MADDOX Browser User Manual

1. Get started

1. Open AskEricAI.com and choose Ask Eric and sign in or create your free account.
2. Open Chat. Enter the vehicle, symptom, exact codes or measurements, and what you already checked.
3. Use Send to submit. Use the visible Send control to submit your message.
4. Follow the written answer and report the result of the next check in the same conversation.

Use the workspace controls for Chat, Video, Live, saved chats, and Account & Settings. On a smaller screen, use the available menu and close the keyboard when you need more room.

Email/password and Google sign-in are offered when configured. Apple sign-in is available when shown. Complete email verification when requested. The native app and browser have separate sign-in sessions; use the same MADDOX account to access the same saved history. No tool purchase is needed to use the service.

2. Give Eric useful evidence

Include year, make, model, engine when known, the conditions when the problem occurs, and the exact wording of any fault codes. Describe completed tests and measurements, including units. Say which tools you already own and whether you want one step at a time.

“The engine cranks but does not start. Here are the codes and what I measured. Help me choose the next check before buying parts.”

A code identifies a condition to investigate; it does not prove a part has failed. Ask Eric to separate observed facts from possible causes, explain a test, and describe what each result would mean. If you are unsure about a procedure or measurement, say so.

3. Photos and video

Use the attachment or camera control for a relevant photo. Frame the component, connector, label, leak, or damage clearly. Add a short description of what you want Eric to inspect. Review the image before sending.

For video, open Video, start recording, then stop and review the clip. Retake discards the preview and lets you record again. Done sends the reviewed recording with the current message; wait for the upload and analysis status before retrying. The written result stays in Chat.

Camera and microphone access begins with the feature you choose and the operating-system permission. If access was denied, change the permission in settings, return, and deliberately start capture again. Keep people, documents, account information, and unrelated material out of the frame.

4. Talk with Eric Live

Choose Live and start the session using its visible control. Grant microphone access if you want to speak. Check the listening/connection status before talking. Use Mute when needed and End Live when finished; the conversation's text transcript can remain in saved history.

Follow the displayed session timer and service limits. Recording video can pause an active Live session. Resume Live continues the same unexpired session when available; its original deadline still applies. If the session has ended or expired, start a new one deliberately. Recording does not create a new time allowance.

Leaving the native app or locking the device stops active capture and disconnects the scanner. Returning does not silently restart them. If sound is unavailable, check the selected output, microphone permission, connection, and any Enable sound control.

5. Connect an OBDLink CX

Connect the MADDOX MRBT dongle

In app version 1.0 build 3 or later, open Scanner → Adapter, choose MADDOX dongle (Dongle425), then tap Scan. Close other scanner apps first, plug the dongle into the vehicle, and follow the vehicle's instructions for ignition position while safely parked. Keep MADDOX open and allow Bluetooth access or a pairing prompt if shown. Use Stop before unplugging the dongle or switching adapters.

This connection reads available engine speed, vehicle speed, coolant temperature, airflow, throttle position, and oxygen-sensor voltage. It can also show a reported VIN, check-engine-light status, and stored-code count when supplied by the adapter. The full trouble-code list is currently unavailable with this dongle. A code count does not identify the codes; missing readings do not mean zero. Scanner recording and ECU-specific alerts require OBDLink CX. The app sends the recorded readings to Eric for assessment and retains their original measurement times. Vehicle support varies; a Bluetooth connection alone does not confirm a successful vehicle scan.

If Dongle425 is not found, check power, close other apps or devices using it, and retry Scan. Select OBDLink CX when using that adapter; the CX pairing recovery below applies specifically to the CX.

Connect the OBDLink CX

The website supports the repair conversation and saved scan evidence. To connect an OBDLink CX over Bluetooth, use the MADDOX iOS or Android app. A browser conversation by itself does not establish a vehicle connection.

In the native app, open Scanner, then deliberately start Scan with the powered adapter connected to the vehicle.

Vehicle mode reads supported standard OBD-II CAN information and fault codes. It does not provide universal manufacturer diagnostics, service resets, programming, or vehicle code clearing. VIN, odometer, and individual readings appear only when valid information is available from that vehicle. Unsupported or missing data must not be treated as zero.

