|
|
Post by gato on Jan 20, 2020 8:20:36 GMT -5
Back in 2018 I bought my first new car. Having driven ancient VW's all my life, I was only peripherally aware of the diagnostic computer read-out aspect of the new fangled cars.
If I have it right, your engine light comes on, you drive to the dealer, he plugs his gizmo into a port on your car and, without crystal ball or chicken entrails, announces what ails your vehicle.
Okay, so how about instead of driving right to the dealer, you plug your own code reader device into the car's port? If nothing else, to get a "second opinion" before even driving into the service bay a the dealer.
Been reading up on some of these devices. There are mixed reviews, with various opinions about their accuracy.
But who is to say it is any less accurate than what the dealer uses?
What say you grizzled owners of computer-laden cars? Any experience with these things?
My new car has now driven past the two year "everything covered" warranty (7,500 miles so far), and although my check engine light hasn't come on, I'm looking at ways of arming myself with data before I surrender to the machinations of my local Chevy dealer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jan 20, 2020 8:42:55 GMT -5
You can get a decent code reader and it should be fine for your use.
Speaking from the experience of class 8 trucks (so I don’t know if it crosses over to cars), whatever the dealer is using is likely the best and most accurate. Especially if the OEM take liberties with fault codes and have some proprietary codes set up in their vehicles.
But generally an OTC code reader should be fine.
|
|
|
|
Post by themaestro on Jan 20, 2020 8:54:21 GMT -5
I would think that the accuracy would be the same for both levels of readers. After all, it is just reading a digital computer setting. It's either on or off. I don't have experience with anything but a cheapie, but I believe the fancier models may be able to dive deeper and read more data points and be may able to reset stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jan 20, 2020 9:01:47 GMT -5
There are car forums where such things are discussed. Those can often be a great source of info. I’ve used them, over the years. I’ve never joined one. I just mine the posts.
|
|
Ragic
Wholenote
Posts: 170
|
Post by Ragic on Jan 20, 2020 9:27:20 GMT -5
There are plenty of YouTube videos testing code readers.
|
|
|
|
Post by K4 on Jan 20, 2020 10:16:56 GMT -5
When the dealer plugs in the data gets sent to the manufacturer and then gets bounced back with a diagnostic plan. The code readers you can buy (inexpensively) only read OBD2 type codes. The dealer can access every computer on the car.
Where the shade tree types get into trouble is the code reader might say, 02 sensor out of range. That doesn't mean the sensor is bad, it could be a bad injector or a vacuum leak or any thing else that would make the air fuel mixture out of range.
|
|
|
|
Post by LVF on Jan 20, 2020 10:30:05 GMT -5
Yes, don't be fooled by whatever code comes up. The 'fixes' are seldomly black and white. Also, modern cars and trucks don't have just one computer. They all have modules for different aspects of a vehicle anymore. A code read only gives a direction, not a solution.
|
|
Wrnchbndr
Wholenote
Posts: 353
Formerly Known As: WRNCHBNDR
|
Post by Wrnchbndr on Jan 20, 2020 10:55:02 GMT -5
I have one of those little dongle things that plugs into the OBD2 port on the car and transmits codes and data via wifi to an app on my phone. The app is OBD Fusion. I can read the fault codes and I can clear any fault code. The plug-in gizmo works great but I do not recommend the app. I'm sure there are better. OBD Fusion has limited user support as if it were only partially developed and then development stopped. The dongle and the app are dirt cheap and if you only want to know what is bothering your ECM with the actual fault code, it works.
For example, I was having a problem with the engine simply randomly quitting. I think the code was P0301 - Random Misfire. It took weird twisted geezer know how to isolate it to a defective connector on my ignition coil. Not a bad coil -- just the connector attached to the wiring harness. Many people confidently told me that I had a bad crankshaft position sensor and this is what a dealership would have replaced had I brought it to a dealership.
If you just want to read the codes and clear the occasional glitch code, OBD Fusion is cheap and works.
|
|
|
|
Post by K4 on Jan 20, 2020 11:02:43 GMT -5
If the dealer would replace the crank sensor they are not very good.
The dealer has a computer where they can watch everything live, so they would see what cylinder or cylinders are misfiring and track it down from there.
When a crank sensor goes intermittent the car usually will not re-start when hot.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 20, 2020 16:39:42 GMT -5
I have a small inexpensive OBD2 unit ($50 or so). I can plug it into any vehicle that pops an error code and look 'em up online by make/model. As mentioned above, these are not The Shell Answer Man by any stretch...but a good Website will list all possible causes for a specific error code, with the most common listed first.
These readers, even the cheap ones, are real time savers because they can direct your attention to specific parts and failure modes.
|
|
|
|
Post by garyweimer on Jan 20, 2020 18:55:51 GMT -5
As far as I remember, Auto Zone will do this for free, and give you the readout.
|
|
|
|
Post by K4 on Jan 20, 2020 18:59:18 GMT -5
Yes they will, BUT they will also try to sell you whatever sensor that threw the red flag.
|
|
