Picture this – It is a Monday morning. You have a long day ahead and lots of business to tend to. You are all set to leave for work, you get into your car, and there you see it – the check engine light is on. You are frustrated, as you do not know if it is a serious problem that requires your immediate attention or if it is something that you can deal with later at your convenience.
In such a situation, would it not be nice to have a tool that can instantly tell you what the problem is? It is precisely what an automotive scan tool does.
The Need for an Automotive Diagnostic Scanner
Your car, just like every other vehicle on the road today, has an onboard diagnostic system built into it. Whenever your car develops a problem, the onboard computer generates and stores an error code corresponding to the problem. It is basically an alphanumeric code, using which you can find out the problem with your vehicle.
A scan tool is designed to communicate with the onboard computer, read the code, and display it for you to see. Once you have the code, it becomes a lot easier to find out what is wrong with your car.
The Advantages of Using a Scanner
An automotive scan tool is an excellent time saver. Any time the check engine light comes on, you can use your scanner to find out what is wrong with your car and save yourself a trip to the nearest automobile service center.
Secondly, it can save you a lot of money as well. Every single trip to a service center costs you money, as mechanics charge hefty fees merely to diagnose the issue with your vehicle. Sometimes, these diagnostic charges alone could run into hundreds of dollars. You can avoid such unneeded expenditure by investing in a good scanner and find out what is wrong with your car all by yourself. If the problem is serious enough to merit a visit to the mechanic shop, you can do so by all means. If not, you can fix it yourself and save even more money.
Thirdly – and this is by far the most overlooked reason in our opinion – a scanning tool can offer you peace of mind. It might sound incredible, but if you think about it, you will realize that it is actually true. Any time your vehicle develops a problem, it can be incredibly frustrating as it means you have to spend your time and money to get it fixed. What is even more frustrating is that you do not even know if it is a major issue that could cost you a lot of money or a minor one. With a scanner, you can put all your doubts to rest and diagnose the problem yourself, which is very relieving to say the least.
The Different Types of Scanning Tools Available
You can find a variety of different diagnostic tools on the market today and you can choose one based on your budget and the tool’s functionality.
The most basic, user-friendly, and affordable tool you can find is a code reader. It is designed to perform only two functions – display the error code and then clear it to turn off the check engine light. You have to find out what the code means by either checking the instruction manual or by going online.
The mid-level version is a scanning tool, which actually goes a step above what a code reader does and gives you the error code and also tells you what the code stands for.
The high end versions can display and clear error codes, tell you what the codes stand for, and provide you with troubleshooting information, which makes your job a lot easier. They also have the ability to display, record, and play back live data from sensors, which is a very important feature.
At the end of the day, the automotive scan tool you choose should fit into your budget. If you can afford to, you can invest in a high-quality scanner. Otherwise, a beginner level code reader could be the best choice for you. Mind you – operating a high-level scanner requires technical knowledge, which is another factor you should keep in mind while choosing a scanning tool.
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