I bought a cheap code reader for my shop and it cost me a full day's pay

Back when I started, a good scan tool was a big investment, so I grabbed a $80 generic one online. It gave me a weird code on a Duramax, said it was an injector circuit. Spent six hours chasing that, pulling the valve cover, checking wiring. Turns out it was just a bad glow plug module, and my cheap tool read the data wrong. That was a $400 job I lost because I trusted junk gear. Anyone have a solid, budget friendly scanner they actually use every day?

5 comments

5 Comments

violar352mo ago

My old Innova 3100 has never steered me wrong.

stone.lisa2mo ago

My buddy's 3100 survived a crazy flood and still works, lol.

jenny471mo ago

That 3100 is a tank for basic stuff, but it can totally steer you wrong on newer cars. My friend's gave a weird code for his 2016 Civic that wasn't even close to the real problem. It's great for old OBD2 stuff, but the newer the car, the more it can guess. It just doesn't talk to all the modules right.

thomas_torres1mo ago

Guess @violar35 got the one good unit.

pat_jenkins2mo ago

Ever feel like your scanner is just making up codes for fun? My old cheap one had a real creative streak with Ford transmission faults. Honestly, I wasted more time double checking its lies than I ever saved buying it.