do over the counter scan tools work?
do over the counter scan tools work?
Hello all does anyone know if the Autozone Acton brand scantools and/or the Kragen Innova brand scan tools are compatible with the 1999 Volvo S80 T6? I have a check engine light but the car is running and I would like to know what is going on. Thanks in advance.
Yes. And no.
Most scanners today are OBDII compliant. They will connect to a standard port somewhere near the driver's seat, and will usually give you a fault code for the problem causing the light to come on. The cheaper ones will allow you read the code but not to reset the light. Check the package or ask someone at the store.
You may have to look up the trouble code to get an idea what's wrong. This will give you a general direction to look, but, beware, you may have an issue or a failure in another area that's affecting the part or system that's reporting the failure. This is where a good mechanic can help you.
A scanner is a good tool to have, every bit of information you can get on your can only help you make better decisions. For the occasional use, get one of the lower cost units that does reset the light. They probably run right around a hundred dollars or so.
Volvos have numerous other systems that cannot normally be read with a standard scanner. If you're really serious about digging into your car, do some research on these. BSR made a reader that was supposed to read all the codes. They have discontinued this model and, according to the guys at ESR tuning, BSR is working on a new improved unit, but no release date has been announced yet.
Most scanners today are OBDII compliant. They will connect to a standard port somewhere near the driver's seat, and will usually give you a fault code for the problem causing the light to come on. The cheaper ones will allow you read the code but not to reset the light. Check the package or ask someone at the store.
You may have to look up the trouble code to get an idea what's wrong. This will give you a general direction to look, but, beware, you may have an issue or a failure in another area that's affecting the part or system that's reporting the failure. This is where a good mechanic can help you.
A scanner is a good tool to have, every bit of information you can get on your can only help you make better decisions. For the occasional use, get one of the lower cost units that does reset the light. They probably run right around a hundred dollars or so.
Volvos have numerous other systems that cannot normally be read with a standard scanner. If you're really serious about digging into your car, do some research on these. BSR made a reader that was supposed to read all the codes. They have discontinued this model and, according to the guys at ESR tuning, BSR is working on a new improved unit, but no release date has been announced yet.
Just wanted to share this with the community, A friend lent me his EQUUS Innova 3100e scan tool and it was able to read and reset the check engine light on my Volvo S80 T6. You can purchase this tool at Kragen's or search for a better deal online.
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dtropnevad05
- Posts: 78
- Joined: 11 January 2010
- Year and Model: S-80, 2001
- Location: NW Ohio UAS
I have the Innova 3120 and was going to hook it up to see what if any codes are stored. Where is the diagnostic port located on a 2001 S-80 2.9? Does anyone if this scan tool is compatible with the VIDAS software?
Don
Don
The OBD port on my '01 T6 is on the left hand side of the dashboard, at the bottom.
As far as scan tools and VADIS, I don't think you'll find one that will do that, other than possibly a Volvo tool. The last time I looked them up the price was pretty outrageous.
I might be wrong on this, but I believe you might have some problems even if you get the right scan tool. I'm betting your version of VADIS is probably not an authorized copy. Also, Volvo doesn't support the software anymore, they went to a different package (The name escapes me right now). For anything other than just viewing, the VADIS software will probably try to link to Volvo, and Volvo hardly ever does anything for free...
Incidentally, to correct my previous post, the BSR scan tool was (or will be) available from ESE tuning, not ESR tuning (esetuning.com).
As far as scan tools and VADIS, I don't think you'll find one that will do that, other than possibly a Volvo tool. The last time I looked them up the price was pretty outrageous.
I might be wrong on this, but I believe you might have some problems even if you get the right scan tool. I'm betting your version of VADIS is probably not an authorized copy. Also, Volvo doesn't support the software anymore, they went to a different package (The name escapes me right now). For anything other than just viewing, the VADIS software will probably try to link to Volvo, and Volvo hardly ever does anything for free...
Incidentally, to correct my previous post, the BSR scan tool was (or will be) available from ESE tuning, not ESR tuning (esetuning.com).
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