Why a Car Code Reader will Help you Save Money
Up until a few years ago, finding out what was wrong with your car if it wouldn’t start or if a warning light on the dashboard suddenly came on, was a complicated and difficult task that could only be carried out by trained professionals! The reason for that, was that the tools used to diagnose the car, were too big, too expensive and too complicated to be owned and used by car owners and car enthusiasts without a huge budget and a degree in car engineering and mechanics!
Things however, have now changes very much for the better, thanks to the invention of the car code reader! These amazing devices, will diagnose a car very quickly and with great accuracy, but what really makes them great, is the fact that they are really affordable and most models are so simple, that even someone who can’t tell where his engine is when popping the hood, can easily use them! But how can they do that? You may ask, well, the answer is very simple! These devices, also called auto code reader devices, are plugged in to a special port in your car’s CPU and they interface with them in order to get a complete image of your car’s status and problems. This is possible thanks to the OBD system that all cars are equipped with!
The OBDII system is a diagnostic and logging system that ALL cars built from 1996 onwards are equipped with! This system was adopted by all car manufacturers in the world, in order to make diagnosing a car easier and less costly! This was what essentially kick started the development of more simplified and cost effective car code reader devices, that everyone could use! You see, since the OBD II system and port exists in every car nowadays, manufacturers just focus on making products compatible with the system itself, rather than with a particular model or make in mind, which has allowed them to focus in the user friendliness and functionality of those tools!
But in the end, how does an auto code scanner find out what’s wrong with your car? Well, let me give you a quick break down of the process: the tool gets connected to the OBD port of a car, which is usually found under the dashboard, near the steering wheel of a car, which is itself connected to the car’s CPU. The port will transmit the OBDII system data it collects from the CPU back to the car code reader tool, which in turn will start displaying all kinds of valuable information regarding your car, ranging from its specifications, to every problems and malfunction that has been logged by the OBD 2 system! Some models can even provide you with data on the emissions of your car! In other words, next time you think that there is a problem with your car, or the dreaded “check engine” light comes on, all you’ll have to do is plug in your car code reader and you’ll know exactly what’s wrong with it!
In order to better understand how this is possible, let’s see how the OBDII system actually works! Every time there’s a malfunction in one of your car’s components, no matter how small or insignificant, the OBD II system, that is constantly monitoring everything on your car, will create a special code, with the exact description of the problem. These codes, also known as DTC or Diagnostic Trouble Codes, are stored in the car’s CPU and they are retrieved and “read” by the car code reader tools, hence their name! Most of these devices will translate these codes on the fly, letting you know what’s wrong with your car instantly! Some more high end models, will even provide you with information on how to fix the problem!
Now I know what you’re thinking: “this is all cool and useful, but how will it save me money, if it won’t actually fix my car?” Well here’s the deal, a mechanic will charge you for diagnosing your car, regardless of whether he’ll actually have to work on it or not! For example, one of the most common causes of the “check engine” light coming on, is the fact that there’s bad quality gas in the reservoir, which leads to more emissions!
There is nothing a mechanic can do to fix that problem, but he’ll still charge you for finding it out! With a car code reader, you will know what’s wrong with your car and whether you need to take a trip to the mechanic or not! Even if you do have to go there though, you’ll just show him the data from the auto code reader and he’ll know what the problem is, so he won’t charge you for a diagnosis, which will save you a huge amount on money on your repair bill!
