Any need for a SG II when your car comes with MPG computer?
 

Is there any real need for a Scan Gauge II if the car comes with its own trip and MPG display? What is the maximum MPG reading on the Scan Gauge II and is there some sort of update speed advantage and or something that I'm not aware of? This is assuming everything else about the car is stock.

SGII doesn't update as fast as I assume most built-in MPG computers (usually called Driver Information Center or DIC) do.

It can provide a lot of other live data that you won't get from the DIC. It probably offers more trip averaging options than most DICs - current trip, day average, tank average. I haven't used a modern DIC but an old one I had offered only tank average.

However, if you're just looking to pull OBDII trouble codes in addition to whatever data your DIC provides, a cheap code scanner costs 1/4 the price of a SGII and does the job just fine.

Well after the second day of driving with the scan gauge, while it's not convenient like the car's built in display of fuel economy, a little cumbersome and the wires are a bit annoying (can't hide them cause the car I'm trying this in isn't mine), it definitely has its benefits. Firstly I like being able to see the ignition timing, the MPG updates much quicker than the car's version and I like being able to see the average MPG for the trip. I also like all the other parameters I'm able to read off of the car and be able to scan for check engine codes.

With that in mind, I don't like how the scan gauge can get confused with DFCO either keeping it stuck at 9999mpg, not doing the 9999mpg even though I'm in DFCO, or acting stupid/weird when I turn off the engine but I'm still coasting. It's a bit ironic that the car's computer is able to handle all of this without a hitch but the Scan Gauge is not. If I could fix these things, it'd really make this device more useful because as it currently stands, this thing makes my average MPG decline when I'm stopped but have the engine off and that's stupid.

Set engine type to "hybrid" for that issue.

I have it set on hybrid, it still is an issue.

You have to leave the key in the run position, so switch it off then back again. I had the same problem (thanks BEEF!).

Well when I switch it off, I think I move it from II to I and then back to II but it still confuses the Scan Gauge.

Mine used to get confused when I shut the truck off too, and always screwed with the clock settings and radio presets. There is a setting in there somewhere for data speed. I set it to slow, and never had problems since.

-Jay

Ok I think I've come to the conclusion that my Scan Gauge is bad. Now it wont remember anything I tell it, so like when I give it a setting, have my layout, backlight, size of gas tank, hybrid or gas, etc. etc. when I turn the car off and on again, it goes to the "connecting" screen and then everything is reset once again. This is pissing me off and I'm wondering if the company needs a receipt before they'll do any warranty work on it.

Does it turn off when you turn the car off and go to "connecting" as soon as you key on? Your car may not provide power to the OBDII port when it's off. You could tap some power into the backside of the port easily.

However, the SGII should save your settings even if it loses power immediately after you set it up.