PLX Kiwi Wifi Diagnostics Transmitter: hook up your car to your iPhone
Heads up!
Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
Here’s an interesting idea for car freaks everywhere. Plug this little PLX Kiwi Wifi Diagnostics transmitter into your vehicle’s onboard computer (OBDII) port, download some apps from the iTunes® App Store, and you can check out all kinds of information about your car on your iPhone® or iPod touch®. Apps range from free to $40, and allow you to do cool things like:
- Adjust your driving habits to improve fuel economy
- Track acceleration and braking as you drive a course
- Record horsepower, torque, and other engine data
- Check out extensive info that’s not provided by the typical dash instruments
Another cool feature — there’s nothing more humiliating than having to take your car to the dealer and pay $50-$70 to get the “Check Engine” light turned off. With the Kiwi Wifi, you can diagnose the problem and reset the light, which can go a long way toward paying for this $150 device. Your vehicle's port is always located within 18" of the steering column, and it's almost always out in the open so your mechanic can find it easily. There's no danger in connecting this device, and an on/off switch allows you to turn it off when it's not in use.
The Kiwi Wifi works with just about any vehicle made since 1996 (including hybrid vehicles), and you can use it in more than one vehicle. If you’re into cars, you’ll love the ability to check out really specific diagnostic info on your iPhone or iPod touch.
The chart below gives you a quick take on the functions provided by each App. You can find out more information in this YouTube video.
by Crutchfield's
Meet Charlie Pastorfield
My mission in life: cool guitars, Asian food, and helping you build a great car audio system.
I played rock'n'roll professionally from the 1970s up to 1995, and had a great career travelling up and down the East Coast playing clubs and opening shows for bands like The Kinks, The Beach Boys, James Brown, George Thorogood, Little Feat, Bob Weir, and lots of others. The time came for me to get off the road in 1995, and I'd heard that Crutchfield loved to hire musicians. I came straight here to apply for my very first job at the age of 44, and I've been happy working here ever since.
I first worked as an Advisor here at Crutchfield. Spending time on the phones, I soon learned that our customers trust us to give them accurate info and to recommend the right products. My experiences assembling PA systems for my bands put me in good stead when it came to helping people put together systems for their cars.
After a couple of years, I started writing for the Crutchfield catalog, where I learned the value of getting to the point quickly. Our web site really started taking off, and I was offered the job of writing about our products online.
I still play music frequently so I get to hear the latest pro audio gear on a regular basis, including a lot of the products we sell. I haven't been able to live with the stock sound system in any of my vehicles since I started at Crutchfield, and I've learned a lot by putting new systems in all my cars. And I have also put together a really nice home audio setup that has rekindled my love affair with records.
My life has always been about music, and Crutchfield allows me to continue that passion. We literally think, talk, and write about audio and video products all day long — and that's a good thing!
More about Charlie
More from Charlie Pastorfield
Car audio for the first-time buyer
How to build the ideal car stereo system
Life with a factory stereo
Video: What's Wrong with Factory Speakers?
Single stereo-input dash speaker for vintage car owners
How to tune up your car audio system