20 Best Gm Scan Tool (2022 Updated)

I have a 2005 Buick Century. The GM diagnostic scanner tool will read the code and display the code, and tell me what the definition of the code. I was able to fix my car and clean the fault codes.

Finally! A scanner that does what it says it will do. I had tried others that had promised that it would work on my GMC Topkick C7500, but none would. This one did exactly as promised.

Very good scanner, was able to reach my suspension system and pin point the part with the problem with the lowest cost.

It is false advertising to call this product a code scanner. All it does is make a connection between two pins on your cars diagnostic port. All you need is a piece of wire. Just short the A and B terminals on your diagnostic port and turn on the ignition (don’t start the engine).

The codes will flash on the MIL (check engine) light. If you have a service manual it will explain this procedure. Don’t waste your money on this product!.

BRAND NEW CODE SCANNER, great condition and works perfectly. I have older SATURN and it was difficult to find a mechanic with the right code reader! Very good value for this product.

You can easily substitute a paper clip to get the exact same results. I bought mine direct from ACTRON (now Bosch) for $11.

This product has been great. It syncs up to the onboard computer. I used it on a few cars, mostly American and Japanese cars. No issues in determining the error and clearing any codes. Reads the computer spot on and able to see the status of all the different sensors.

The screen is nice and big and bright so when working in the car can get dark under the dash and in a garage. So having a bright screen and seeing everything is great. Would recommend this to all my mechanic friends if they don’t just borrow mine.

Great for all sorts of vehicles. If you are fixing a lot of vehicles like me. It’s well worth the extra money. Need one that’s versatile and tough for daily use.

I’ve had different code readers and scanners over there years. This one is very feature pack for the price. It was easy to setup and connect to my vehicle. I was able to use it to service brakes on my vehicle and I was able to look at information that I was only able to see with very expensive scanners I’ve used in the past when I was a mechanic.

I love the fact that you have access to the phone app that you can use along with the scanner to look up common fixes for your issue and you can even shop for parts right from the app. I would highly recommend this for the do-it-yourselfer.

It’s also easily updated over wifi. It is a great unit. It gives all you need to do it yourself.

Walmart is showing an out of date model 3160. I received the latest model 3160d, it has the latest software installed, USB cable to use with computer and a couple more menu keys. There is no CD included nor is it needed with this model.

It will record 100 frames of data, about 13 minutes worth. You can download their program and when you plug into your computer you can read your data 4 sensors at a time with a colorful graph chart, the downside is that it only shows 8 seconds of data, the rest of the data can be displayed 4 sensors of your choice at a time with columns of numeric values.

When viewing a sensor fault it will show you 4 seconds before and 4 seconds after the MIL was triggered on the colored chart. I was under the impression it would show all the data on that colored easier to read chart and disappointed that it didn’t.

On the screen of the tool you can access all of the data in a list or on a graph but only one graph at a time. Overall the tool works great and is easy to use. On their website you can also send the data to them and pay them a fee to interpret it if needed.

Calling their tech support was helpful and didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes. Walmart was easy to order from and it arrived 4 days before it was promised.

Bought this to diagnosis “reduced engine power” and check engine light on my 07 Chevy. A little pricey but overall results made it easier to accept. True plug-n-play product. Installed batteries (included), plugged into vehicle port, turn on ignition and let it read.

Not only did it list my vehicle type and waited for confirmation, but gave possible problems that caused code making it easier to isolate potential problem and repair. Screen and text is also a little larger than other scan tools I have used making it easier for these old eyes to read.

This easy to use OBDII computer has helped me save time and money, thanks to its precise and detailed diagnostic. Last time I used it, my wife’s car had the ABS light on and I was not looking forward to troubleshooting each sensor and the module.

Instead, I simply plugged in the computer and it provided me the code and which sensor ABS sensor was OOS. Ex. Speed Sensor Rear LH side. So I called the store ordered the part, picked it up and fixed the car in no time.

It honestly pays for itself in time, money and effort if you are a DYI kind of person.

I’d always have to run to the local autozone to have a check engine light checked which is great to have that service but say if my car wasn’t able to make it to a store I’d be stuck not knowing what I’d need to fix.

This device has made my life a lot easier and has saved me time and gas money by just being able to click it in and see what’s going on. I especially like the blue tooth option which sends the diagnostic readings straight to my phone and translates the code right then and there.

This may not have all the bells and whistles but for someone just starting out fixing cars this is a game changer!.

Overall this is a sweet code reader. I’ve used it on a 2014 Volt, 2018 Tiguan, & 1998 Porsche. It’s diagnosed several check engine lights, brake system/ABS issues, and etc. The device connects to your phone via Bluetooth or your WiFi to lookup the fixes for the codes it finds.

The app saves each scan so you can go back and look at codes you had before clearing them. The only downside to this reader is the buttons are NOT backlit so they are impossible to see without a light.

