GiroDash User Manual

1. What GiroDash is

GiroDash turns your car's Android head unit, or your phone, into a live dashboard. It reads data through the diagnostic (OBD2) port with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi adapter.

• Free: standard engine sensors from any OBD2 car (rpm, speed, engine temperature, boost, battery, load and more, as the car reports them), fuel economy, reading fault codes, cabin and outside temperature in the header, custom PIDs (up to 3 on the dashboard), a limited dashboard editor and Dark/Light theme.
• GiroDash Pro: Mitsubishi-specific sensors (gearbox and converter temperature, 4x4 mode, gear, doors, lights and seat belt), the Climate screen, all alerts, clearing engine fault codes, Classic style, your own title and emblem, 60–100 km/h and boost in Performance, Fill-up history, unlimited sensor discovery, Check the car's sensors, GPS speed and trip logging. One-time purchase, no subscription, works on up to 3 devices. You can try Pro free for 7 days, no card needed.

Cars (≡ → Settings → Vehicle model, grouped by brand):

• Mitsubishi Pajero Full 3.2 (2008 onward; the 2007 V98 uses this profile): full profile (includes the Climate screen).
• Mitsubishi Pajero Dakar / Sport 3.2 (2008 onward): full profile.
• Mitsubishi L200 Triton 3.2 DI-D (2014+): uses the Dakar profile and dashboards.
• Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Full 3.8 V6 (2007 onward): full profile.
• Toyota Prado 3.0 D-4D diesel (2003–2009): no own profile: standard sensors over K-line, with estimated fuel economy.
• Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 J20A (2008–2015): engine only, Pro; gearbox and 4x4 later.
• Generic OBD2: any other car, standard sensors only.
• Pajero NS (Australia 2006–09, DPF): with Pajero Full 3.2 selected, turn on Settings → Pajero NS variant (Australia 2006–09, DPF).

2. What you need

1. An Android head unit or Android phone (Android 7 or newer).
2. A Bluetooth or Wi-Fi OBD2 adapter.
   • ✅ Recommended: Vgate iCar Pro (Bluetooth 4.0/BLE or 3.0) or OBDLink. They read engine, gearbox, 4x4 and cluster.
   • ✅ Kingbolen eDiag (STN2255) works, but updates more slowly over Bluetooth BLE. Other brand scanners with their own system (Launch, Autel, Thinkcar) may not accept third-party apps.
   • ⚠️ Generic ELM327 (the cheap blue one): usually reads the engine only. GiroDash warns you when it notices.
3. Where the port is: on the Pajero, under the dash on the driver's side.

Where GiroDash works: ordinary Android head units (the 9″/10″ "Android" units fitted to the dash), Android phones and tablets.

Where it doesn't: factory head units running Android Automotive (e.g. Volvo, Polestar), which can't install the app, and Android Auto (phone mirroring), where GiroDash doesn't appear. On those cars, use GiroDash on your phone or on a tablet in a mount and pair the Bluetooth OBD2 adapter in the app.

Tip: generic adapters don't "sleep". Unplug it if the car sits for days.

3. First steps

1. With the car stopped, plug in the adapter and turn the ignition on.
2. No need to pair the adapter first: tap Connect. The app tries to connect without pairing and, if that fails, pairs by itself (it tries PIN 1234, then 0000 and 6789). If it can't find the adapter, use ≡ → Connection & diagnostics → Bluetooth: find and pair a new adapter. On some devices the Android pairing window may flash briefly.
3. Open GiroDash. The first time, it shows the quick guide and asks which car you have.
4. In ≡ → Connection & diagnostics → Choose adapter, pick:
   • Bluetooth (paired adapters), or
   • Bluetooth: find and pair a new adapter, or
   • Wi-Fi (default address on most: 192.168.0.10:35000).
5. Done: the header shows "Reading data". Next time, GiroDash connects by itself.

Each adapter remembers its car. If you use the same phone in two cars with different adapters, the app switches profile by itself.

Connection summary: on the first connection the app asks whether it may send a technical summary of the connection (no personal data) to improve compatibility. Change it any time in ≡ → Settings → Send connection summaries: on/off.

4. The dashboard

• Change a tile's sensor: tap the tile.
• Header badges: OFF-ROAD (4H with lock) and LOW RANGE (4LLc) light up by themselves (Pro).
• Fault chip: when the engine warning light (MIL) is on, an amber chip appears in the header.
• Cabin and outside temperature: shown in the header for everyone, on cars that report them.
• Lights, doors and seat belt: the icon strip lights up like the car's cluster (Pro).
• Music: the music tile shows the track and controls play/pause/next on compatible head units.
• Other screens: use the screen bar on the side: Dashboard, Climate, Fuel economy, Performance, Service and your own screens.
• Converter lock-up (Pro): tap the intake tile to switch to the lock-up monitor.

