Frequently Asked Questions

What Pro features will I get by making a donation?

Full-screen statistical charts, manual data and settings backup/restore, more frequent automatic backups (e.g. hourly, daily, weekly) and data import/export from various sources. For more details, please refer to Go Pro screen (on this app) or alternatively to aCar website under Donate & Go Pro section.

How and where should I make the donation?

You should make your donation on aCar website.

I've just made a donation but how do I get the Pro features?

Please check the inbox of your PayPal email address (as well as the spam box). You will receive a notification email shortly after you made the donation. That email will contain your Donation ID. Refer to Go Pro screen which is accessible from main screen of aCar, enter your Donation ID and register it there to unlock the Pro features.

Why doesn't the last fill-up record have any Fuel Efficiency (MPG) assigned to it?

Unlike some of the softwares that report the fuel efficiency of each fill-up record on the same record, aCar assigns the fuel efficiency to the tank of fuel that you have burnt to get it (the previous fill-up). Since it's still not known how the last fill-up will perform, no fuel efficiency could be calculated for it. By assigning the fuel efficiency to the exact fuel you've burnt, you can easily find out how a specific fuel brand or octane performs in your car and compare that with other brands and octanes.

Why don't I see any Fuel Efficiency while I've entered a couple of fill-up records?

Each partial fill-up or a group of continuous partial fill-ups must be surrounded with two FULL TANK fill-up records (non partial and non missed-fillups). Fuel Efficiency calculation formula needs FULL TANK records to function correctly. Moreover, any fill-up record marked as missed-fillups breaks the continuity of the records and the Fuel Efficiency can not be calculated in such cases.

Why doesn't aCar allow me to enter my fill-up/service/expense record and warns that it's not in sync with sibling records?

All of the records must be kept in synced with each other and in order. For example if you have an existing record dated on May 15, 2010 with odometer reading of 85,780mi, you can not enter a new record dated on May 18, 2010 with odometer reading of 85,458mi. Nor you can enter May 11, 2010 and 85,994mi.

Why don't some of the stats on Statistics tab (Fill-Ups box) match the math on the Browse tab?

The total values you see on Browse tab are simply the sum of the corresponding values from displayed records. But on Statistics tab the first ever fill-up would not be included (thus causing a difference) if you've turned OFF the "First FillUp in Stats" option.

What is a partial fill-up and when should I mark my fill-up record as partial?

Partial is a marker to provide hint to fuel efficiency calculation process so that it knows how to calculate. Partial means you have not fully filled your car tank regardless of how much of fuel there has been before the fill-up. After the fill-up if the tank is full (okay! with some tolerance), then it is a full tank fill-up otherwise it is partial.

When should I mark my fill-up record as Missed-FillUps and what is it for?

Missed-FillUps is a marker to provide hint to Fuel Efficiency calculation process on how to calculate (it resets the statistics from that record and starts over). Missed-FillUps means there have been some fill-ups which you have missed entering them before the current record (and you will never do).

I can not enter (or find) decimal point for numerical inputs using the default keypad! What should I do?

Some phone makers like Sony and Samsung have customized their phone keypads and they've not included all of the expected characters (like decimal point) for numerical inputs. You can go to aCar Settings and turn OFF the numerical keypad to use normal QWERTY keyboard instead which includes decimal point as well.

How do I edit the information of my vehicle(s)?

While you are on the main screen, navigate to your desired vehicle using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow icons at the top. Then tap on the vehicle name to go to View Vehicle screen. And finally tap on the EDIT icon at the top to edit the information of that vehicle.

How do I delete a vehicle?

While you are on the main screen, navigate to your desired vehicle using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow icons at the top. Then tap on the vehicle name to go to View Vehicle screen. Press the hard MENU button on your phone to launch the options menu and select the Delete option from that menu. Alternatively you can do the same while you are on Edit Vehicle screen.

How do I edit/customize the service reminders for a particular vehicle?

Tap on the Reminders icon on the main screen. Then select your desired vehicle on Reminders Center screen (using the LEFT and RIGHT arrows at the top) and tap on the EDIT icon to customize the service reminders for that vehicle.

How do I record my fill-ups, services and expenses during a trip?

Just start your trip record and continue recording your fill-ups, services and expenses like before. Then finish your trip record (by entering the end odometer), go to Browse screen, find that trip record and tap on it to view the details. Scroll down to end of the screen, and you'll find the costs of that particular trip automatically calculated and listed there.

How is the total cost of a trip calculated?

Any expense record you enter between the start [odometer] and the end [odometer] of a trip will be part of the total cost. Moreover, the average cost of fillups and services per distance unit (e.g. mile) will be applied to the trip length and will be calculated as part of the total cost of that trip.

