Nowadays, cars are so full of modern technology, that when a problem is detected by a sensor, the check engine indicator lights up and the computer on your car generates an error code.
As the check engine light comes up, this usually means that there’s a problem somewhere in your car’s system. Your car may have a fuel pump issue, a bad catalytic converter, or one out of a hundred possible issues. However, if you don’t have a way to read the error code on your car’s computer, you won’t just know what the problem is.
With countless possibilities, you’d definitely need a reliable diagnostic tool to pinpoint your car’s problem. These portable tools hook up to your car and read the error codes that popped up, giving you knowledge of what’s happening inside your car.
If you’re considering to buy one, then visit this obd2 scanner guide website and continue reading this article to know the top reasons why you should invest in a car diagnostic tool.
Here are 7 reasons why to invest in one:
1. Save money
Diagnostics will cost money, and if you take your car to the mechanic’s shop every time that check engine light turns on, then you’d probably end up spending more than enough.
Owning a car diagnostic tool means that you can do your car diagnostics easily on your own. All you have to do is locate the obd2 connector, that’s typically just underneath the driver’s dashboard. Once the tool is plugged in, you can now check the code that triggered the check engine light.
By doing this, you will surely save a couple of hundred dollars yearly, just by investing in a basic and decent diagnostic tool reasonably priced at $30-$100. Think of the diagnostic tool as a viable investment to help you save a lot of money, and give you the peace of mind that your car is healthy.
2. Weather issues
When you’re driving in extremely cold weather where temperatures hit below freezing point, there’s probably a high chance that your vehicle will have issues.
Some of the most common issues involving freezing weather are drained batteries, loose gas caps, and flat tires. All these issues and conditions will surely light up your check engine light, giving you a warning sign that there is a major issue somewhere in your car.
With a handy car diagnostic tool, accurately diagnosing the problem of your car is made easy, and you will have an idea of how to correctly tackle the issue just by yourself. During freezing weather, you can also use your diagnostic tool to check for engine temperatures, fuel system pressure, warning lights, exhaust levels, throttle response, and idle speed.
3. Accurate and quick diagnostics
If you see your check engine lights turned on, the first thing you’d probably do is to look for the nearest mechanic shop to help you fix your car. However, when you’re driving to a remote location or on a highway without access to a nearby mechanic, your only option would be to stop or continue driving.
Stopping would mean that you’d probably wait for help in hours, and continuing might cause more damage to your car. It’s possible that your car may only have a minor issue such as a loosened gas cap, but it’s also possible that your car is having a more serious one, and you’d definitely not want to risk your car and escalate the problem.
In such cases, a car diagnostic tool will save your day, by using it to diagnose the problem and tell you where exactly it is. The diagnostic tool will give you the necessary information for you to plan your next action, whether to call the towing service, continue driving to the nearest available car mechanic, or fix the issue by your yourself.
Generally, the check engine light on your car will only notify you that there’s a problem with your vehicle, and the diagnostic tool will let you know what and where the problem really is.
4. Ease of use
A lot of people get intimidated by the technicalities of these diagnostic tools. It may sound very technical as these tools scan your car’s diagnostics and performance, but using them does not mean its hard. In fact, if you’re buying a car diagnostic tool, you’ll only need to plug it in, press scan, and see the results in a matter of minutes.
Some diagnostic tool models can even connect to laptops, which enables you to do more multitasking to find out what’s going wrong with your vehicle, and fix it while you watch tutorials online.
These tools can also connect to your smartphones via Bluetooth, and allows you to do your diagnostic virtually anywhere and with real-time data on your smartphone and diagnostic apps.
Additionally, there are various versions of these diagnostic tools can connect to your phone’s GPS and accelerometers to give you a holistic view of your car’s performance in the convenience of your smartphone.
5. Compatibility
These diagnostic tools are widely compatible across vehicles. Car manufacturers have been required to utilize a standard method for car diagnostics since 1996. This means that if you purchase an obd2 diagnostic tool, you can use it with multiple vehicles without the need to purchase another one each time you buy a car.
6. Portability
Most car drivers see their check engine lights come on while they’re traveling. Surely, nobody wants a broken car in the middle of a road trip. But, these unforeseen events can and will happen, and having a diagnostic tool in such cases will surely help.
Since they’re small and compact, drivers can easily bring these tools virtually anywhere. If ever your check engine light turns on in the middle of somewhere, then you can just plug in your diagnostic tool and take the diagnostic test yourself, without worrying about where the next automotive repair shop will be. This device will provide you with peace of mind in a compact and portable package.
7. DIY Fix
If your diagnostic tool reports a code that means there is a serious problem in your car, and you shouldn’t be driving around until your car is serviced by a professional mechanic; then you should immediately contact your mechanic and have your car repaired properly.
However, if the diagnostic tool indicates that there are only minor problems, knowing exactly where and what was the reason behind your car’s malfunction means that you can fix the problem by yourself with the help of Google and YouTube tutorials.
Some diagnostic tools offer more data than others. However, since the data from various systems are standardized, you can always use Google to search more about the specific code from your device.
Closing thoughts
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits and importance of having a car diagnostic tool, investing in one should be your next move.
But do keep in mind, that there are still a couple of things you should be careful when fixing your car by yourself, and always wear safety and protective gear upon doing these fixes to prevent any mishaps from happening. Additionally, you should also read and understand the product’s manual to avoid technical issues.
