What cars does Nova's Iron Pulse work with?

Nova's Iron Pulse works with any car or light truck built after 1996 sold in the US — that's when OBD2 became mandatory. If your car has an OBD2 port (under the dash, driver's side), it works.

How is Nova's Iron Pulse different from just reading codes?

A code reader tells you 'P0420.' Nova's Iron Pulse tells you what's actually wrong, the most likely causes for your specific vehicle, what it'll cost to fix, and walks you through the repair step-by-step. It's the difference between a number and a diagnosis.

Does Nova's Iron Pulse work on phones?

Yes. Nova's Iron Pulse is fully mobile-responsive and works in any modern browser. No app download required. The Bluetooth scanner connects via your phone's browser using Web Bluetooth.

Is it safe to plug in an OBD2 scan tool? Can it damage my car?

Yes, it is safe. OBD2 scan adapters are read-only diagnostic tools — they cannot modify your car's ECU or cause electrical damage. A Bluetooth ELM327 adapter draws approximately 50mA of power, far less than your car radio. The OBD2 standard (ISO 15765) was designed specifically to prevent unauthorized writes to vehicle systems.

Launching soon

Your car's got a problem.
Here's how to fix it for cheap.

We know engines. Our AI does too. Nova's Iron Pulse diagnoses the real issue, finds the cheapest OEM part across 5+ retailers, and walks you through the fix step-by-step. The complete DIY repair platform. From $99/year.

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✓ Free trial included ✓ Plans from $99/year ✓ Cancel anytime

🔌

Plug In

🧠

Diagnose

💰

Find Parts

✅

Fix It

📶 Scan My Car with Bluetooth 🔍 Enter a Code Manually

Bluetooth scan requires Android + Chrome. Manual entry works on any device.

The Problem

Check engine light on? That'll be $150 just to look at it.

Mechanics charge $100-150/hour for diagnostics. Existing OBD2 apps show you a code like P0301 and leave you guessing. Even the "smart" ones stop at diagnosis and never help you actually fix anything affordably.

12.8yr

Average vehicle age in the US

$150

Average diagnostic fee at a shop

60-80%

Savings from DIY repair

$2.5B

OBD2 app market (growing 6-8% CAGR)

What You Need

One $15 adapter.
That's it.

No proprietary hardware. No locked ecosystems. Any generic Bluetooth ELM327 OBD2 adapter plugs in and works immediately.

Budget Pick

~$11

Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD2

Compact, plug-and-forget adapter. Ships Prime. Works with all Android + Chrome setups out of the box.

View on Amazon →

Most Reliable

~$22

BAFX Products Bluetooth OBD2

Trusted by 100,000+ DIYers. Rock-solid Bluetooth connection, excellent range, no dropouts mid-scan.

View on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Stop Overpaying

They give you codes.
We give you the whole fix.

Other apps stop at diagnosis. Nova's Iron Pulse takes you from code to completed repair — parts sourced, steps written, money saved.

Carly

Coding & diagnostics for Euro brands

$155 /year subscription

✕ Brand-specific subscriptions stack up
✕ Forced proprietary hardware
✕ No parts sourcing
✕ No repair walkthroughs
✕ Coding features most DIYers don't need

FIXD

Simple code reader for beginners

$60 /year + $60 hardware

✕ Too basic for DIYers
✕ No live sensor data
✕ No parts sourcing
✕ No repair guides
✕ Mechanic referrals are just ads

OBDAI

AI reports & code reading

$60 /year subscription

✕ Reports, but no repair steps
✕ No parts sourcing
✕ No cost estimates
✕ AI diagnoses but doesn't fix
✕ Gimmicky vehicle "personality"

Nova's Iron Pulse

Diagnose, find parts, fix it

$99 /year — free trial included

✓ AI diagnosis from live sensor data
✓ Parts price comparison (5+ retailers)
✓ Step-by-step repair walkthroughs
✓ Works with any $15 OBD2 adapter
✓ Free trial. Basic $99/yr. Pro $245/yr.

How Nova's Iron Pulse Works

Diagnosis to done, in three steps

AI Diagnosis

Reads live sensor data from your OBD2 port. Not just trouble codes. Nova's Iron Pulse analyzes fuel trim, O2 levels, coolant temps, and hundreds of data points to find the actual root cause.

Goes beyond code reading

Cheapest Parts

Compares prices across RockAuto, AutoZone, O'Reilly, Amazon, and more. Matched to your exact year, make, and model. Shows you what a shop would charge vs. what you'll pay DIY.

Multi-retailer comparison

Repair Walkthrough

Step-by-step instructions written for your specific vehicle. Difficulty ratings tell you what you can handle at home vs. what needs a shop. No more guessing.