Why don't I see any active service reminders (at Reminders Center) while I have already set them up for my vehicle?

You should have at least one service record for the service types that you would like aCar to remind and track them for you. This gives hint to aCar that you are interested for those particular service types. There are tens of services (thus reminders) setup for your vehicles and it's not logical to track them all while you might not be interested in many of them.

I have my records in a CSV file exported from Excel or some other software/application that I would like to bring them to aCar. What should I do?

Go to Import/Export Center and scroll down to Import block. If the software/application is already listed there, tap on the corresponding icon to import your records. Otherwise tap on Plain CSV (Excel Compatible) icon. Plain CSV Import will provide you a dynamic column-field mapping tool to import any kind of standard CSV file you have, but please make sure to read the usage tips available on Plain CSV Import screen to have a successful import.

What fields/columns does aCar import from via Plain CSV Import screen?

All of the input fields (NOT the calculated ones) you see in aCar can be mapped and imported using the dynamic column-field mapping tool on Plain CSV Import screen.

Where does aCar expect to find the CSV files to import from?

The CSV files must be stored at the following directory on your phone SD-Card:
/data/com.zonewalker.acar/

I have already taken a backup of my data (or exported them), but I don't know where the files are stored!

They are all stored at the following directory on your phone SD-Card:
/data/com.zonewalker.acar/

While my backups or CSV exported files exist in the right directory on my SD-Card, aCar does not see of them to restore or import from!

Please make sure your SD-Card is NOT mounted on your computer while running aCar. If you don't know what this means, just make sure your phone is NOT connected to your computer.

How do I move to a new phone?

If you're using the Pro version:

1. Launch aCar on your old phone
2. Go to Import/Export Center and take a full backup of your data
3. Refer to Go Pro screen and UNREGISTER your copy of aCar (so that you can register on your new phone)
4. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy the content of following directory from your old SD-Card to the new one:
/data/com.zonewalker.acar/*.abp
5. Install aCar on your new phone and launch it.
6. You will get the auto restore dialog right after the launch.
7. Choose the backup file you're going to restore from and DONE!
8. Refer to Go Pro screen and register your Donation ID with your new phone.
9. If you somehow manage to miss the auto restore dialog, just register your new phone and go to Import/Export Center and manually restore your backup from there.
10. If everything went fine on your new phone, it's safe then to uninstall aCar from your old phone.


If you're using the free version:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy the content of following directory, where your automatic backup files are stored, from your old SD-Card to the new one:
/data/com.zonewalker.acar/*.abp
2. Install aCar on your new phone and launch it.
3. You will get the auto restore dialog right after the launch.
4. Choose the backup file you're going to restore from and DONE!
5. If everything went fine on your new phone, it's safe then to uninstall aCar from your old phone.


Note: Manual backup and restore features are available in the Pro version.

I want to put an aCar Widget on my home screen but I don't find any of the aCar Widgets in the widgets list!

Perhaps you've moved aCar to your phone SD-Card. Widgets are only available when aCar is installed on the internal memory of your phone and NOT on the SD-Card.

I've been using an aCar Widget on my home screen but suddenly it has disappeared!

Either you've uninstalled aCar or you've moved it to your phone SD-Card. Widgets are only available when aCar is installed on the internal memory of your phone and NOT on the SD-Card.

I've already upgraded to Pro but I can not find the option to change the language/locale!

First you should make sure that aCar supports your desired language. You can check the website to see what languages are currently supported. Second you should go to your phone Settings and change the language from there. aCar uses the current language set on your phone.

Is aCar available on any other mobile platform (iOS/iPhone, Windows Phones, BlackBerry Phones, Symbian Phones, etc)? Or is there any plan to port it to another platform?

Unfortunately there isn't any port of aCar on any other mobile platform. And because of my limited resources and time I can't afford it in short run as well.
After all, porting to other platforms has always been in my long term plan. I have an eye on that and I will definitely do it whenever I get the time.

I have more than one Android device and I want keep my data synchronized across all of them. Is there any synchronization support?

Unfortunately online data synchronization has not been implemented yet but it's already part of the long-term plan. It's one of the most frequently requested features and it will be definitely implemented.

I want to access/modify my data on my computer or on the web. Is there any website or PC support?

Website integration (so that you can access your data on the web and on your PC) has not been implemented yet but it's already part of the long-term plan. It's one of the most frequently requested features and it will be definitely implemented.

Why does aCar need Phone State Read permission?

It's used to read your phone hardware ID to tie your Donation ID to it (if you've donated). This is to prevent others from using your Donation ID. Even if one steals your code, he won't be able to use it because his phone ID is different.

Why does aCar need Internet Access permission?

It's used to check the validity of your Donation ID, with aCar website, when you're registering that ID in aCar application.