The ThinkScan Plus S4 is a new OBD2 scan tool for 2021 with many advanced features and options. The unit runs Android 7.0, has a 5-inch touchscreen along with a handle to easily carry it about. It can connect to almost any vehicle, both foreign and domestic, with features such as reading SRS (Airbag), ABS… Read More: Review: ThinkScan Plus S4 OBD2 Automotive Scan Tool »
The TOPDON OBDCAN Plus 2.0 is a low-cost OBDII scan tool that has a lot of features. Like most all OBDII scan tools it works on 1996 and newer US-Based cars and trucks, as well as 2000 and newer EU-Based and Asian vehicles. It can read and clear engine codes as well as do O2… Read More: Review: TOPDON Plus 2.0 Universal OBDII Scan Tool with O2… »
OBD2 automotive scanner tools come in a wide range of packages from small wireless scanners to large professional units. With the huge variety available there is no-doubt that the Best OBD2 scan tool is debatable. What it really comes down to though is how often will the tool be used and in what conditions. For… Read More: Our Pick for Best OBD2 Scanner Tool for the Money »
Small Bluetooth OBD II scan tools have become very popular and used by everyone from DIY mechanics to used car buyers. The Vgate iCar2 is once such small unit that will link to a smartphone, tablet, or computer via Bluetooth and give errors and clear codes. These small units are very cheap and are able… Read More: Review: Vgate iCar2 OBD-II Bluetooth Scan Tool For Android or… »
A video review is at the bottom of the post. The KW680 OBDII automotive scan tool is a popular low-cost unit. It can read and clear a vehicles engine codes and is easy to use which makes it a good unit for home users or backyard mechanics. *This unit was sent to me to review… Read More: Review: KW680 OBDII Automotive Car Truck Engine Scan Tool »
OBD2 Bluetooth WiFi dongles have become very popular since they are low-cost devices and work well. There are many to choose from with most using the Torque App or similar with a smartphone. One of the more frustrating things is using one and getting no Bluetooth or WiFi Device Selected error code. Below are the… Read More: How To Connect an OBD2 WiFi Dongle to an Android… »
Using a Bluetooth scan tool with the OBD2 port in a car or truck allows you to read the vehicles information and give you the data in real-time. The adapter is paired with your smartphone and plugs in under your dash of your car into the computer OBD2 port. It reads the data from your… Read More: How To Use a Smartphone and OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter To… »
An OBDII scan tool can read and erase engine error codes from a vehicles computer that the engine has given. A vehicle engine problem is often displayed to a driver with the dashboard engine light. Cars and trucks today all have an onboard computer (ECM, PCM) that controls the vehicles engine and will get an… Read More: What is an OBDII Scan Tool? »
OBDII WiFi adapters for cars and trucks that send information to a smartphone have become very popular. They are low-cost units that can read and clear basic engine codes like a basic standalone OBDII unit at a much lower cost. They are also simple to use with many Apps available for both Android and Apple… Read More: Review: OBDII WiFi Diagnostic Scan Tool for Smartphone Android or… »
The Launch CReader 5001 is a stand alone OBDII scan tool with a lot of built-in functions. OBDII is a set of protocols that work with most any vehicle from 1996 and newer. Besides reading the basic OBDII engine codes it also has a lot of extras such as Real Time Data and 02 Senser… Read More: Review: Launch CReader 5001 CAN OBD2 Scanner Full OBDII/EOBD Function… »
The Autel MaxiScan MS300 is a low-cost diagnostic scan tool code reader for vehicles 1996 and newer. Since it a low-cost OBDII scan tool this makes it ideal for those on a budget, just don’t expect all the extra features an expensive model would have. Pros It will display the error codes for almost any… Read More: Review: Autel MaxiScan MS300 CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for OBDII… »
The Launch 6001 is a handheld OBDII scan tool that hooks up to most any vehicle and displays the problem it is having. All vehicles built after 1996 have an OBDII port that can connect to a scan tool and give information, such as why an engine light is on. An OBD2 connector is usually… Read More: Review: Launch 6001 OBDII Code Reader with O2 Sensor Test… »
