In the late 80's and early 90's, almost all vehicles were equipped with an
OBD I, OBD 1, OBD i system. OBD I scanners are designed to diagnose these
vehicles and their electrical systems. With help from a wide range of different
manufacturers, people now have access to car and truck scanners that can actually go in and tell you what is wrong with your vehicle at a given time and allow you to view sensors and live data to ensure that your car or truck is running at it's optimal performance. Manufacturers including Actron, OTC,
Equus, Autel, AutoXray and AutoEnginuity all offer top of the line scanners which help the everyday person diagnose their vehicles.
OBD I scan tools and OBD I scanners generally come with special adapters. SPX
produces some of the best products on the market today and ensure you get the
work done and in a timely manner. Hickok, Nexiq, JPRO, CanScan, BMW, Peake and
Daytona also produce their own specialty tools to help the everyday person
become a mechanic.
When you have purchased your scanner and connected it to the car or truck, you will want to go through and address all of the fault codes that are appearing on the scanner. Most scanners like the Genisys will give you code definitions on the screen which help tell you what may need to be fixed to stop the fault code from appearing. We also offer a variety of Chilton, Haynes, and factory OEM service manuals that also give trouble codes and their probable causes. It is important to understand what each code means so that once you clear it from the scanner, it does not appear a day later.
Operating vehicle scanners is a simple task that most people can do at home. With the correct equipment and software, you can drastically improve the operating condition of your car or truck. Most diagnostic scanners come with a one year warranty and have technical support numbers that can be called if you get into a jam. With a little practice, you will be able to swear off mechanics and do all of your diagnostic work at home with your handheld scanner!
