5 Best Car Diagnostic Tools to Save You Money
Having a car (or truck or minivan or crossover) means electronic issues popping up every now and then. Here’s how to avoid the heavy costs.
If you’re relying on a service center to assess the situation, you’re looking at upwards of $50 every time just to diagnose a problem with your ride’s electronics.
Having your own diagnostic tools, and knowing how to use them, can save you not only money but time and anxiety as well. With these tools and know-how, you can get almost instant diagnostic results on a variety of potential problems in your vehicle on your own time, plus, in the future, if you’re shopping for a used car, you can put them to use to make sure your purchase doesn’t come with a host of problems.
Below we look at five affordable and useful diagnostic tools that can come in extremely handy to all types of drivers from passionate hobbyists to basic commuters.
Vehicle OBD 2
While most readers can detect issues with engine sensors, some can read driveline and transmission sensors as well. Select models even have the ability to read manufacturer-specific trouble codes as well as other value-adds. No matter what model you choose, you’ll have the benefit of a meaningful view of the health of your ride’s sensor network.
Multimeter
Universal Data Logger
If you’re a DIYer in terms of performance-tuning your vehicle, having the ability to analyze a variety of detailed data streams can be advantageous for future troubleshooting, tuning or even just studying the performance of your vehicle. Perhaps the biggest bonus here is a data logger can save you significant cash in the long run by recognizing issues that could potentially lead to engine failure or some other type of major damage.
Fuel Consumption Meter
Battery Load Tester
A well-functioning battery becomes more and more important as auto electronics continue to evolve. A battery load tester can be used to check the condition of your battery and identify problems with charging or battery life before you find yourself in an inconvenient and/or expensive situation. A majority of testers don’t need a battery of their own and can be used to check batteries both in and out of your ride.
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