OBDLink MX+ Android Auto setup

Date: 2026-08-21T00:00:00+00:00 - (Skid Vis)

To use an OBDLink MX+ with Android Auto, pair the adapter with your Android phone first, connect a compatible OBD app to the adapter on the phone, and then connect the phone separately to the vehicle’s Android Auto system. The MX+ does not connect directly to the dashboard display. The phone sits between the adapter and phone-projected Android Auto.

For OBD Auto, the working path is:

1. OBDLink MX+ to the vehicle’s OBD-II port
2. OBDLink MX+ to the Android phone through Bluetooth
3. OBD Auto on the phone to the paired MX+
4. Android phone to a compatible Android Auto host by the method supported by the vehicle

Do the initial setup while parked. OBDLink’s own MX+ quick-start guide instructs Android users to plug in the adapter, press its Pair button, pair “OBDLink MX+” in the phone’s Bluetooth settings, and then connect from an OBD app.

What you need

Check the complete connection chain before troubleshooting:

• An OBD-II vehicle compatible with the adapter
• An OBDLink MX+
• A compatible Android phone
• An OBD app that supports the MX+ and Android Auto, such as OBD Auto
• A vehicle or aftermarket head unit that supports phone-projected Android Auto
• A suitable USB cable if the vehicle requires wired Android Auto

OBDLink lists the MX+ as an Android-compatible Class 2 Bluetooth 3.0 adapter with a physical button that enables pairing. That Bluetooth link carries OBD communication between the adapter and phone. It is separate from the phone’s wired or wireless connection to the Android Auto host.

Step-by-step OBDLink MX+ Android Auto setup

1. Park and prepare the vehicle

Park in a safe, ventilated location and follow the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for accessing the diagnostic port and switching the vehicle to the required state. OBDLink’s Android getting-started instructions place the OBD port in the driver’s footwell on most vehicles and tell users to confirm that the adapter’s green power LED is on after insertion.

Do not configure the phone or adapter while driving.

2. Plug in the MX+ and enter pairing mode

Insert the MX+ firmly into the OBD-II port. Press the physical Pair button on the adapter. The OBDLink instructions specifically identify the MX+ as a model with this button.

If the green power LED does not illuminate, stop and check the vehicle state, connector seating, and vehicle documentation. Do not force the adapter into a connector that does not align correctly.

3. Pair the MX+ in Android settings

Open the phone’s Bluetooth settings, find “OBDLink MX+,” select it, and accept the pairing prompt. Google’s Android Bluetooth instructions describe pairing accessories from the Connected devices area in Android settings.

Pairing is not the same as an active OBD session. Pairing establishes the trusted Bluetooth relationship. The OBD app still has to open a connection to the adapter and initialize communication with the vehicle.

4. Select the paired adapter in OBD Auto

Open OBD Auto for Android, select the already-paired OBDLink MX+, and connect while parked. OBD Auto requires a compatible Bluetooth Classic OBD-II adapter paired in Android settings. The MX+ has been tested with the app, but vehicle, adapter, and individual reading support can still vary.

OBD Auto does not support BLE-only or Wi-Fi-only adapters. That exclusion does not apply to the MX+ Bluetooth 3.0 connection described on OBDLink’s product page.

5. Confirm vehicle data before opening Android Auto

Verify the connection on the phone first. Check that the app reports a vehicle connection and that at least some vehicle-supported readings update plausibly. Then choose the dashboard items you want to use.

OBD Auto shows only readings it implements and that the connected vehicle reports as supported. A missing coolant, fuel, airflow, or other reading does not by itself mean the MX+ pairing failed. If other readings work, the unavailable item may simply not be supported through that vehicle’s standardized OBD data.

6. Connect the phone to Android Auto

Set up Android Auto using the method supported by the vehicle. Google’s official Android Auto setup guide provides separate instructions for USB and wireless connections. It tells users to keep the vehicle parked with the infotainment system on during setup.

For wired Android Auto, connect the phone to the vehicle’s supported USB port with a suitable cable and follow the prompts. For wireless Android Auto, confirm that both the phone and vehicle support wireless projection, then follow the vehicle and on-screen pairing instructions.

The Android Auto connection does not replace the MX+ Bluetooth pairing. It projects a compatible phone app to the car display while the phone continues to communicate with the adapter.

What appears on the car screen

Google defines Android Auto as a phone-based platform: the compatible app runs from the phone and presents a driver-optimized experience on the vehicle display. It is not a general screen-mirroring system.

OBD Auto uses phone-projected Android Auto templates to show selected telemetry and link to fault information. Adapter selection, dashboard configuration, code scanning and clearing, trip-recording controls, and CSV or JSON export stay on the phone.

OBD Auto does not support Android Automotive OS. Android Automotive OS is the operating system built into some vehicles, while this setup uses Android Auto projected from an Android phone.

Troubleshooting the setup

The MX+ does not appear in Bluetooth settings

Confirm that the adapter has power and press its Pair button again. OBDLink says it can take 45 to 60 seconds for an adapter to appear during initial setup. Its connection troubleshooting guide also recommends unplugging and reconnecting the adapter or cycling Bluetooth off and on if pairing fails.

The MX+ is paired but OBD Auto will not connect

Close other OBD apps before trying again. OBDLink states that the adapter can connect to only one OBD app at a time, so leaving the OBDLink app or another diagnostic app connected can block a second app.

Then verify that OBD Auto has the correct paired device selected, that the adapter remains powered, and that the vehicle is in the state required for communication. Change one part of the chain at a time.

Android Auto works but no readings appear

Return to the phone and verify the OBD connection there. Android Auto can be connected to the head unit even when the OBD app is not connected to the MX+. Confirm the selected adapter and vehicle readings before troubleshooting projection.

If some readings appear and another does not, check whether the app lists that item as vehicle-supported. Android Auto cannot create a reading that the vehicle does not report.

OBD Auto works on the phone but not on the car display

Confirm that the vehicle supports phone-projected Android Auto and that the phone completed Google’s wired or wireless setup. Do not confuse Android Auto with Android Automotive OS. OBD Auto supports the former, not the latter.

Finish setup before driving

Choose dashboard items and complete the adapter and Android Auto connections while parked. Start trip recording before moving if you intend to record. Do not scan or clear codes, change adapter settings, configure the dashboard, stop or export a recording, or handle the phone while driving.

Once configured, the normal sequence is simple: power the vehicle as instructed, open OBD Auto and have it connect to the already-paired MX+, confirm the vehicle connection, then start Android Auto. If a step fails, test the adapter-to-phone connection and the phone-to-display connection separately.