I want to buy a scanner for my laptop. I'm just gonna use it to pull codes every now and then to make sure my CEL is just the stupid misfire code. I'd like a universal one to use on other people's cars too. Also do they pull OBDI codes too? Anybody have any recommendations? Lets put a cap at $150, though.
http://www.obd-2.com/ Thats where I purchased my scan tool from. I have had good luck with it, and you get free software updates. Russ
There was a recent thread about obd-2 scanner recommendations. I have wanted one, but I never went ahead to fully do a comparison and purchase one. There's plenty out on the market, but the more expensive ones offer more features and convenience.
I went for the one off of www.obddiagnostics.com. I went with that one because a)it's cheap and b)it supports all OBDII interfaces(PWM, VPW, and ISO). I like the software on Russ's unit much better. This software isn't as well developed, it doesn't even cross referance trouble codes.
are there any that can read OBDII and OBDI? John, that will probably be advanced enough for me to pull and clear codes though, right? Does the software contain definitions for all the different codes?
Yeah, it does great to pull codes, reset the CEL, it will even do freeze frame data(shows when your CEL went off). It can also display a dashboard with guages that update no-so-often. It has all the P codes in the help files, but you have to find the code yourself.
obdII is a universial interface, and obdI is per manufacture. That means for obdI ford, chrysler, and gm all have different plugs. ObdII is the same for all cars. The only way to get obdI and obdII is go with the $400 auto xray system that includes all the cable and such. Russ