This unit was sent to me to review with my honest opinion and results below. The Launch CReader 4001 is a basic OBD2 scan tool. It is not fancy looking, but it makes up for that with solid beginner features. I am used to nice packaging and looks on tools I buy. The 4001 looks… Read More: Review: Launch CReader 4001 Diagnostic OBD2 Scan Tool »
Reading engine codes is an easy DIY job once you have a basic OBD2 scan tool. An OBD2 (OBD-II) code reader plugs into the 16-pin port under the dash on most 1996 and newer cars and light trucks. It talks to the engine computer (ECM/PCM/ECU) and shows stored diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). For a beginner,… Read More: How To Pick an Easy Engine Code Reader for the… »
This unit was sent to me to review with my honest opinion and results below. The Launch CReader 4001 is a basic OBD2 automotive scan tool for reading and clearing check engine light codes. It is aimed at the home DIY backyard mechanic who needs a low-cost handheld that plugs in and shows what the… Read More: Review: Launch CReader 4001 Diagnostic Scan Tool for Check Engine… »
If you have an iPhone and a check engine light on, a small OBDII adapter can read the code on the phone. The car’s computer watches the engine and transmission. When it sees a problem it turns the light on and stores a trouble code. Every car and light truck sold in the US since… Read More: How To Use an iPhone to Troubleshoot a Check Engine… »
Using a laptop to scan OBDII engine codes is an easy task and even possibly one of the better options. One of the great things about using a laptop when scanning OBDII codes, is the ability to quickly look online for answers. As long as the laptop is online, an error code can be looked… Read More: How To Use a Laptop or PC as an OBDII… »
Having a good VAG-COM scan tool can go a long way to help not only find a mechanical problem but to do some light modding. There are many VAG-COM VCDS USB cables and scan tools available for Volkswagen, from low-cost units to expensive high-end models. What Is VAG-COM (VCDS)? VAG-COM, or VCDS (VAG-COM Diagnostic System),… Read More: What is The Best VAG-COM VCDS and VW OBDII Scan… »
Having a good OBDII scan tool can help greatly when it comes time to troubleshoot a vehicle with a transmission problem. A good scan tool will display the error code that points to the problem a vehicle is having. Not all scan tools can read transmission codes with only certain units with features to read… Read More: Best OBDII Scan Tools That Read Transmission DTC Codes »
Having a good OBDII scan tool with ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) is a nice thing to have when troubleshooting ABS vehicle problems. There are many ABS OBDII scan tools available from low-cost to high-end units. Everyone will have a different requirement from an automotive scan tool. For example, a DIY mechanic will not have the… Read More: Our Picks for Best OBDII Scan Tools with ABS »
The OTOFIX D1 Lite is a new Bi-Directional OBDII scan tool for 2023 that has many features and advanced options. Bi-Directional scan tools are much better at troubleshooting compared to standard OBDII scan tools, since they have the option to not only read a vehicle computer but send commands back. The OTOFIX D1 Lite is… Read More: Review: OTOFIX D1 Lite Automotive OBDII Scan Tool »
The Foxwell NT624 Elite is an OBDII Scan tool that has many advanced features and options. From resetting a throttle position sensor to simply scanning and erasing for error codes, the Foxwell NT624 is a very nice OBDII scan tool. This makes it a good fit in a professional shop or for the at-home DIY-type… Read More: Review: Foxwell NT624 Elite OBDII Pro Scanner »
The TOPDON ArtiDiag800BT is a professional wireless OBDII scan tool built with many features and options. It uses a Bluetooth VCI OBDII Dongle to communicate with the scan tool, making it highly portable. This makes it a good option for watching real-time data from anywhere within the range of 33 feet. The ArtiDiag800BT also has… Read More: Review: TOPDON ArtiDiag800BT OBD2 Scanner Bluetooth Wireless Diagnostic Tool »
