diagnosticsupplement-1223 - 4

ESSENTIAL TOOLS
A systematic approach to
finding the right scan tool
If you are in the market for a scan tool, there is more to consider than cost.
By Brandon Steckler
within certain car lines, and very dimly (or
sometimes not at all) with other car lines.
It's important to have a scan tool that is
going to serve you and your shop well in
as many conditions as possible. In other
words, choose a tool that is going to give
you the most " bang for your buck, " and
be prepared to add other scan tools that
are better suited to specific car lines when
called upon.
Brastock Images | AdobeStock
A
s a technician in the industry
for about 25 years, I have had
my hands on many different
scan tools. Many of them were factory
tools and many more were aftermarket
tools. With the ever-changing
advancements in technology, I have
seen so many new convenient features
implemented that make the scan
tool even more powerful today.
However, one thing is certain. The
scan tool will always serve as a liaison
between the technician and the vehicle.
Regardless of how much or how little
capability the tool features, if it doesn't
do what you need it to do, it is not a
wise investment.
COST
Obviously, one of the first items to factor
in is how much the scan tool is going to
cost. There are functional scan tools that
can be purchased for under $200. Probably
unsurprisingly, the functionality of
4 DECEMBER 2023 VehicleServicePros.com
that tool is likely limited to simple and
basic functions, like requests for OBDII
stored DTCs (Mode $03) and perhaps
the ability to request a list of completed
monitors (Mode $06). Although this data
is useful, it certainly won't suffice as the
tool to always get the job done, especially
for a professional automotive technician.
However, a technician needing a simple
device to verify that OBD monitors have
run to completion would need little more
than the capability of a device like this
one from Innova (Figure 1). The key is to
realize the limitation of the device before
making the investment.
VEHICLE COVERAGE
Vehicle coverage should be an important
factor to consider when choosing a scan
tool for obvious reasons. It's true that scan
tools have come a very long way and the
coverage they now provide is very extensive
compared to how they used to. But be
aware that certain scan tools shine brightly
SCANNING FUNCTIONS
I see the scan tool as a device that should
offer us the ability to view data in a fashion
that tells a story. With the data arranged
properly, we should be able to easily
Figure 1- This scan tool from Innova is very
functional for the cost of approximately $200.
However, the trade-off for such an inexpensive
device is that it serves to provide only basic
functions and will not support what is required
for professional technicians in most situations.
Photo from Advance Auto Parts
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
diagnosticsupplement-1223

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