An explicit scan can share initial diagnostic evidence with the current signed-in conversation for Eric's assessment when you allow AI processing. Bluetooth and continuing gauges run on the device; stopping, closing, or reopening Scanner does not itself request another assessment. Use Stop to end collection. Saved readings can reopen as historical data with their original times; reopening does not reconnect the adapter.

Vehicle code clearing is unavailable. MADDOX collects supported real vehicle evidence; it does not display test-fixture readings as vehicle data.

Use the browser’s site controls to manage Camera and Microphone permission. Native scanner permissions are handled on the phone or tablet running the app.

6. Keep a repair conversation together

Use Saved chats to reopen a conversation and New chat to start a separate vehicle or problem. Reopening history does not make an old measurement current. State what changed and when new readings were collected.

Review an unfinished message before sending it again. If a request stays interrupted and will not recover, start a new chat and provide the essential facts; the earlier history remains available. Do not assume a repeated click means the previous request was never processed.

Use the same MADDOX account across the website and apps. Signing out protects access on shared devices but does not erase saved history. Optional scanner recordings and gauge layouts stored on a device are separate from server-side chats.

7. Find relevant Harbor Freight tools

Repair help comes first. Tell Eric what you already have. When another tool would help, Eric can look up current Harbor Freight product pages and include a direct purchase link with the reason that tool fits the task.

A recommendation should identify required capabilities or adapters and any important limitations. If a current product cannot be verified, ask for the needed tool specification rather than an invented item. Prices, promotions, and availability can change; the purchase page is authoritative. Tool compatibility still needs checking for your vehicle and procedure.

Opening a purchase link takes you to Harbor Freight's website. MADDOX does not place an order or collect payment. You can continue using the app without buying anything. We do not share raw chats with Harbor Freight as part of sponsorship.

8. Account, privacy, and deletion

Open Account or Account & Settings to manage the controls your app offers. Use Forgot password? for an email/password account; follow the reset link and enter the new password twice. For a provider-only account, use the original sign-in method unless you have deliberately added a password.

Before AI processing, review the sharing explanation and AI service provider details. Not now leaves the requested AI action blocked. Revoke AI sharing stops future AI requests and active Live; it does not delete information already processed. Camera, microphone, and Bluetooth permissions are separate from permission to send content for AI processing.

Open Request account deletion. Follow the page to verify your identity and submit the request. If it offers Write a deletion request, opening the email draft does not send it; send the message to submit that request.

Submitting a request does not immediately close the account or prove cleanup is complete. Follow the displayed status and completion notice. Signing out or uninstalling is not account deletion. Saved account data has no fixed automatic expiry; some technical reports have shorter limits. Read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for processing, retention, and request details.

9. Work through an example

For a starting problem, explain whether the engine is silent, clicks, turns slowly, or cranks normally. Give Eric the vehicle information and any actual battery or scanner observations. Ask for the next check that distinguishes the likely causes.

For an intermittent running problem, describe temperature, speed, load, and how often it happens. A safely captured symptom video, exact code, or supported recording can help. Label older readings and repeat a measurement only when it is safe and useful.

Work while safely parked. Keep clear of moving and hot parts. Follow the vehicle and tool instructions, verify the result of each step, and stop when a procedure is outside your equipment or experience. An AI answer is not a completed diagnosis or repair.

10. Troubleshooting and support

• Cannot sign in: confirm the account and original sign-in method. Finish verification if requested. Do not create a duplicate account just to recover saved chats.
• No answer or failed upload: check the visible status and network connection. Keep the app open during upload. Review the conversation before submitting again.
• Scanner cannot pair: keep the app foreground, confirm the adapter has power, and follow the Bluetooth/pairing prompt. For a new bond, retry within the adapter's five-minute power-on window.
• No vehicle readings: confirm a supported vehicle, the powered OBDLink CX connection, and the vehicle state required by its instructions. A successful Bluetooth connection alone does not prove ECU communication.
• Old gauges: check their receipt times and historical/stale labels. Start a new scan deliberately when fresh data is needed.
• Camera or Live unavailable: check permissions, close another app using the device, and follow the current status. Resume is available only while the original Live session remains valid.

For help, email [email protected] with the platform, app version, approximate time, exact visible message, and steps to reproduce. You can report a problematic AI answer using the response's report control when offered. Never include passwords, sign-in codes, reset links, or unrelated private content.

Download Markdown saves this complete edition. Use Open MADDOX to return to Chat.