Spent $300 on a 'universal' OBD2 scanner that couldn't clear a simple airbag code

I bought the Autel MaxiScan US600 last year thinking it would handle everything in my shop. It worked fine for engine codes, but when a 2017 Civic came in with an SRS light, it just gave me a generic 'system fault' message and wouldn't clear it. I ended up having to borrow a proper Honda-specific scanner from a buddy to finish the job, which wasted about two hours of my day. Anyone have a scanner under $500 that actually works on airbag systems?

4 comments

4 Comments

robin5912mo ago

Yeah, that "universal" label is a total joke for anything beyond basic engine stuff. Airbag and ABS modules are locked down tight by the manufacturers. My rule is if the scanner costs less than the phone you're running it on, it's not touching safety systems. You really need something that does proper bi-directional controls, and that's never in the cheap aisle.

stellaperry2mo ago

What year was that Civic? I had a similar thing happen with a 2015 Ford Focus, but it was for a transmission code. My cheap scanner read it as a generic shift solenoid issue, but the actual problem was a wiring harness chafing against the subframe.

janah832mo ago

My 2008 Civic threw a P2646 code for the VTEC solenoid. I've seen a lot of people online blame the wiring, but in my case it was actually a clogged screen inside the solenoid itself. A simple clean and new gasket fixed it for under twenty bucks. Those generic codes can send you down the wrong path for sure.

sean_cooper581mo ago

That "simple clean and new gasket for under twenty bucks" part is every DIYers dream. It’s always satisfying when a cheap fix actually works, especially after reading horror stories about people replacing whole wiring harnesses for something like that. Good on you for digging into the actual cause instead of just throwing parts at it.