With the scanner
Pull-over alerts
With the OBDLink MX+ scanner connected, the PulsCar app watches two things that can wreck a car if you keep driving: coolant temperature and charging voltage. When either goes critical, an alert appears on top of the app and tells you to pull over.
Example · coolant temperature
Pull over now
Coolant temperature is critical
Charging voltage
Alert below 11.8 V while driving
What it watches
- Overheating: an alert when coolant temperature reaches about 118 °C (244 °F).
- Charging system: an alert when voltage drops below 11.8 V while you are driving.
- Critical alerts are never locked behind a membership.
How it works
- Plug in the scanner. Put the OBDLink MX+ into the OBD port and connect it to the app.
- Drive as usual. The app reads live values from the car about every 10 seconds while you drive.
- Pull over when told. If a reading goes critical, the alert tells you to stop safely.
What it does not cover
- Only these two alerts are automatic today. There are no automatic alerts for oil pressure or engine speed.
- It needs the scanner connected and the phone in Bluetooth range. Without them there are no live readings.
- An alert is a warning, not a repair. After you stop, check the cooling or charging system before driving again.
Safety first. If the temperature gauge is in the red or steam comes from the hood, pull over now. Never open a hot radiator cap.
Questions
Why those two?
High coolant temperature and a failing charging system are the two readings where continuing to drive can quickly cause serious damage or leave you stranded.
Do I need a membership?
No. Critical alerts stay on for everyone with the scanner connected. Other features, like trip logs, are part of the membership.
What should I do when I get an alert?
Pull over where it is safe, switch the engine off and see the overheating or battery guide in the SOS section.
Which scanner works?
The OBDLink MX+ scanner.
Related guides
- Car Overheating in 2026? 10 Causes Ranked by Cost, and What to Do Right Now
- At Least One in Six Battery and Alternator Complaints to NHTSA Describe a Car That Died on the Road
- Car Battery Keeps Dying in 2026: When It Dies Names the Cause (5 Routes, Real Costs)
- Low Oil Pressure Warning in 2026: $0 to $10,000, and the One Light You Do Not Drive On
- How to Test a Car Battery in 2026: The Numbers Battery Makers Publish, and When It's the Alternator
- Car Losing Power Going Uphill? 10 Causes, 2 Free Tests, and What Each Fix Costs (2026)
Scanner + app
Scanner + app →More services: see all PulsCar services.