For car enthusiasts and everyday drivers alike, understanding your vehicle’s health is paramount. While basic OBD2 scanners serve as an entry point into automotive diagnostics, they often fall short when it comes to comprehensive analysis. If you’re seeking in-depth insights into your car’s systems, especially for models around 2017, you’ll likely need to move beyond the most rudimentary tools.
Simple, budget-friendly Bluetooth OBD2 dongles paired with phone apps, typically around the $13 price point, are designed for standard OBDII systems. These tools are not equipped to delve into non-OBDII systems, meaning crucial data like oil level – which isn’t part of standard OBDII – remains inaccessible. While an OBDII scanner can detect malfunctions in the oil level sensor itself, it won’t provide the actual oil level reading. As clearly stated by VeePeak and other manufacturers, their entry-level models are confined to OBDII scanning alone.
To truly unlock your car’s diagnostic potential and interface with non-OBDII communication networks, you’ll need to invest in more advanced equipment. Think of tools that operate on a more sophisticated level, similar to the professional-grade VIDA/DiCE system used for certain car brands.
At the lower end of this advanced spectrum, consider options like Autel’s DiagLink, generally priced between $90 and $100. The key consideration with the DiagLink is its brand-specific nature. It’s designed to work comprehensively with only one car brand. Upon purchase, you choose a single “free” brand-specific software package, which must be downloaded from Autel and installed on the DiagLink before use. If you own vehicles from multiple brands and wish to utilize the advanced, non-OBDII functions across them, you’ll need to purchase additional software licenses from Autel for each brand. On the upside, for households with a single car brand, or for brand loyalists not planning to switch vehicles soon, the DiagLink presents a cost-effective solution. It offers capabilities often absent in similarly priced generic scanners, such as resetting oil change lights or engaging electronic parking brakes for service – albeit limited to your chosen brand. Additional brand software licenses are relatively affordable, around $10 each, making expansion possible, but it’s a factor to keep in mind.
For those requiring multi-brand non-OBDII diagnostic capabilities, tools like Autel’s MD806 emerge as strong contenders. Typically priced around $200, the MD806, while possibly sharing internal hardware with the DiagLink, distinguishes itself through its software. It supports multiple car brands without the need for separate software downloads per brand. Furthermore, it often includes “lifetime” software updates. It’s important to interpret “lifetime” in this context as the expected support lifespan of the tool itself; updates are unlikely to continue indefinitely, especially for older hardware. However, considering its features and price point, the Autel MD806 represents excellent value. It encompasses the functionalities needed by most home users and avoids excessive cost, particularly for those who anticipate frequent use.
