The ThinkDiag app offers profiles for more than 100 automakers, letting you dig deep into manufacturer-specific codes. On the upside, the rugged oval-shaped unit is practically indestructible. You may need an extension cable to connect to your car's systems. It can show you extended fault codes or turn off the oil-change light, but be wary of the annual app-subscription plan.Īt more than three inches across, the ThinkDiag is so big it won't fit into some OBD-II ports. The ThinkCar ThinkDiag TKD01 is among the largest Bluetooth-based OBD-II automotive diagnostic scanners. It's the diagnostic scanner to get if you have an '80s or early-'90s car. With a list price of nearly $200, the Bosch OBD 1300 may seem expensive until you see how many cars it can work with. It can check the anti-lock brakes and air bags on most cars released from 1996 to 2013, monitor the charging system and battery and run a pre-inspection emissions test. You'll need to get the instruction manual from Bosch's website. The scanner's database holds details on 26 million repair suggestions. Instead, it uses AA batteries or your car's cigarette lighter to power its large color screen, which shows graphing data clearly. Unlike many handheld diagnostic scanners, the Bosch OBD 1300 doesn't get power from your car's OBD-II port. It can get heavy once the 6-foot extension cable is attached, but the OBD 1300's small size hides its powerful range of abilities. The Bosch OBD 1300 diagnostic scanner stands out by including cables to connect with pre-1996 Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota cars. The best OBD-II scanners are no longer unaffordable luxuries, but something you absolutely need to have in your car. Whichever type you choose, there are several high-performance OBD-II scanners that cost less than $200. There are two general types of devices, handhelds and wireless scanners, with fairly self-explanatory names. Not all the best OBD-II scanners are created equally. (Here's how to find your car's OBD-II port on North American cars, and here's how to find your OBD-II/EOBD port worldwide.)

OBD-II/EOBD scanners work on almost all passenger vehicles sold in the United States since 1996, in Canada since 1998, in the European Union since 2004, and in Australia, Mexico and New Zealand since 2006. That way you only go to the professionals when it's absolutely necessary - and keeping your wallet slightly less empty. Any OBD-II scanner worth its salt can identify problems, and let you know if it's a trivial matter you can fix at home, or if it's something more serious. On-board diagnostic (OBD) scanners can plug straight into your car's access port and interface with the central computer.

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