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Scanner recommendation, please.
- Thread starter JimKIII
- Start date
Jscan app for iOS or Android, paired with this OBD interface:
That’ll get you pretty much everything the dealer’s scan tool is capable of.
That’ll get you pretty much everything the dealer’s scan tool is capable of.
I just have the cheapest Autel I could get. Can't remember what model, but it was like $20. Keep it in my truck and have used it many, many times on all types of cars. It doesn't do advanced stuff or read live data, but does what you need 98% of the time.
No setup on it. Just plug it in, turn the car to run, and scan. If you don't know how to fix something or need to narrow it down, look up the codes online like you're gonna do anyway. Another plus is you don't need a phone or computer with a buggy app.
I haven't had the best luck with Bluetooth scanners and apps on vehicles older than 08-ish. They'll just pull codes and see very basic data....not much further than what you can see on the dash.
While basic scanners like yours are fine for a wide range of vehicles, I just want the OP to know that the type of scanner you’re using can only scan the engine module (and *maybe* the abs module) for faults. It can’t connect to, or scan any other modules on the truck.
That definitely works too, and is really the best option for those that are going to be adding features and configuring the BCM.
The main differences between Jscan and AlfaOBD are:
AlfaOBD is cumbersome for scanning for faults, meaning, you have to select and connect to each individual module to scan each one for faults. Jscan will scan all modules on the truck in one shot. Jscan is a little more powerful on the bi-directional diagnostics.
AlfaOBD can be purchased one time price, and be used on as many vehicles as you want. Jscan is half the price, but it’s only for one VIN license.
On another note for anyone else- I know the MX+ has always been the top recommended interface, but they’ve raised their price up over the years, and now it’s at $140.
I’ve been doing a lot of testing lately with the vLinker MC+ ($60), and it’s now the one I would recommend. It does everything the MX+ does, and has the same features. I’ve configured entire BCMs on the bench with it, changing one setting right after another, and no hiccups or disconnect issues.
You're right about the price. Fortunately, Amazon Black Friday has it discounted to $112. The vLinker MC+ is discounted to $48!
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If you have a KAOdTECH (or equivalent) bypass cable, you already have a "Y-cable."
Unless you don't want to leave it connected for some reason.
I've used Torque or the OBDLink app itself to clear DTC's. For some reason I once had trouble clearing a code with AlfaOBD after doing tire size adjustments and Torque took care of it easy peasy.
It's good to see some competition and the vLinker looks like a really good deal for anyone jumping in,
