Let me explain what you get with more expensive OBD scanner, because it will be different for everyone.
Cheap scanners can do only Global OBD modes. These modes are to read faults, clear them, read data, and readiness monitor,s but only fothe r engine control module.
If you spend little more, you will get lot of extra functionality in your OBD scanner.
Important: For these features, not only must your scanner support them, but your car must know how to perform them as well. Even if you have a $5000 scanner, you cannot use some of the following features IF your car doesnt support them.
(That’s why it is not easy for me to advise which scanner to buy for certain features you are asking, but we get to that later.)
Now, let me introduce you to advanced OBD.
Accessing all modules
Once you are familiar with global OBD modes, you can do these features in all control modules. You just need a full-system scanner and same like in the engine, you can read/clear faults and go over the data stream in any control module/system in the car.
This one is the most basic of advanced OBD, and most bi-directional scanners (even for smartphones) will be able to go over all modules and read faults and live data for most vehicles.
In this photo, I am scanning Mazda 2 from 2004, so it has only 3 modules but a newer car like 2022 can have easily 30 or even more different modules.
Accessing all modules is useful not only for diagnosing issues for systems other than the engine, but also for a used car check. You can even use full module access to go over live data to look for odometer rollbacks when buying a used car.
Bi-Directional testing
Activating and deactivating components in various systems. Again, for the old Mazda, in the engine control module, we have only a few tests to do.
But for a newer car, I can have hundreds of different tests across modules.
Service procedures
Service procedures on the scanner are used mostly when replacing parts in a modern car.
For example, if you are changing brake pads and you have electrical brake calipers. In that case, you have to use a scanner to open them // change brake pads // and close them with the scanner.
The newer your car is, the more of these features you will need. But again, remember that you cannot use all of these on any car.
Your car must first know how to perform these service procedures, and with a scanner, we are only starting this process.
ECU coding
ECU coding is a very fun part of OBD because you can unlock some hidden features of your car. For example, here I am using OBDeleven to customize the Audi A8.
But once again, this is 100% dependent on a car. With ECU coding, we are only accessing these hidden menus and choosing between settings. I cannot unlock a feature that is not recognized by my car already.
In general, the newer the car is, the more settings there are to choose from with ECU coding.
Older cars (around 1990-2010) often have only very few or no settings to choose from, as they have less electronics.
That are 4 advanced features to use with OBD, and tomorrow I will introduce you to different types of OBD2 scanners.
P.S. The Extended version of this email course, including 60 video lessons to help you master DIY diagnostics, is available HERE.
Hi, I am Juraj “Yuri” Lukacko. I got frustrated by unhelpful and scammy mechanics, so I decided to learn everything about car diagnostics myself. I test dozens of new car diagnostic tools every month along with learning new strategies to fix and customize cars. About Juraj Lukacko (Yuri)
