These so-called fuel-saving dongles are small electronic plugs that can be plugged into the OBD socket of the car. This On Board Diagnostics-connection is usually located at the driver’s footwell. There is a version for diesel models and one for petrol cars. By connecting such a dongle you could save up to 15 percent fuel.
That sounds enticing. Therefore tested ADAC recently whether the claims about such dongles are correct. In addition, the product with the name ‘ecoOBD2’ completely failed. The experts could not detect any communication through the OBD socket. No signals could be measured that could affect fuel consumption in any way. In fact, the dongle – for sale via Amazon, among others, for less than 5 euros – did not establish any electrical connection to the CAN bus at all.
The conclusion of the testers: “The ecoOBD2 flashes and pretends to work. But nothing else happens.” However, the German mobility organization is not really surprised by this result. “If the promised effect were really achievable, such products would have long since been serially installed by car manufacturers because they would have a decisive competitive advantage,” says Markus Sippl, head of ADAC vehicle technology. The ADAC therefore categorizes the dongle as misleading fuel-saving products, just like pills for the gas tank, magnets for the fuel line and additives to the engine oil.
Those who want to save fuel will therefore still have to do it with a careful foot on the accelerator and a forward-looking driving style.
2023-05-14 05:30:00
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