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iCarsoft MBII - iCarsoft i980 Scanners

39K views 31 replies 19 participants last post by  mrboca 
#1 ·
Has anyone used these iCarsoft scanners; MBII or i980 with the W210?
If successful did you need to connect to the 38 pin underhood connector or just the OBDII?
Did you get full function on scanner?
They list the W211 but not the W210 as one of cars the scanner works with.

Here is a list of the features of the MBII from their site;

iCarsoft MB II for Mercedes-Benz / Sprinter / Smart_Benz Scan Tools

MB II is a professional and powerful vehicle fault diagnosis tool developed by iCarsoft Technology Inc. With a 4” TFT LCD and unique diagnostic software,it features full ECU diagnosis of single vehicle brand and test modes mainly include: CANBUS, ISO9141, KWP2000, J1850 etc.
It enable technicians to accurately diagnose complex problems.

Feature:
• MB II can do it all-reads and clears trouble codes on all the systems such as engine, transmission,
ABS and airbag etc.
• Read Data Stream
• Full ECU Diagnosis
• Applies to the entire models of MB equipped with OBDII-16 DLC
• Easy To Use With Metal Dome Keys
• Oil Light/Service Reset:Support service lamp reset, Brake pad reset function, Steering angle sensor calibration etc.
EPB:Opens and closes the brake pads,Reads and clears EPB/SBC trouble codes,
• Turns off the ECU and brake warning light,Diagnoses EPB/SBC caliper functionality,
Resets the brake pad thickness service etc.
• ABS/AIRBAG:Diagnoses ABS/ SRS system codes,
Reads/clears codes of ABS/SRS system and turns off ABS/SRS warning light,
Performs bi-directional tests such as cycling the ABS solenoids, Retrieves ABS/SRS ECU information etc.
• ETC
• For more functions, please contact us for function list !
 
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#2 ·
I have the MBII and both the W210 and W211. The MBII works fine with my W211. It accesses all modules and does almost everything but bleed the SBC brakes and code modules.
The MBII does NOT access any control modules for the W210. It does not list the W210 in the menu. I took this photo in my W210 97 E420.
The MBII does not include a 38 pin adapter.
What year and model do you have?
 

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#5 ·
I have an SL500 R230 and it does nothing with the SBC other than immediately turn on the RED STOP Driving/ tow to shop warning on both information windows of the instrument panel . VERY SCARY.

You have to turn car off, take key out and restart to get rid of Red warning Alert. Hope it does not damage the car when it does this. It also does not tell me anything useful about my7G transmission. Says I have a A200 code which is bogus.

Perhaps the car should be running during the transmission test?

It Does cover the ABC nicely.

My car has an aftermarket stereo so the Command and all the Can bits are gone. Perhaps that is why it is behaving like this in my case?
 
#6 ·
iCarsoft MBII

I wish I had found this thread before I smacked my CC for this iCarsoft MBII scanner.

This scanner will identify the W210 by vin number in certain functions but then it doesn't do anything once it does.

It will read/clear OBD codes but then so does my much less expensive OBDII scanner I got at O'Rileys.

I will be talking to the fine folks at iCarsoft this week to see if they have a fix and will let you know what I found out.

I wonder if tgordy41 has found a consumer level scanner that will talk to the W210 and where to purchase?
 
#8 ·
They focus on vehicles after year 2005.
 

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#9 ·
#10 ·
It will work no problem, as long as it is through the OBD2, and only for the ECU codes. The TCU / SRS / ASR/BAS, Ins Cluster / etc are through the 38 pin connector. Only one K-line wire comes to the 16 pin connector.

I do not think it has an option for the 38 pin adapter cable.
 
#11 ·
It may work for other codes as the description says on FCPEuro and Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/iCarSoft-Mercedes-Smart-MB-II/dp/B015DNAMT2?th=1&psc=1


EPB: Opens and closes the brake pads on Electronic Parking Brake Calipers
Reads and clears EPB/SBC trouble codes
Turns off the ECU and brake warning light,Diagnoses EPB/SBC caliper functionality,
Resets the brake pad thickness service etc.
ABS/AIRBAG:Diagnoses ABS/ SRS system codes,
Reads/clears codes of ABS/SRS system and turns off ABS/SRS warning light,
Performs bi-directional tests such as cycling the ABS solenoids,
Retrieves ABS/SRS ECU information etc.
 
#12 ·
For 1998-99 it can't do any of that (except ECU light) unless it has a 38-pin adapter cable and a multiplexer. Period. As mrboca said, the k-line for other modules in not present in the OBDII 16-pin connector.

