What Can A Car Diagnostic Device Do?

Posted by LouisWillis on January 12th, 2021

Anyone who has search for a diagnostic device themselves will know that it is not so easy to get the best one. But what is a diagnostic device and what can it do? We enlighten.

So what can a diagnostic device do? A diagnostic device is used to read the error messages from a vehicle and thus identify which specific problem is present in the car. Most vehicles manufactured after 2001 already have an OBD II (On Board Diagnosis) interface built in, via which a diagnosis device can be connected and the fault message can be read out.

What types of diagnostic equipment are there?

In this article you will find everything you need to know about car diagnosis tool, what they can do, which functions are particularly important for correctly reading out your vehicle data and what you should pay attention to when buying and using them.

Everyone knows them - problem lights in the car

Who hasn't it happened to? On vacation or on a trip to the nearest lake, far from the annoying everyday life, you enjoy the days off and suddenly a red-yellow light comes on in the car cockpit. That makes you feel uncomfortable, it could be something serious. Then the question: Immediately to the workshop or does the car make it back home? It's better not to take any risks and drive to the nearest workshop. Relaxation ends that quickly and on top of that you get an expensive invoice from the workshop.

There is not always a serious problem with the vehicle. An error message in the vehicle cockpit can often mean a simple sensor problem or an indication to change a vehicle part. It doesn't always have to be a serious mistake. Nevertheless, caution is advised, especially since the various warning lights can be triggered by various technical problems.

In this case, a diagnostic device can help, as it allows the error message to be read out very easily on site. In this way, the source of the error can often be limited directly and a better opinion can be formed about its severity. Accordingly, it is also possible to assess whether it is necessary to drive to the nearest workshop immediately. This has two advantages for the user of the diagnostic device.

On the one hand, he or she can often restrict the problem to one area in the car and thus save himself an extensive analysis in the workshop, which in the end is also expensive. In addition, the driver can quickly assess how critical the situation is and thus prevent greater damage to the vehicle. Some problems can also be solved on the spot.

And how does a diagnostic device work?

Usually a diagnostic device is a piece of equipment about the size of a radio. This device can be easily connected to the OBD II (On Board Diagnosis) interface in the vehicle using a cable. Alternatively, there are also diagnostic devices that have the option of connecting to the vehicle via Bluetooth. As soon as the connection between the diagnostic device and the car has been established, the vehicle's error memory can be read out and the current error messages are displayed. These then give a deeper insight into the cause of the problem. The representation of the error report varies slightly from device to device and it is therefore advisable to study the representation and corresponding notes or explanations beforehand in order not to misinterpret the report when reading out the error memory.

In addition, many diagnostic devices also have the option of calling up various vehicle information. Among other things, the exhaust gas values can be checked, but other basic vehicle settings can also be checked. This is particularly helpful for getting a quick overview of the condition of the vehicle.

If it is a high-quality diagnostic device or diagnostic software that is operated via a laptop, the various control devices can even be analyzed in detail. This allows the vehicle fault to be evaluated very precisely. This option also allows the error to be corrected directly from the laptop or diagnostic device, provided that it is an electronic error. Caution is advised here, however, as a lack of specialist knowledge and inadequate rectification of the fault message can quickly lead to more profound problems on the vehicle.