OBDII Automotive Code Readers & Scanners

How to use a car code reader

Cars and trucks are sophisticatedly designed to let you know what systems are working, need attention, or have failed. These technologies have been a part of vehicles for years and are only getting more advanced as time goes on. These include controls and sensors that give insight into your engine, transmission, brakes, and more.

Diagnostic service tools are another technology that can help accurately diagnose problems that are happening within the inner workings of your ride, so you can anticipate system failures before they arise. Car code readers help to translate these signals into a way that is easily identifiable, so you don’t need a degree in software engineering to decode.

The basics of car code readers

Car code scanners give you live and real-time information about what is going on under your hood. They’re great to have in your toolkit so if you’re keen on mechanics, you can save some time and money by completing repairs yourself. They’re also pretty straightforward to use. While there are different types of scanners available, most follow a simple process.

Step one: Connect the device to your car, either through Bluetooth or by plugging it into your diagnostic link connector. 

Step two: Enter your ride’s VIN.

Step three: From the code that will display, letters represent different areas of the vehicle. For example, “U’ stands for unidentified while “B” stands for body.

Car code readers can help you save time and money and are a definite asset to your toolbox. Pick one out on eBay.