So after some searching I have figure out a way to this with Android Auto. It is basic but does the job.

 

You need Dashobd from google play (not available for IOS fans and car play as far as I know sorry) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ecm.dashobd&hl=en_US

 

An ELM 327 dongle that works, the cheap blue one I purchased from amazon would not work for 8 quid odd so I bought this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Scanner-Diagnostic-Adapter-Android/dp/B07CP632CL?pd_rd_w=KqmGT&content-id=amzn1.sym.c8a5b9ab-9876-4c56-aa13-e746c73e193d&pf_rd_p=c8a5b9ab-9876-4c56-aa13-e746c73e193d&pf_rd_r=5BY3CMCNXASEJ2YZ1RV2&pd_rd_wg=BIqDJ&pd_rd_r=d9f276b9-8ede-4dcc-88e2-574d6ee7f89c&pd_rd_i=B07CP632CL&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_pr_ppx_pop_dt_b_bia_item_i

 

You can now run dashobd on your android phone and android auto screen like you used to be able to run Torque on android auto which at some point stopped working. Should be in the list for AA automatically or you may need to go to AA settings and edit the list and select it.

 

No need to have a second device running with screen on to see real time data, I wanted to keep it on the screen in the car for ease of use and periodically checking to see if and when the car is doing a regen.

 

Click on auto (car icon) on dashobd screen on phone and click the + button to go through the list of PID's until you find Particulate filter regen status, the message on screen will show not in progress or in progress when the car is doing a regen. If you buy the paid version you can create custom PID's but so far I have not got that far to see what can be done or not.

 

https://postimg.cc/hQdGCNPN

 

Literally all I wanted was something on the android auto screen that would show me the car is doing a regen and when it stops, as it happened I picked the dongle up set it up and straight away the car was stating to do a regen so I took it for a drive to let it complete, as if you don't it will keep trying and trying using more and more fuel trying to regen, so now I can see and work out how often and when its likely to do so and hopefully make sure they always complete where possible.

 

Like I said its basic but does the job I want it to.

 

 

Edited 1 June, 20242 yr by simcor

That is a great posting.  Very good research. 

I've also got average time between regens showing and average distance between regens. 

 

Bit showing 0 at the moment so not sure if they will populate over time as well or not but will keep updated if they do. It would be handy if they do populate as again would give an idea of how many miles between regents and also time based. Which also would help in predicting when it is doing one. 

 

I can't say I rarely ever notice regens in my Octavia compared to my old Focus I had some years back, that was so obvious when it did regens. Smoke billowing out the exhaust and very hesitant and stuff, but can hardly tell mine is doing them, usually the only reason I know is I park up and hear the fan running after turning off and ticking from exhaust and a slight smell, never smells like my old Focus did doing a regen. 

You also can clear and read basic error codes with it from the engine ECU, but I have my OBD 11 and also launch diagnostics for other stuff anyway. 

Edited 3 June, 20242 yr by simcor

Average time and distance are still at zero so don't think that will change tbh, could be the Dongle I bought and better one night give more info, carista dongles should work I think and maybe allow more info but I'll see how it goes for now. I didn't want to spend much in case it didn't work so might try and carista one later one. 

Edited 4 June, 20241 yr by simcor

Well it never changed the distance or time between regens but that may the cheap dongle I may try out a carista one next and see if I can get more info from a better dongle. 

 

Interestingly I had an expectation it would try to regen yesterday and it briefly said regen in on progress a couple of times. And sure enough this morning on the way home it started doing a regen. I drove for around 40 mins and it was still reporting it was doing a regen, which I thought is far too long. My average fuel for the trip was 48mpg as I got home so I assumed it had finished and the software is not as accurate as I hoped.

 

Exhaust temps were down to around 400° by this time so I went home and parked up and no fan running, so I suggest it had completely next time I will watch the exhaust temp and see how long it stays at 600° plus for and then when it drops below 600° try parking up and see if the fan continues to run. 

 

Since it completed a regen coming back from Cov on Saturday every day I am getting mid 40's to high 40's mpg on my 9 mile commute to work, I know the weather is warmer and that does make the economy better a bit, but every day this week I've achieved mid to high 40's mpg even coming home at night getting similar figures, before I would have struggled to hot 40mpg a lot of the time. 

 

So again time will tell and especially when the weather drops colder as I notice a dramatic drop in fuel consumption in the cold weather and the same with stop start traffic it really seems to kill the mpg.