Smartfuel OBD: Is it a Scam? Here’s What We Think (2023 Updated)

Did you stumble on an Ad for Smartfuel OBD fuel saver online? Wondering if Smartfuel can really reduce your fuel consumption or if it is another fad product? Read this review to find out everything you need to know about Smartfuel OBD2.

According to FTC, online shopping and negative reviews is the second most reported fraud category in 2021. As a result of this, we have taken the responsibility of reviewing products, stores, websites etc. for our reader’s financial safety.

Our Review of Smartfuel serves as an eyeopener. We hope it meets you well, and on time.

Smartfuel OBD fuel saver: How does it Work?

Smartfuel OBD is allegedly a fuel-saving chip that reduce fuel consumption of 15% – 30%. Due to the current energy crisis, the internet is filled with promotional reviews and advertisement about this device. As a result of this, lots of people who desperately want to diminish their gas costs are tempted to buy it. If you’re one of such people, please don’t!

Smartfuel OBD does not work, and will not work for you.

Testing & Driving:

We tested the Smartfuel OBD2 in a 2008 Prius. Since it claims to save 15% fuel, we expected to lost about 3mpg for a 150 miles drive.

Sadly, it didn’t work for us. We lost about 6 mpg, even though we didn’t drive up to150 miles. 

 So we decided to try it on a 2003 Ford Expedition as well. The little light keeps flashing, so we don’t know if that means it can’t communicate with the 2003 Ford or not.

Our Auto Mechanic laughed when we showed it to her.

Things You Should Consider Before Buying Smartfuel OBD

SmartFuel doesn’t affect fuel consumption in any way. Let’s be realistic – it was only made for profits. It is simply a magnet that you fasten to your fuel line. This chip doesn’t re-align the molecular structure of the fuel before it reaches the fuel injectors. It is just an expensive LED flasher.  

• It is just a piece of junk that we’ve seen recycled many times. As of 2017 this same product entered the market. It was ‘Ecofuel’, and similar to Ecochip it didn’t do zilch.
• What these sites do is buy hundreds (if not thousands) of generic OBD2 fuel savers from China for $3 a piece (or less,) design their own packaging, and re-sell it to you for $40 a piece.
• Although they’re sold under different names, with unique packaging and have fancy websites, these OBD2 fuel savers are all scams and should be avoided at all costs. See Ecotune and EcoBox.

Does Smartfuel OBD Really Reduce Fuel Consumption?

Ignore the positive reviews online, Smartfuel does not work. When we opened and dissected it, we discovered it is just a junk. First of all, it doesn’t have any drive for CAM.

Secondly, the unit DO NOT have any connection to OBD communication. Only what is connected is Power for the flasher to flash. In order to do what these companies claim, you would have to redesign the car. The major parts of how much fuel any car uses are: vehicle weight, tire size, rolling resistance, friction in moving parts, number of moving parts in the driveline, etc. There is nothing plug and play that can alter these basic factors.

If you’re thinking of reducing fuel consumption, Energy.GOV has a list of helpful fuel-saving tips including combining trips, stripping your car of unnecessary weight, keeping your car in tip-top shape, and how to avoid aggressive driving.

By themselves, each tip might not seem like a lot but, combined over time, the fuel-savings make a difference.