Diagnostic tools for Landy - I am confused.

Would anyone kindly enlighten me to the reason why some diagnostic tools will work properly on Land Rovers, and others won't. In particular I have a Hawkeye tool specified for the Defender TD5, why won't it work properly on the Disco V8, nor read or communicate with the body control unit of the Disco 2.

What is the purpose of the Hawkeye 'dongles', and what are the 'unlock codes' for if there are dongles to dangle?

I can guess that there are several special PIDs (Parameter identifiers) in the OBD system on Land Rover, but does that mean that buying a £20 OBD2 diagnostic tool will allow only some codes to be read, and perhaps not perform special functions (such as the ABS bleeding sequence on the Disco 2)?

I have read up on CANbus recently, and it seems that the Disco electronic control modules use this to communicate with each other, and CAN H and CAN L are available at the OBD socket, so is it really as simple as buying a £1 CANbus comms module, rigging it up to a £20 Arduino computer or Rasberry PI, writing some software, and obtaining a list of the specific PIDs to add to the general ones?
...and thereby having a machine that will read the codes on ALL Landies, plus others?*
Surely it's not that simple?

*other forms of mechanised transport are available.

I know nothing of the Hawkeye, except it needs different plugs for different applications and vehicles, which is why I don't have one. I have an Icarsoft I930, which has access to most modules on most LRs.

A generic OBD2 reader won't access any other module, except for the engine ECU, and then often only access data and information that causes emission type faults.

You can't just use a cheap reader to read the CAN data. Well you can read it, but unless you can de-code the data, it isn't much use to you. It's a bit like you reading Spanish, but without actually learning how to read in Spanish. You could read the words, but they'd make no sense to you.

So will an Icarsoft I930 do a D2 TD5?

I can answer that one myself....almost
I made enquiries about the iCarsoft LR11...it will if you buy the Jaguar/Land Rover version, and it will (the supplier claims) read all the modules from all models. It will also work as a standard OBD2 reader on other makes of car but limited to engine and emissions data only.
Can anyone confirm these claims from practical experience?

The Hawkeye Total comes unlocked for all LRs up to the L405.

Theres multiple versions of the Hawkeye.

Original which was licensed to specific models. Freelander 1 and Freelander 2 being different vehicles. Additional licenses codes can be purchased to add more vehicles to the same unit.

Hawkeye pro which eye can't remember about at the moment.

Hawkeye total which is the latest version which is unlocked ter all vehicles it covers.

The dongles are used to convert the wiring. The wires used to talk to some of the different modules need crossed over. Two ways ter do this. Via series plug in dongles or a multi pin bidirectional selectable comms port. They chose the first option. If yer know the wiring setup of the dongles yer can make yer own.

The dongles are for specific applications. Certain computers on certain vehicles, not all. Some are usable across several vehicles. There's a list of options if yer search ont line fer "bearmach Hawkeye software options pdf"

Is it still possible to buy additional vehicle unlock codes? I spoke to Bearmach and they didn't seem to (or want to) know - as they now only support the Total....
(I saw a Hawkeye Classic somewhere (Island 4x4 maybe?) at a bargain price, but couldn't work out how to buy an unlock code for a TD5 D2 - so bought a pre-owned Nanocom instead )

beanwood said:

Is it still possible to buy additional vehicle unlock codes? I spoke to Bearmach and they didn't seem to (or want to) know - as they now only support the Total....
(I saw a Hawkeye Classic somewhere (Island 4x4 maybe?) at a bargain price, but couldn't work out how to buy an unlock code for a TD5 D2 - so bought a pre-owned Nanocom instead )

Click to expand...

There are some new part sellers still offering the licenses fer sale so eye assume it's still possible to buy one. Eye wouldn't trust eBay etc to buy them myself.

Meldrew's mate said:

iCarsoft LR11...it will if you buy the Jaguar/Land Rover version, and it will (the supplier claims) read all the modules from all models. It will also work as a standard OBD2 reader on other makes of car but limited to engine and emissions data only.
Can anyone confirm these claims from practical experience?

Click to expand...

The Icarsoft I930 (I930 is the LR/ Jag version) will do almost all modules on LRs up to the L322, D4 or Fl2. It doesn't access security modules and some random modules appear invisible to it. For instance, it doesn't see my FL1s TCM or CCU, but has access to ABS, EDC, Ipack and CC modules.

On my D3 it accessed everything except security items, but it couldn't update module software like the Gap Diagnostics IID can.

I've not tried it on the D2 or Defender, so can't comment on those. But I suspect those are suitably covered, as they use old technology coms, much like the FL1.

Meldrew's mate said:

I have read up on CANbus recently, and it seems that the Disco electronic control modules use this to communicate with each other, and CAN H and CAN L are available at the OBD socket, so is it really as simple as buying a £1 CANbus comms module, rigging it up to a £20 Arduino computer or Rasberry PI, writing some software, and obtaining a list of the specific PIDs to add to the general ones?

Click to expand...

It's a matter of time before some tech savvy 11 year old does this and they will be a millionaire.