OBD II Diagnostic Scan Tools
What are they? What are your options?
Ah, the ol' check engine light. Also know as a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) or service engine soon light. These typically generate groans of aggravation when they come on and maybe even a little fear. Fear of a breakdown and fear of, well, a visit to the shop for an expensive repair.
Check engine light (CEL) illumination will be an indicator that something isn't happy and will be accompanied by a trouble code. These codes will be alpha-numeric and pertain to a particular area or areas of the vehicle powertrain.
Enter the OBD (On Board Diagnostics) scan tool. These little machines communicate with the vehicle computer and perform all kinds of tasks.
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• Retrieve DTCs
• Clear DTCs (turn off or clear the CEL)
• Reset / Reprogram various modules within the system
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These machines used to be a mystery and only available to the elite automotive technicians at car dealerships or independent repair facilities. Until now.
It's pretty crazy how modern electronics technology has advanced in the last decade and some pretty useful things have been created. Some of which are simple DIY OBDII code readers all the way to a fully functional scan tool with two-way communication that allows you actually run tests, bleed ABS brake systems and so much more! Here are a couple of examples of such tools we have been able to test in the past few months.
As the name implies, the Kingbolen Soloscan is one brand specific. In the video above, this particular Soloscan is dedicated to Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. This is a Bluetooth device that will pair with your smartphone (iOS or Android) and perform just like the big boys regarding true scan tool function. You simply download the free Kingbolen app in the app store, enter some basic setup information and off you go.
The Kingbolen Ediag Elite is more brand comprehensive and is compatible with 150+ vehicle brands. If you have a shop or a few vehicle brands in your family, the Ediag Elite will be the way to go.
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• Auto VIN scan
• Full system diagnostics
• Bi-Directional communication and testing​​
• Bleed ABS brake systems
• Program new key fobs
In this video, we program a new keyless entry remote on a 2014 GMC Sierra
Just like the Kingbolen tools, the Xtool A30M is app based and pairs with your smartphone to function just like a much larger (and much more expensive!) dealer type scantool. Read trouble codes, look at live data, perform tests and more to truly diagnose issues rather than guess at them.
In this video, we cover the user interface of both the Kingbolen Ediag Elite and the Xtool A30M
To sum this up, once you pick your favorite OBD scan tool and get it set up, you'll be able to retrieve trouble codes and them pinpoint the area(s) that need attention. This will eliminate guesswork, wasted time and wasted money. Plus your DIY confidence level will soar!
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