4x4

The 4x4 block shows 2H, 4H, 4HLc and 4LLc. On cars without the 4x4 control unit (0x786), the app calculates low range from the transmission output shaft speed and shows "Low range (calc.)". It is an estimate, not a direct reading.

Climate (Pro, Pajero Full 3.2)

Shows the A/C in two views (the dash and the Pajero), with fan, mix %, cabin and outside temperature and compressor. If the car doesn't answer, the screen says "No response from the air conditioning (K-line)". For right-hand drive, turn on Settings → Right-hand drive (Climate screen) (shown with the Pajero selected). On Free, the screen is locked, and cabin and outside temperature show in the header.

Custom screens

• In Custom screens → New blank screen, build a dashboard with the gauges you want.

Performance

• Measures 0–100 km/h (Free) and 60–100 km/h and boost (Pro). Only on a safe, closed road.

Appearance (≡ → Appearance)

• Dashboard style: Modern or Classic (Classic is Pro).
• Edit dashboard: choose which sensors appear and where. An overlaid box can be moved and resized. On Free there are limits (3 extra sensors).
• Dashboard title and Header emblem (Pro): the header text and an image of yours (put the file in the Download folder) with the emblem color.

Theme and background (≡ → Settings → Dashboard theme and background)

• Theme: Dark, Light or Automatic (by sunset and sunrise). Automatic uses the device location; with no location, it is dark from 6 pm to 6 am.
• Background color and Background image from gallery. With an image, use Darken image: N% and Remove background image.

5. Settings (≡ → Settings)

• License: see section 10.
• Car and Vehicle model: the car in use and its model (section 1). With the Pajero: Pajero NS variant and Right-hand drive (Climate screen).
• Vehicle and units: units (°C, km/h, bar/psi), fuel economy in km/l, L/100 km or mpg (in Australia and Europe the default is L/100 km) and tank capacity.
• Control unit names: rename the control units the scan found.
• Alerts: on/off, with or without sound, and each sensor's limits. See section 7.
• Dashboard theme and background: see section 4.
• Bluetooth music and Wait for wireless CarPlay/Android Auto at start-up: for head units with wireless CarPlay or Android Auto. See section 11.
• Another device on OBD (e.g. Auto-Mate): GiroDash only listens and shows what the other device already reads, without asking the control units anything.
• Send connection summaries: on or off.
• Pro trial reminders: shown only during the trial.
• GPS speed: corrects speedometer error from larger tires (Pro). With no GPS signal, it falls back to the car's speed.
• Trips (CSV): trip log to open in Excel or Google Sheets (Pro).
• When the head unit starts: what GiroDash does: Do nothing, Open the dashboard or Only connect (in background).
• Run in background: guide so Android doesn't close the app (a ⚠ shows when something is still to allow).
• Language: Portuguese or English (by default, Android's).
• Advanced → Adapter connection: fixed protocol and AT commands. Only if you know what you're doing.

6. Car faults (≡ → Car faults)

• Reads faults from the engine, automatic gearbox, 4x4, ABS/ASC and other control units that answer.
• Each fault shows its code (e.g. P0087), description and whether it is active or stored.
• Clear engine codes (Pro): applies only to the engine control unit and needs the adapter connected with the ignition on.
  • With the car stopped, the app clears them right away, engine on or off.
  • While moving, it shows "⚠ Vehicle moving: Clearing while the vehicle is moving resets the engine ECU and may cause a momentary fault. It is safest to stop the vehicle first." It clears only if you tap Proceed.
  • Sometimes the car's own control unit refuses (it may say to stop the car and try again, that the car doesn't accept clearing via standard OBD2, or that access is protected).
  • If the fault comes back, the problem is still there: see a mechanic.
• The header's amber "⚠ Engine fault" chip follows the warning light (MIL). After clearing, it disappears right away; if it comes back within a few seconds (the app rereads the light every 5 s), the fault is still there: see a mechanic. If the control unit refuses the request, the chip stays.
• "No response" on a control unit means it didn't answer this adapter. With generic adapters this is common.

GiroDash does not replace a workshop diagnosis.

7. Alerts

• GiroDash warns you with a notification and sound when a sensor passes its limit (e.g. engine or gearbox temperature).
• Alerts also work with another app open on top (maps, music).
• Adjust limits in ≡ → Settings → Alerts. Factory values are conservative; change them only if you know what you're doing.