If you have a car or truck and are not sure it will pass a smog test, an easy way to test it, is to use an OBDII scan tool with an emission check option. While each state has its emission requirements, a compatible OBDII scan tool has built-in functions that can show if it… Read More: Our Picks for Best OBDII Scan Tool for Smog Test »
If you have a Diesel truck and have an engine light on or simply need to pull the codes, there are many scan tools available. The first thing you’re going to need is a scan tool to find out why the check engine light is on. A dealership will have the best equipment to troubleshoot… Read More: Our Picks for Best Diesel Diagnostic Scan Tools »
Since their introduction, OBDII Bluetooth scanner tools have become a favorite among part-time mechanics and professionals to find and fix engine problems. They are low-cost engine diagnostic tools that can help troubleshoot a problem. For example, if an engine light comes on, which gives no indication of the problem, a small, low-cost OBDII adapter code… Read More: Best Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tools for a Smartphone »
There are many good OBDII scan tools for almost any vehicle, including Honda’s. Some scanners can only read basic functions, while a few have more advanced features that are Honda-specific. Do Honda Vehicles Have an OBDII Port? All Honda vehicles built after 1996 have an OBDII port built in. It is usually located under the… Read More: What is the Best OBDII Scan Tool for Honda? »
If you own a Kia and need a good OBDII scan tool, there are many available. Owning an OBDII scan tool is ideal for troubleshooting a car or just knowing why the engine light is on. What Is a Kia OBDII Scan Tool? All modern vehicles, including Kia, have an OBDII port that communicates with… Read More: Our Picks for Best OBDII Scan Tools for Kia Vehicles »
Having a good OBDII scan tool goes a long way to help troubleshoot a vehicle issue and point to the repair needed. There are many good OBDII scanners to use that come with different menus, features, and price ranges. Often, what works for one person may not work for another so below we list our… Read More: What is the Best OBDII Scanner for the DIY Mechanic »
The INNOVA 6100P is an advanced scan tool that can read standard OBDII engine codes as well as ABS and SRS errors. Almost any OBDII scan tool can read and erase standard errors, but only advanced units can also scan and erase ABS and SRS. Troubleshooting ABS (Anti Brake System) or SRS/Airbag (Supplemental Restraint System)… Read More: Review: INNOVA 6100P SRS ABS Engine OBDII Scan Tool »
A video is at the bottom of the page for a visual walk through. This unit was sent to me to review with my honest opinion and results below. Congress passed the clean air act in 1970 and started the epa, however it wasn’t until January 1st 1996 that all vehicles were required to have… Read More: Review: Launch 6001 OBDII Code Reader with O2 Sensor Test »
Having a good OBDII scan tool when troubleshooting a Chevy or GM vehicle is a nice thing to have. An OBDII scan tool can point to the problem a car or truck is having. Being able to communicate with the onboard computer (ECM/PCM) will give invaluable data as to what the problem is. What Is… Read More: Our Picks for Best Chevy OBDII Scan Tools »
The Autel Auto Link AL319 is a low-cost vehicle code scanner with a lot of features. It can read codes on almost any car built after 1996, when OBDII ports became standard. Besides reading and clearing engine codes, it also has many other features, such as Live Data and Emissions related options. *This unit was… Read More: Review: Autel Auto Link AL319 OBD2 Scanner »
Having a good OBDII scan tool for a Toyota Camry is nice to have when making repairs or doing maintenance. The 2010-2020 Camry onboard computer (PCM) can give basic OBDII codes along with more advanced Airbag and SRS errors. Almost any OBDII scan tool will read the basic codes but the more advanced errors need… Read More: What is the Best OBDII Scan Tool for a 2010-2020… »
Using an OBDII scan tool is an easy task and is something almost anyone can do, making it perfect for the home do-it-yourself type of person. The OBDII port on a car or truck is an easy way in modern times to help troubleshoot a problem any vehicle may have. Using an OBDII scan tool… Read More: Understanding OBDII Scan Tools for the Beginner »