The Amazon seller even denies it'll work for OBDII on W210:

Question:
Will this read or work on a 96 mercedes E320 W210 m104 ? Or is the i980 better for my older car.

Answer:
Neither tool will work on W210, W208 or W202 Mercedes models, but everything else.
By German Audio Tech SELLER on April 4, 2016
 
#15 ·
So I posted a question on the product page Q&A:

"Question: (Posted by: exxxe@eugenegill.com)

Everybody wants to know - does this product have full functionality with W210 Mercedes E320 from 1998 onwards? The product page says it works, but we are dubious, based on other reviews.
Answer: (Posted by: FCP Product Team)

This product works with limited functionality on the W210. I have removed the W210 from our confirmed fitment."

Not sure what "limited functionality" means.
 
#16 ·
Limited functionality means basic OBD functions such as Engine codes, emissions monitors, and some actual values ie: coolant temp. In reference to the later model cars, I'm doing some troubleshooting on the CLK550 transmission this morning so I'll have an opportunity to confirm if it will show adaptations in the TCM. We will also publish a long form video this week on the iCarsoft product so please keep the questions coming and I will try to address them here and in the video.

--Kyle
 
#25 ·
so true, all that. a computer or diagnostic tool does not have unlimited
vocabulary which can be precise in IDing the problem...and the fix. it simply
narrows things down and a trained individual is still needed to sort out the
nitty gritty and fill in some of the blanks. still, it is MUCH better than garage
wrenching 20 years ago. it just isn't feasible or realistic yet to equip a car
with sensors on every part. if we reach that point, I'm more afraid that the cars
will '...become aware...' and they'll rebel and take over.
 
#29 ·
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwabe...essional-mercedes-scan-tool/018657sch01a~scf/
New toy on the market and even it can't recognize ECU on my 2014 E250 Bluetec, it does A LOT on my W211.
-compression test
-transmissions values
-transmission adaptation.
-automatic vehicle scan.
I no longer have W210, but having 38pin adapter I might try to hook it up to my R129, who is having lot of same modules with W210.
I will return this scanner as I bought it for W212 and I already have MaxiEcu who works on my W211, but if you don't have advanced scanner, this is probably the best legal thing you can buy.
And since it is legal, you will get updates, although my email to Chinese TS is not answered for 2 days.
 
#30 ·
To read codes from different modules on pre-facelift cars like Needleroozer's 1999 E320, you need manufacturer specific adapters. A $6 OBD2 to 38 pin adapter will not do. The only thing you can read with this type adapter is the ECU information (codes, live data). With an advanced scanner you can get more data from the ECU (Engine) than a generic scanner, but that is about it.

I do not think Schwaben has such an adapter, but there is one for Foxwell 520 Pro (multiplexer box attached)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OBD-Adapte...263612140998?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

Also, never buy a scanner on specs only. Sometimes the specs are "wishes". Always make sure that someone actually has tested the scanner and confirm that it can access the modules on your specific Model Year, read the codes and capable of clearing them.
 
#31 ·
A $6 OBD2 to 38 pin adapter will not do.
The $10 adapter works with MaxiEcu just fine.
I just try the mentioned above Schwaben on my R129 and even it come on, it could not communicate with modules.
Maybe it needs adapter mrboca is talking about, maybe this is the scanner, but that would take real expect to figure out as looks like Schwaben doesn't have working Tech Support
 
#32 ·
If you have an adapter specifically designed for the MaxiECU pinout definitions, it will work with MaxiECU. The $6 adapter has 3 wires inside. Power, ground, and a wire that connects pin 7 of the OBD2 to pin 4 of the 38-pin connector which is for the ECU / IFI only). To access the TCU, AB, Ignition I. Cluster, Climate Controller etc. with this cable is just wishful thinking.

As I said before, if you have the right scanner, even from the ECU connector, you can extract a lot of information from the ECU registers for diagnosis, but you will not be able to reset the TCU without directly access the specific pin on the 38 pin connector, and have the "right" protocol specific to the model of the module (EGS51, EGS52,.... EGSXX).

The pin-out for the "Car Specific" access is different from the generic OBD2 or EOBD access. For example, with my scanner, the ECU is accessed via Pin 1 at the OBD connector side mapped to pin 4 at the 38-pin side. For OBD2 access, the mapping is from pin 7 to pin 4 (38 pin side).

So, do not expect one manufacturer's specific cable to work with another for car specific access. Most likely, it will not work due to different pin-out specifications.
 
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