Off Topic Car Diagnostic Tool

Ok, I will ask here as one of you sad acts will know.

I recently had issues with my particulate filter, I left it too long without a blast on the motorway to clear it and it went into 'limp home' mode.

Anyway, they cleared it.

But I then found out you can get self diagnostic tools at home. Anyone used them, any good? See you can get them in and around 50 squid on amazon.

 

I ****ing hate these modern cars, give me a carb and rotor arm any day lol Make sure you get a decent one as the cheap buggers are ****ing useless. Very easy to use but read the instructions a few times to let it sink in, you honestly don’t need a degree but it does feel like it at first lol

 

Next time your diesel particulate filter goes try DPF Clean on Wincolmlee mate. I always question the types of journeys my customers do, and if they’re not doing at least semi regular motorway runs I’d never recommend a modern diesel.

 

Ta. I will invest in a half decent one at least. First job will be trying figure out where to plug the ****er in!

 

Ta. I will do. To be honest, I don't do a great deal of motorway driving and have been managing the situation....warning comes on, drive to goole and back, warning goes away, repeat every month or so lol. Not sure if I am just delaying the inevitable. Its an 09 Audi.

 

I know someone who diagnoses cars. He is a tool.

 

Just remember it's good to be green,

 

Usually in the footwell or sometimes glove box, pretty easy to do above the peddles if it an A4

 

Stay away from the cheap general purpose diagnostic tools that do all makes and models they’re a bag of **** and not worth the hassle. Half the time they won’t see fault codes and when they do they won’t know what they are and give you **** info.

Even a £500 snap on diagnostic tool will miss some stuff and tell you a load of waffle about others.

Most vehicles you can get a clone of the dealer tool which is 100% the best way to go if you want to be sure everything is right. But be careful you will have access to all sorts of stuff and can easily brick your car if you’re pressing buttons and have no idea what you’re actually doing.

 

i've got one (hoping i didn't leave it in my last car, because i can't find it now). it was about £17 off amazon. if you have a haynes manual for your car it'll tell you where to put it, and if not the interweb will tell you, perhaps via youtube. i've had a picture of a roast chicken on my display for weeks now, so would like to find my gadget, but it doesn't seem to be a big problem. you'll need a smart phone or tablet with a relevant app to tell you what the gadget has found.

i'm damned if i'm taking my car to a garage that's going to charge me £30+ to read the thingy and tell me that a £5 sensor needs replacing.

 

I'd say it's the rottisserie, your chicken needs turning.

 

thanks, though it's probably gone off by now or burnt to cinders. i need to check that haynes manual, tbh, as i didn't even know my car had a rotisserie. could save me a mint on my gas bill though.

 

My car diagnostic tool is to ask anyone if they've had a similar problem.
Tends to work most of the time.