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 »
Like almost everything new today, your car has a computer, and if it’s 1996 or newer, it has an OBDII port which stands for onboard diagnostics second-generation, that allows for error codes to be easily read. A good OBDII code scanner can read and clear error codes, which is invaluable to troubleshooting a car or… Read More: Review: Actron CP9125 PocketScan Code Reader »
Anyone who has an engine light come on will no doubt like to know what the problem is. The standard way is to use an OBDII scan tool which will give the error code, and can then be looked up. But what if you dont have a scan tool? Most vehicles have a built-in diagnostic… Read More: How To Read Ford Check Engine Light Without a Code… »
There are a few different ways you can get a free diagnostic test done on your car or truck. All vehicles from 1996 and newer have an OBDII port under the dashboard that, with a scan tool, can read engine codes. The OBDII port, along with an OBDII scan tool, is the main way to… Read More: How to Get a Free Diagnostic Test for Your Car »
Low-cost OBDII scan tools have become very popular since they can point to the problem a car or truck is having, which can then be fixed. The OM123 is one such low-cost vehicle scan tool that can read and clear engine codes. This makes it a good unit in many scenarios, such as a part-time… Read More: Review: OM123 OBD II Scan Tool »
Finding the right OBD II scan tool to work on a Volkswagen Passat is easy enough, with some with more features than others. One of the things that the VW Passat unique is VAG-COM VCDS which goes beyond industry standard OBDII codes. All vehicles 1996 and newer have an OBDII port which started with OBD… Read More: What is The Best OBD II Scan Tool VW Passat?… »
If your car or truck has the dreaded check engine light come on, there are Do-It-Yourself scanner tools that can show the problem. All cars and trucks built after 1995 come with a built-in port called an OBDII. The OBDII port talks directly to the vehicle’s computer and, when used with an OBDIi scan tool,… Read More: DIY Check Engine Light Code Reader »
A car or truck engine light can come on for many reasons, from a loose gas cap to a more serious engine problem. Clearing an engine light can be done in a few ways depending on the vehicle. Keep in mind unless the problem is fixed, more than likely, the engine light will come back… Read More: 3 Ways To Reset a Check Engine Light Without an… »
Having an OBDII scan tool is useful in many situations when an engine light comes on. But what if you don’t have an OBDII scan tool and need to know the code? Many vehicles have a built-in diagnostic that will give the code, as I recently found out with Dodge cars and trucks. I have… Read More: How To Read Dodge Check Engine Light Without a Code… »
If the check engine light comes on in your car or truck, there are a few ways to find out why on a budget. The check engine light will come on when a vehicle’s computer receives an error from the engine and will store the code. Reading the code will point to the problem the… Read More: How To Check Your Engine Light Code on a Budget »
There are many OBDII scan tools available, all with different features, options, and price ranges. A good scan tool must be able to read and clear errors a vehicle is having and display them to the user. It also should have an easy to use interface. OBDII scanners tools can range from expensive to low-cost… Read More: What is the Best OBDII Scan Tool for the Beginner? »
If you have a check engine light come on in your Jeep Wrangler, built-in diagnostics can show the code. After the code is read, it can be Googled to find the problem. The steps are simple by cycling the key from Off to On three times, and the code will flash once on the dashboard… Read More: How to Read Jeep Wrangler Check Engine Light Codes Without… »
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 »