OBD II scanning tool?
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 255
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From: Brownell, Kansas, USA
OBD II scanning tool?
I know a few of you guys on the boards here have a tool for getting codes when your check engine light comes on, and I'm getting real tempted to buy one. I should have bought one a long time ago, as I've already paid the dealer TWICE to read mine for me, to a tune of 89.95 each time. You talk about a ripoff. This time I'm taking it to autozone or some place that does it for free hoping you'll buy parts there. Why can autozone do it for free, and ford has to take it to you hardcore?? My main questions are what brand and model do you all have, and how much did it cost, and where did you get it, and are you completely satisfied w/ it. Thanks in advance.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 485
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From: Central Florida
Just like anything else it depends on how much you are willing to pay. JC Whitney has 5 or 6 models that run $200+, but they are pretty fancy. If you just want to know what is going on, Harbor Freight has a reader that you have to work at a little (LEDs instead of LCD display) that is $150.
Bummer about the $90 x 2 diagnostic charge.
Bummer about the $90 x 2 diagnostic charge.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: MADISON, WI
Blue
Why do the dealers charge so much??? Because they can get away with it. They know that most folks won't fix their own stuff, and those that do like you have few alternatives other than buying your own.
If you have a laptop , I would suggest Auto Tap software. You get the installation CD and then the interface cable. The cable hooks to serial port on the computer. Auto Tap will give you Diagnostic Trouble Codes as well as real time info on virtually any sensor or engine computer function there is. The laptop is nice so it can be plugged in to the PCM while going down the road and 'logging' the sensors you choose. Just a thought: if you didn't have a laptop, you might consider buying a used low power model out of the newspaper for $100-$150. You need very little computing power to run Auto Tap. This is what I did. You could, I suppose drag your home PC out to the garage and get the info that way, but it would take plenty of extension cords to make logging runs while drivingt down the road.
This isn't the cheapest way to go, but if you have Auto Tap, you can pull up any information that the dealer can. I have two Fords in the driveway and my brother-in-law also has two, so I thought the investment to be very worth while --- especially if I don't ever need it!!!!!
Why do the dealers charge so much??? Because they can get away with it. They know that most folks won't fix their own stuff, and those that do like you have few alternatives other than buying your own.
If you have a laptop , I would suggest Auto Tap software. You get the installation CD and then the interface cable. The cable hooks to serial port on the computer. Auto Tap will give you Diagnostic Trouble Codes as well as real time info on virtually any sensor or engine computer function there is. The laptop is nice so it can be plugged in to the PCM while going down the road and 'logging' the sensors you choose. Just a thought: if you didn't have a laptop, you might consider buying a used low power model out of the newspaper for $100-$150. You need very little computing power to run Auto Tap. This is what I did. You could, I suppose drag your home PC out to the garage and get the info that way, but it would take plenty of extension cords to make logging runs while drivingt down the road.
This isn't the cheapest way to go, but if you have Auto Tap, you can pull up any information that the dealer can. I have two Fords in the driveway and my brother-in-law also has two, so I thought the investment to be very worth while --- especially if I don't ever need it!!!!!
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,506
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From: Puyallup, WA
