Diagnostic Code Readers

[pike79]

I am looking at buying a code reader, never used one before and I am wondering what I should look for when shopping around. The one I have been looking is the INNOVA 3150 W/ ABS/SRS for OB2 vehicles, it is compatible with all of of the vehicles I own and within my price range of under 200 dollars. Anyone ever use this model, or have any input on it, or the Innova brand and suggestions of other brands.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I have seen those but have no experience with them.

Check into the LAUNCH brand of code readers. One of the techs I work with has one of the better ones and it has quite a bit of functionality. Color display, data, graphing, etc. If I remember correctly it was in the $200 dollar range.

I personally use a MAC Tools et50 for quick code retrieval and clearing. Within seconds I know whether I need to plug in the scan tool or just start on the diag. Very handy but it is limited to OBDII only. I think I paid $50 for it.

What vehicles are you plugging in to?

[titelines]

Don't have experience with the Innova you reference. I have used a Bosch Scan Tool in the past and it worked well. Has all the features you noted plus airbag, works on model year 1996 and newer vehicles and includes a library of 4.3 million possible fixes.

Sears actually took the Bosch product recently and will be rebranding it under the Craftsman name. Our agency just created the packaging for it and it should be on the store shelves in the next couple months.

[pike79]

Thanks guys, I'll look into those. Jeremy I have a 96 Ford Taurus that has the ABS light on, but I also own a 02 Ford F150 and Wifes car is a 06 Ford Five Hundred. The Five Hundred has a light come on that is different than the check engine light and the car idles slightly rough when it is started but when it is shut off and restarted the light does not come back on and the car runs normal. I changed the fuel filter and it still happened since then. I was going to run some injector cleaner through it and change the air filter before I do anything next. Unless you have a different idea that Would cause that, by the way it has 150,000 miles on it and the motor is a 3.0 duratec with the cvt transmission.The light that comes on is a wrench and the manual calls it a Throttle control/Transmission: illuminates when a powertrain or AWD(if equipped) fault has been detected. The car is not AWD.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Unless you have a different idea that Would cause that, by the way it has 150,000 miles on it and the motor is a 3.0 duratec with the cvt transmission.The light that comes on is a wrench and the manual calls it a Throttle control/Transmission: illuminates when a powertrain or AWD(if equipped) fault has been detected. The car is not AWD.

There is a tsb (07-2-2) it reads:

FORD: 2005-2007 Five Hundred, Freestyle

MERCURY: 2005-2007 Montego

ISSUE:

Some 2005-2007 Freestyle, Five Hundred and Montego vehicles may exhibit intermittent wrench light on and/or "ETC-failsafe mode" in the message center with no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), or a U0401 code in the transmission control module (TCM) of vehicles equipped with a continuously variable transaxle (CVT).

This may be the result of the following: if an intermittent condition that illuminates the wrench light occurs during one drive cycle but does not repeat during the subsequent drive cycle, the powertrain control module (PCM)/TCM software strategy will not store the code in the PCM during the subsequent drive cycle but will instead erase the pending code.

Now there is some tests that is performed with a [ford] scan tool that will determin if the PCM (powertrain Controll Module) needs an update (which it probably does) and if the throttle body needs replacment. I will bet that you have the O.E. Throttle Body (T.B.) that is heated, has an engine coolant passage through it, the new design is NOT liquid warmed.

also there may be a Field Service Action out on your 500 to clean the T.B. and reprogram your PCM to take care of an intermitent rpm flare, It would be best to call your local Ford dealer and ask them if there is any outstanding recalls/FSA's for your car. You will need to have your VIN ready to do this.

Hope that helped.

[pike79]

Thanks Johnbigdog I'll definitely be giving them a call and thanks for the advice.