kook

I have never had to deal with anything computer-related on a car before. I am computer literate, an electrical engineer by trade. For the first time ever, I had the dreaded "check engine" light come on in a vehicle I have owned. The vehicle is a '97 Toyota Tacoma with 70,150 miles.

I started surfing the Web on this OBD-II scan stuff, and figured I'd save a ton of time and "cut to the chase" by posting my request for more info/links on this board, as there appear to be quite a few technically competent people here.

I'm looking for something inexpensive (<$200), but would consider spending more, depending on what the unit does. For the near term, I want to find out why the "check engine" light is on - O2 sensor, perhaps? Dunno, but want to try and find out on my own, instead of being at the mercy of ANY dealership. I do NOT have a laptop, and do NOT plan on getting one any time soon. I DO tend to stay with the same make vehicle and my next truck will probably be a Toyota as well, for what that is worth.

Pep Boys sells some simple diagnostic scanners for under $100, but only for American vehicles, so they say. Can someone shed some light on computer diagnostic scanners?

thanks,

Mark

[ 02-02-2002: Message edited by: kook ]

MACDAD260

Kook, I am a Mac Tools Distributor. (18 years) For $199.95 you can buy a Generic OBD II Code Scanner. Part # ET9040. It will read the code and give an on-screen description of the code. It will work on any 1996 and newer car, foreign or domestic. There are progressively more expensive scan tools available, each reading and displaying an increasing amount of data. The best will cost about $2900 with the cables to do imports. You can look at them on the Mac Tools website. (WWW.MACTOOLS.COM)

If you like to work on your own vehicles but have no automotive computer training, a simple code reader is all that you need. If you are lucky the problem may be just a bad sensor. A code reader should pick that up. However I do not advise a do-it-yourselfer to try to go much beyond that. It can get very expensive if the sensor you buy does not fix the problem. (Electical parts are usually not returnable). Computer related problems are actually rare. You might just want to ask around for a good independent repair garage that specializes in Asian cars and have them fix it for you. There is a lot to be said for experience when it comes to driveability problems on modern fuel injected, computer driven engines. There is no "Magic Box" that you can hook up and have it tell what is wrong. A scanner is just a tool that a properly trained technician can use to help make the correct diagnosis.

If you would like to talk to me some more about this call me during business hours M-F at 616-318-1569. If you want to purchase a scan tool I will give you a special "OSO" price.

Good luck, Doug

Vinny P

kook;

I have been an auto mechanic for toooo many years to want to think about. Nowadays it seems that I walk around with a scanner more often than I walk around with a wrench. I don't have to tell you that cars have gotten complicated to the point of being ridiculous.
As macdad260 has mentioned a scanner is not a magic box. It basically just gives you some information, quite often it leaves me wanting or needing more. If you can't process that information, and take it from me, very few can do this properly let alone to attenpt this without the service manual, all of it is useless. Every code that is stored has an appropriate flow chart to follow to attempt a repair. These charts must be followed. Just because the scanner is coming up with a code for an O2 sensor doesn't neccessarily mean that the sensor is the culprit. Many times the problem is as simple as a blown fuse. I am not claiming to be an expert on Toyotas, but in most cases you can't clear trouble codes in obd II systems without a scanner. But, sometimes in foreign cars you can clear codes by running through some off the wall procedure. IE: open and close the door 5 times in 5 seconds or something of that nature. If you want send me your vehicles information, I can look up in a service manual the procedure to clear codes. You may even get lucky, on some cars you can put the e.c.m. into diagnostic mode without a scanner. This may allow you to read codes by watching the check engine light flash out a numeric code.

corey

The minimum you need right now is a good (preferably the official) Toyota service manual and an OBD II code scanner as mentioned above. The cheapest tool I found that would display and record sensor data as well as codes was only $180 but requires an older laptop, which I bought off E-bay. That MAC code scanner (and a Toyota manual) sounds like your best bet right now...

mkforsberg

Kook,

Get a scaner. I was happy I did. Even if you don't fix your car it will tell you what the problem is. I bought one for my wife's lincoln. It gave me a couple of error codes. I took the codes to the auto parts store and picked up a copule of parts. I changed the parts and the car was fixed. It was a happy story.

Good luck

kook

Doug:

Your e-mail address is not valid - tried sending you a e-mail and it bounced right back.

I could not find anything under that part number - in fact, I couldn't find any scanners on the mactools web site. Help?

thanks,
Mark

Bruce

The first step I would take is to go to the dealer and purchase the factory service manual. There usually is a large section concerning the engine codes. Most import computers will allow you to put them in self-test modes. They typically have green and red LED lights that flash in pattern, then you follow flow charts in the service manual to determine the fault codes. I did a Nissan 300ZX that just stopped running while driving on the highway. Towed it back, bought the manual, ran through the tedious procedure while laying on my back in the passenger seat floor, turned the key on and off etc. The flowcharts showed a bad mass air flow sensor, installed a new sensor, reset the computer and the stupid car started. From that point forward I decided auto fixing had become to electronic.

kook

If got a service manual, but not the factory one - they want over $100 for the factory service manual. The $20 Haynes manual I have DOES have a section that tells about the the most common codes - hoping this is sufficient.

Bruce

The factory service manual is what you need. Find someone that has an account at the dealership to buy it. Does the Haynes book show you how to put the computer into self diagnostic's? If it does, go through all that garbage first, maybe it will identify the code thrown on your rig.

kook

Bruce:

The manual gives directions for self diagnostics of older model year trucks, but it says that I need a scanner to work on the newer vehicles, such as my model year ('97) - they even show a picture of one, stating that "they ain't cheap".