Vehicle-specific guides

Why Nova's Iron Pulse

Other apps stop at the code.
We take you to the finish line.

Other OBD2 Apps

Show you P0301 and say "misfire detected"

You're left Googling what it means, which part to buy, which retailer is cheapest, and whether you can even do this yourself.

Nova's Iron Pulse

"Ignition coil on cylinder 1. $34 on RockAuto. 25-minute swap. Here's the video."

From sensor data to wrench in hand. One continuous flow, no tab switching, no guesswork.

Repair Shops

Charge $150 to plug in the same scanner

Then quote $600+ for parts and labor on a job you could do in your driveway for under $50.

Your Savings

Every diagnosis shows the math

Shop charges $X. Parts cost $Y. You save $Z. That's not a feature — that's the whole point.

Pricing

The complete DIY repair platform.
From $99/year.

Still cheaper than a single shop diagnostic. Try it free first — upgrade when the savings speak for themselves.

Basic

$99 /year

Everything a weekend warrior needs. Diagnose it, find the part, fix it.

✓ 50 AI diagnoses per month
✓ Up to 5 vehicles
✓ Parts price comparison (5+ retailers)
✓ Basic repair guides
✓ DTC code lookups
✗ Live sensor data monitoring
✗ Priority support

Get Basic — $99/yr →

Free trial included — try before you buy

🔥 Most Popular

Pro

$245 /year

For the serious DIYer. Unlimited everything. The full shop experience in your driveway.

✓ Unlimited AI diagnoses
✓ Unlimited vehicles
✓ Full step-by-step repair guides
✓ Parts sourcing — 5+ retailers
✓ Live sensor data monitoring
✓ Saved profiles + diagnosis history
✓ Priority support

Go Pro — $245/yr →

vs. $150 for a single shop diagnostic

Dealer

$175 /year

For shops and fleet operators. Multi-bay diagnostics, team access, API.

✓ Everything in Pro
✓ Multi-bay / team access
✓ Fleet vehicle management
✓ API access
✓ Bulk diagnosis reports
✓ Dedicated support
✓ Custom integrations

Contact for Dealer →

Built for shops doing 10+ cars/day

💡 Your first diagnosis could save you $500+ at the shop. Even our Basic plan costs less than one diagnostic fee — and you keep using it every time your check engine light comes on.

FAQ

Questions? We've got answers.

What hardware do I need? ▾

Any Bluetooth ELM327 OBD2 adapter works. You can grab one on Amazon for $15-25 — we recommend the BAFX Products Bluetooth OBD2 (~$22) or the budget-friendly Veepeak Mini (~$11). No proprietary hardware required — unlike Carly or FIXD, we don't lock you into buying our scanner. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

How much does Nova's Iron Pulse cost? ▾

We offer a free trial so you can kick the tires. After that: Basic is $99/year (50 diagnoses/month, 5 vehicles, parts comparison, basic repair guides). Pro is $245/year (unlimited everything, live sensor data, full repair walkthroughs, priority support). Dealer is $175/year for shops and fleet operators. All plans are still cheaper than a single shop diagnostic fee. Cancel anytime from your account.

What cars does it work with? ▾

Any car manufactured after 1996 with a standard OBD2 port — that covers 99% of vehicles on the road today. Nova's Iron Pulse reads universal OBD2 protocols (ISO 9141, KWP2000, CAN). We're starting with the most common makes and models and expanding fast.

How is this different from just reading codes? ▾

Code readers tell you P0301. Nova's Iron Pulse tells you it's likely the ignition coil on cylinder 1, shows you one for $34 on RockAuto, and walks you through swapping it in 25 minutes. We go from diagnosis to repair execution — that's the gap every other app leaves open.

What if the repair is too complex for DIY? ▾

Every repair gets a difficulty rating. If it's beyond DIY territory (timing belt, transmission work), Nova's Iron Pulse tells you upfront and gives you an honest estimate of what a shop should charge. We'll never push you into a repair you can't handle.

Does this work on phones? ▾

Nova's Iron Pulse launches as a web app. It works best on Android + Chrome via Web Bluetooth. iOS support is on the roadmap. You'll get the best experience on the same phone you already take to the garage.

Is it safe to plug in a scan tool? Can it damage my car? ▾

Yes, it's safe. OBD2 adapters are read-only — they cannot modify your car's ECU or cause electrical damage. They draw ~50mA (less than an LED light), far less than your car radio. The OBD2 standard was designed specifically to prevent unauthorized writes. Read the full OBD2 safety guide →

Your car's got a problem.Here's how to fix it for cheap.