xj-scanner lets an AI agent diagnose a 1994 Jeep Cherokee
A developer known as MZULALI wired a 32-year-old Jeep Cherokee to an Arduino so Claude Code or Codex can read fault codes and live sensor data.
SUMO· the number puzzle
Dialo· learn languages by speaking
ediviewer· read EDI files like documents
giftdetect· the right gift in minutesA 1994 Jeep Cherokee has no touchscreen, no app and no Wi-Fi. A developer using the handle MZULALI has now given it something else: an AI agent that can talk to its engine computer. The project is called xj-scanner.
The agent can be Claude Code, Codex or another tool of that kind. It reads fault codes, watches sensor readings and keeps a history of trips.
How does xj-scanner work?
The hardware is deliberately simple. Three wires connect the diagnostic port under the hood to an Arduino Nano board, and the board plugs into a laptop over USB. The laptop also powers it.
The Jeep uses an old diagnostic system called OBD1, and its engine control unit speaks over an interface named SCI. The Arduino acts as an adapter: it passes requests from the laptop to the control unit and sends the answers back. A Python script handles the diagnostic commands and decodes the data.
The AI agent drives that script from the command line. Results land in a CSV spreadsheet with coolant temperature, exhaust air temperature, throttle position, battery voltage and oxygen sensor readings.
It is not read-only. The tool can also trigger the car's built-in self-tests for the fuel pump, the injectors and the ignition coils.
Which cars does it work with?
The author tested it only on a 1994 Jeep Cherokee XJ. Other Jeep and Chrysler models from 1991 to 1995 with SBEC-family control units might work too, but he has not checked.
The code and setup instructions are on GitHub under the GPLv3 licence. The author puts the hardware kit at about $15, not counting the laptop.
Apps worth a look
SUMO: the number puzzleTap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.
Dialo: learn languages by speakingTalk to an AI conversation partner; every sentence comes back corrected and explained in your language. 9 languages, A1 to C2.
ediviewer: read EDI files like documentsOpen EDIFACT and X12 messages, see every segment explained, convert to JSON/XML, export PDF and Excel. Runs locally, no upload.
giftdetect: the right gift in minutesPick who it is for, the occasion and their personality. The search engine reads product descriptions from local shops and ranks what fits. Free, no sign-up.
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