8. Fuel economy

• Instant and average consumption, and estimated range. The ESTIMATED badge becomes CALIBRATED after calibrations; on cars that report consumption, it shows MEASURED BY THE CAR. On cars with no fuel measurement, consumption is estimated from intake air ("from airflow"); calibrate it with I refueled.
• Partials: Trip (resets when you tap New trip) and This tank (resets at each full tank), with km driven and the average of each.
• "I refueled": at each fill-up, tap the button, choose Full tank or Partial and enter the liters (and the amount, if you like).
• On the first full fill-up "This tank" resets and starts counting. On later full fill-ups the app compares the real liters with what it estimated and corrects half the difference (max. 20% per fill-up). Until the 1st or 2nd calibration, values show as "estimated".
• If it can't calibrate (invalid liters, under 20 km on the tank or a value far from the estimate), the app explains why and offers "Reset anyway, without calibrating".
• Fill-up history (Pro): Fill-up history (button History on the Fuel economy screen). Shows Average (3 tanks), Cost per km and Spent in <month>, and a list with date, liters, type (full or partial), km, result and amount. Tap a row to edit (liters, amount paid, station and fuel) or delete; deleting removes it only from the history and does not change the average or calibration. Export CSV is available. On Free, the app records in the background and History is locked.

9. Service log (Service screen)

• Free: engine oil and filter and diesel filter, with a reminder by km and by time. The reminder repeats until you log the change.
• Pro: the other items (filters, fluids, belts, alignment…), ready-made Pajero templates, history and CSV export. Services can also be set by engine hours.
• Odometer: on the Full and Dakar with Pro, the app reads the car's; on others, you type the odometer and the app adds the distance driven. The faults screen has an odometer check (cluster vs engine control unit).
• Hour meter: the app adds up engine hours (total and partial). On the Service screen, tap "Hour meter" to reset the partial or correct the total (e.g. hours noted by the shop). It can also be a dashboard gauge (Edit dashboard).
• Vehicle report (PDF): a button on the Service screen. It summarizes the hour meter, km with the warning light on, and service due and done, and opens Android sharing.
• Service data stays only on your device.

10. GiroDash Pro and license

• Buy: in the app, ≡ → GiroDash Pro: learn more (on Google Play, purchase goes through Play).
• Free trial: 7 days, once per device and adapter, no card. During the trial the app sends reminders: on day 1 (only if you haven't connected to the car yet), on day 4, the day before the end, and a notice after the trial ends (turn off in Settings → Pro trial reminders: on/off). At the end, a screen "Your GiroDash Pro trial has ended" shows what leaves the dashboard (0–100 stays free) and offers Continue with free; nothing is charged, and you can unlock Pro any time.
• Up to 3 devices: the same purchase works on the head unit and two more devices (e.g. phone and tablet).
• Activate with code (website purchase): ≡ → Settings → License: … → Activate with code. Needs internet only for activation.
• Restore Google Play purchase: on a new device or after reinstalling, use ≡ → Settings → License → Restore Google Play purchase, with the same Google account as the purchase.
• Head unit with another Google account: sign in to the head unit's Play with the purchase account, use Restore purchase, then go back to the other account. Pro stays saved on the device (don't uninstall or clear app data).
• Head unit without Play Store: download from the GiroDash website, page /central, where you can also buy Pro (payment through Mercado Pago, in Brazilian reais).
• Changed device? Contact support to free the slot.

11. Common problems

Discover a sensor

For lights, doors, buttons and switches: in ≡ → Discover a sensor (Free: 1 sensor; Pro: unlimited), with the ignition on and the car stopped, switch the control on and off 3 times. The app shows the data that changed with it, and you tap Use this. It needs the Full scan done first (≡ → Connection & diagnostics → Full scan, with the engine running).

Check the car's sensors (Pro)

≡ → Connection & diagnostics → Check the car's sensors. The app requests each profile sensor once and disables only those the car doesn't answer.

Custom PIDs

≡ → Custom PIDs. Create your own sensors (request, header and formula) or import a .csv file (e.g. from Torque). On each PID: Test (read once), Edit, Put on dashboard and Delete. On Free you can create, import and test freely, with up to 3 on the dashboard (they also use the extra-sensor slots of the free dashboard); Pro has no limit. Only read requests are accepted; requests to clear faults, write or actuate parts are refused.

Send the log to support

≡ → Connection & diagnostics → Send log to support (button at the top of the screen). If you like, enter your name, vehicle and an e-mail or WhatsApp for the reply (all optional). The app shows a LOG-xxxxxx code: give it to support. With no internet, the crash report goes along with the next send. The log is kept for 30 days. Tell us what happened and when. A screenshot doesn't replace the log.

12. Use and responsibility

Same text as the app's "Use and responsibility" window (≡ → Help & about → Use and responsibility).

GiroDash reads vehicle data through the OBD2 port. It does not change the programming, configuration or calibration of the control units; the only action sent to the vehicle is clearing fault codes, when you request it. The information is for reference and may vary by vehicle and adapter. Do not handle the app while the vehicle is moving. Use of the app, interpretation of the data and decisions made based on it are the user's responsibility; GiroDash is not liable for damage resulting from misuse, faulty adapters or work on the vehicle.

13. Contact

• E-mail: girodashapp@gmail.com
• Instagram: @girodash

Pajero Dakar data by Project STORM (Ricardo Assmann).