But the display is really bright and easy to see.

got the privilege of trying this awesome unit, and for free at that can you imagine ?! I’ve been playing with this for a couple of days now, and the good outweighs the bad (or disappointing). I’ll give it four stars for now; most of the disappointing things can be easily fixed.

First the negative: 1) I really wanted to read fuel rail pressure in real time on my Dodge 2004 Ram 2500 and when I called tech support before I bought the unit I was told it would read this; unfortunately this reader WILL NOT read fuel rail pressure on that truck.

This is the second one that wouldn’t read FRP (Blue Driver won’t read it either). 2) Nice reports – they are sent to my cell phone but there is no way to print them. Should be an easy fix; I spoke with Tech Support and they said they’ll add it as a feature request.

3) Live data can be viewed as numbers or a graph, but it will only show two graphs at a time. i suggested they either enable Bluetooth direct to something like Torque or make their own app. It’d be nice to be able to show live data in gauge format.

Now the positive: 1) It cleared faults AND logged preliminary faults, meaning everything. None of the Bluetooth/app scanners do this as far as I can determine, meaning they don’t do it for my Dodge diesel.

2) Decodes OBD2 fault codes. Yeah I know I can look them up but seeing it in real time is easier. 3) The reports are nice; I can always read them on my cell phone. 4) Tech support is knowledgeable and except for one glitch about fuel rail pressure they have responded to my calls.

5) Unlike the 2004 Dodge it reads all sensors from my 2009 Dodge 1500 Hemi. Lotta useful information from these. I recommend this reader as a good entry level OBD2 reader. It should be adequate for the needs of most home mechanics.

I decided to try the Fix Assist to see if it could diagnose the same issues similar, more expensive devices do. Not a bulky unit, fitting nicely in my hand, and it provided all the information I needed.

The Bluetooth connected without issue, and the longer cord is great for moving about while hooked up. I was impressed not just with the detailed information given, but also how easy it was to read on the screen – clear and a decent size! Very user friendly, and I had no issues connecting to a number of vehicles.

Free updates are a huge bonus as well for keeping this device current. Plan to recommend to friends, but not let them borrow mine! Turned out to be more useful than I expected!.

WoW! Was stranded in a remote area for weeks , truck didn’t enough power to go up hill in my drive way. Roads were glare ice couldn’t get a tow truck in. The VSC light & engine light were on causing throttle to be restricted.

My wife picked up the reader and ten minutes later found the problem( burnt fuse ) and drove out like there was never a problem. I am guessing it almost paid for it self first time around. Bravo !.

Works perfect with the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 & VIRB 360 too. The LX relays engine info and the VIRB records it for nice visual overlays in the final video. I tried a few cheap online alternatives and they simply dont work.

The OBDLINK is the original.

Very easy to use, good advice from the vendor. The free software was not much use to me as it is designed for cars and I needed to use it on a motorcycle. Other software was available on playstore for a very low price and worked perfectly with the OBDlink.

Very pleased.

Definitely the fastest OBD scan tool I’ve used – instant MPG, for example, can update many times per second. Works seamlessly with Torque Pro and maintains a stable connection indefinitely with a phone, unlike cheaper alternatives.

The previous reviews are 1 star because they tried it for one vehicle that didn’t work. If you have TRADITIONAL calipers with brackets that separate from the caliper AND the piston is press-in, this tool is great.

Not all brakes are created equally – just like every other vehicle. There’s a correct tool for the correct job. Any professional will have 3 variations of this tool and DIY’ers should figure out what will work for you 1 single vehicle.

Remember, oil changes aren’t the same on every vehicle and neither is brakes. (Yes, oil changes really require different procedures, tools, and parts on different makes and models, if you were questioning that).

This can be of great assistance when removing or installing a serpentine belt by relieving the spring tension on the belt tensioner. The long piece has a 3/8″ square fitting on the end to use with the included sockets, crows feet, or attaching the segment with the 1/2″ square adapter.

This long piece has the potential for a lot of leverage IF you have the space to take advantage of it. My Dad’s vehicle does not due to various hoses and pipes getting in the way from both the top and the bottom of the engine compartment.

My suggestions to the manufacturer is: First make the long handle shorter (with an add-on extension) for tighter spaces. Second, include shallower sockets. It is a nice tool for the price and may work well for many different vehicles (I believe the 1/2″ square would work on the belt tensioner of my Grand Caravan).

Unfortunately, it did not work on my Dad’s vehicle. I think a long-handled 13mm wrench would have worked better in this instance. Again, this is a nice tool at a good price. However, first check your belt tensioner to see if you have the clearance to actually use this.

So, long and short of it, this connector plugs into the OBDII port of most modern vehicles from the late 90’s forward in order to access trouble codes, freeze-frame data, Mode6 data, Smog Check readiness data, etc.

