ASA’s New Scan Tool Matrix Resource Center

See how this new resource will provide a greater knowledge of scan tools.

For more than three years, the ASA Mechanical Division Operations Committee has been working with carmakers, some of the brightest technicians in the country, AutoShop Solutions and the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) to create a single clearinghouse of information about scan tools known as the Scan Tool Resource Center. The culmination of this work will be available in two ways beginning later this month.

First, basic tool information will be available at the NASTF website, www.nastf.org. When you visit the site, you’ll see each manufacturer’s logo has a list of current tools underneath it. By clicking on the name of a tool, you will be taken to the information page for that tool. It will include a feature list for the tool, which will be helpful when you are determining the feature set your shop requires of a scan tool package for a brand you service. You will also find all the information to purchase and update the tool.

When we began, we envisioned that we could standardize each OE tool into a similar format. As we moved along we realized that our model was not a fit for Euro tools. We also found that displaying the components of each tool was not a “one size fits all” effort. We have created a Euro-specific version of the feature page and each manufacturer’s methods and direct website links are provided.

Second, we’ll be working on a special “ASA Members Only” version of the Scan Tool Resource Center. ASA members will be able to login to the ASA website to access this special version of the site, which will feature a blog component. This will allow our members to share information with one another about a specific tool. It will also allow users to rate features of the tool as their favorite or least favorite. We will be sharing this feedback with the OE so they can have an opportunity to see what their independent customers think about certain features of the tool. Our hope is to add to this project with the addition of aftermarket scan tool packages as well.