Buy a decent OBD code scanner!
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1st Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 77
From: New Mexico
Buy a decent OBD code scanner!
Yes, I know I've mentioned this before, but I don't care albeit you should!
Modern vehicles aren’t much more than rolling computers, with dozens of sensors measuring everything imaginable save the length of your manhood. When things go awry, the various microcontrollers attached to these sensors issue codes which represent every type of malady you might encounter. Sometimes the codes turn on the MIL light, others don’t. Some turn it on, then turn it off, but all are saved for future readability. However, there’s an insidious part to these codes everyone should be aware of. For example, codes can be innocuous while others (often driveline related) are indeed signs of danger which should never be ignored! All of this points to a few simple facts.
First, while codes may be specific to a make and model, most are not. In fact, descriptive data for most codes can be found using a simple internet search. However, the information thus found for any one code is usually (always?) generic in nature. Whether they’re innocuous or dangerous, isn’t always evident! This said, the average (hopefully knowledgable?) driver typically takes their vehicle to a servicing dealer to see why the MIL is lit. Those who ignore the warnings often pay dearly for doing so.If you’re a gear head, you use your own OBD scanner (also called a code reader) to give you a heads up about the code’s true meaning. This is a good approach, but only if you invest in a decent scanner. Those cheapie on-line scanners just won’t tell you the whole story, which again can cost you a bunch of cash! My advice is simply this. Spend enough, typically $400 to $500 (or more), to buy a really good scanner. You can spend several thousand for one, but unless you’re in the repair business, that kind of expenditure is unwarranted.
If you think $400 or more is too much, consider what the cost might be ignoring a catastrophic code? Your choice!
Modern vehicles aren’t much more than rolling computers, with dozens of sensors measuring everything imaginable save the length of your manhood. When things go awry, the various microcontrollers attached to these sensors issue codes which represent every type of malady you might encounter. Sometimes the codes turn on the MIL light, others don’t. Some turn it on, then turn it off, but all are saved for future readability. However, there’s an insidious part to these codes everyone should be aware of. For example, codes can be innocuous while others (often driveline related) are indeed signs of danger which should never be ignored! All of this points to a few simple facts.
First, while codes may be specific to a make and model, most are not. In fact, descriptive data for most codes can be found using a simple internet search. However, the information thus found for any one code is usually (always?) generic in nature. Whether they’re innocuous or dangerous, isn’t always evident! This said, the average (hopefully knowledgable?) driver typically takes their vehicle to a servicing dealer to see why the MIL is lit. Those who ignore the warnings often pay dearly for doing so.If you’re a gear head, you use your own OBD scanner (also called a code reader) to give you a heads up about the code’s true meaning. This is a good approach, but only if you invest in a decent scanner. Those cheapie on-line scanners just won’t tell you the whole story, which again can cost you a bunch of cash! My advice is simply this. Spend enough, typically $400 to $500 (or more), to buy a really good scanner. You can spend several thousand for one, but unless you’re in the repair business, that kind of expenditure is unwarranted.
If you think $400 or more is too much, consider what the cost might be ignoring a catastrophic code? Your choice!
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