps protect the mirrors from damage in tight spaces. 

Moreover, one of our recent additions to the One-Click Apps list is the ability for certain Volkswagen Group models to extend Lane Assist operation time from the default 10-15 seconds to up to 60 seconds. This means your car can maintain lane assistance for longer periods during highway driving, reducing the frequency of annoying chimes. 

 

  

OBDeleven is a pocket-sized Bluetooth device that plugs into your car's OBD2 port. Once connected, it allows the OBDeleven app on your smartphone to communicate wirelessly with your car. 

   

The OBDeleven OBD scanner can perform in-depth vehicle diagnostics, check your vehicle's overall status, and access manufacturer-locked features. 

  

OBDeleven also offers advanced coding capabilities for PRO and ULTIMATE plan subscribers for Volkswagen Group vehicles. 

 

Want to learn more? Check out the OBDeleven buying guide. 

 

 

 

   

Having a car gives us the freedom to go wherever we want. Whether it's for work, vacation, road trips, or everyday activities, having a car is an amazing convenience.   

 

But it also means that we need to take care of our vehicles. And now, car maintenance doesn't have to be that expensive.  

 

The OBDeleven device gives you the ability to customize your car and make the kind of changes you'd only be able to make at a repair shop.