Scan Tool Review

Research Before You Buy After covering about 30 manufacturers in 12 months, most of our heads are probably still spinning. As this series closes, I’d like to take a minute to explain how it came to be. In 2009, I…

European scan tools Shops that sell themselves as all-makes shops will most likely work on the makes listed below on occasion. Knowing the correct tool may be invaluable to getting yourself out of a jamb! In alphabetical order, here is…

Karl Benz is credited with the invention of the gasoline-powered automobile, the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen. And Mercedes-Benz (MB) has remained a front-runner in building automobiles for almost a century and a half. Boasting a company slogan of “Das beste…

When I was tasked by ASA to do this scan tool series, the manufacturer I was most concerned about writing on was BMW. To quote a friend of mine, “If you don’t know what scan tool you need to work…

This month, we touch on some of the smaller (in the U.S. market) Japanese manufacturers: Nissan/Infiniti, Subaru, Isuzu and Suzuki. Nissan/Infiniti Nissan’s early computers used the Engine Computer Control System (ECCS), which was integrated into the electronic control module (ECM)…

This month we look at KIA, Hyundai and Mitsubishi KIA Though they are South Korea’s oldest car manufacturer, KIA has only been selling cars in the United States since about 1994. As a result, they are in the unique position…

To work on Volkswagen-Audi Gelelschaft (VAG) automobiles, a technician must first understand “measuring blocks.” This is the primary way information is displayed with VW software. This can be difficult for the technician because often the “blocks” are not specifically labeled…

Mastertech 3100 was used as Toyota’s original tool. Referred to as the “Intelligent Tester” in Toyota’s service information, this is the same Mastertech 3100 available to aftermarket shops except that it has an OEM Toyota card. It offers great coverage…

An overview of Ford’s scan tools, including NGS, PDS and IDS As part of our monthly series of scan tool reviews, this issue we are bringing Ford to the microscope. Until recently, Ford and Mazda shared platforms and subscriptions so…

Chrysler’s DRB3, StarScan, StarMobile and wiTECH scan tools are assessed. Chrysler Corp. has had significant changes to scan tool platforms in the past decade. This can make it tough for a shop to know what they need to have complete…