In order to access the info, you need to install a free app on your iOS or Android phone or tablet (with Bluetooth support/hardware). From there you can sync up the connector with your phone / tablet, and pull data out of your car’s computer / engine.

the amount of live data you can pull out depends a bit on your car’s model and year, and whether or not they have implemented full support for your particular model/year (some brands / models are harder to get OBDII model-specific data/specs on from manufacturers, apparently).

But they seem to have pretty good support across many brands / models / years and are constantly adding more / better support as they get more info from manufacturers, etc. Their tech support (phone & e-mail) seems quite responsive.

they seem happy to assist as far as they can in helping with initial setup, and even with helping try to diagnose issues or at least sometimes look up the OBDII codes or look for technical bulletins relating to some specific problem or trouble code [/ combination of codes].

It’s pretty cool that the app will look up”common problems” related to specific codes. While not definitive, they can be useful in narrowing down the list of possible issues or give a direction in which to look (which systems are implicated, possible things that could contribute, etc.

). It the tool perfect? Perhaps not. But they continue to improve it, are quite open/receptive to customer feedback / suggestions, feature requests, etc. While things may not get fixed or implemented immediately, they certainly seem to want to please their customers and help with any issues they encounter.

Overall, I’ve found it reasonably useful as a code scanner and informational device, as a novice. It’s perhaps not “professional grade. ” But, for the price, it certainly seems relatively capable and serves its role.

I really love this reader. Ive been able to log data and chart it to see patterns and better still was what it showed me today. Id taken my Tacoma to the dealership on Sep 8 to check on an engine light (I didnt have this yet) and they thought it was an issue with the transmission but said the light went off.

The truck also ended up getting a brand new frame because of a recall but I got it back 2 days ago 11/7 with no lights that day or all day yesterday. Thought they were hinting that the transmission may need to be replaced.

Great! This afternoon the light came on again. Id been logging some info so turned on the BlueDriver app to check it. The code thats being thrown is P0705 most likely a TCR sensor or Park/Neutral Switch that needs cleaning.

If I hadnt had this I may have ended up being duped into replacing the entire transmission which still probably wouldnt have fixed the problem. So although Im speculating and doing what-ifs. Im happy at the thought that this $99 device probably saved me over $3000! Excellent products and great app!.

In fact it’s a great product. It’s fast to configure, fast to connect, fast and reliable to give back the life data, it records data from the session, I believe that would give much more only if I had a US car.

The software is fantastic and needs your device (android or iOS) to be connected online. Firmware upgrades for the scanner work very well. Like many bad reviews here, it’s not the best tool for the european cars.

It will give you the same results as an 8 times cheaper Scanner. Why did I buy it? Because I have only Toyota cars and it was one of the brands this scanner mentions as having extended integration. Secretly I was hopping that it would give me a bit more like AirBag code reading from my Yaris (not happening).

It recognizes the Yaris VIN but not the AVENSIS D4D 2010. Nevertheless I couldn’t get the ABS compatibility sign nor anything related to AirBag. Again I say this is a very good product but it shouldn’t be sold in Europe, not at the full price at least.

Hoping this good team of car engineers would consider to start adding European (and other) cars’ support on this fantastic product.

I reviewed this a few days ago and gave it two stars but it never showed up, all of my 5 star reviews however showed up nearly instantly. That’s certainly a hmmmm moment and knocks another star off, maybe I’ll have to post on facebook instead.

Despite this saying it supports TPMS it told me that it didn’t support it for my vehicle when I used it, not exactly helpful since that was my main reason for purchasing. Then it promptly locked up requiring getting that jewelers screwdriver to remove the battery cover and remove the batteries.

I explained this to the clerk when returning and his first response was did I use it, not exactly a good listener apparently. When I replied yes he said I could upgrade to the next model or pay a restocking fee.

I understand the idea behind a restock fee to deter people from buying to use for the moment and returning but apparently doesn’t take into account any negatives experiences you may incur. The next model is way more money than I want to spend for my limited use and no guarantee that it will support my vehicle either.

I took the restock and will buy another model elsewhere. That infamous online retailer has many models to choose from with comparable prices that don’t have a restock fee and has free returns.

I have two vehicles, a 2017 and a 2018 that are getting into the mileage range where things start to go wrong. At my last visit to the dealership I saw them charge a lady $135 labor to scan and clear a trouble code and tell her she needed a new gas cap.

I had a Cent-Tech scanner for about five years and from time to time I’d hook it up just to see that everything was in good order. It saved two friends a service call, one for a leaking gas cap that wouldn’t pass smog which he replaced for about $10 and a neighbor who needed a new exhaust sensor.

Last year when I needed it was out of date for my truck and I discovered they no longer updated it. I threw it out. If you’re old enough to remember this, Sears used to do the same thing with some of their plumbing products and when the customer needed a part that forced them to replace it.

I suspected the worst, but I needed a scanner and this one fit the bill. I’ve only used two brands, Bosch in the industry and Harbor Freight’s at home. I bought this one, but it’s not as user friendly as the one I had and if you buy it I suggest you buy the two year extended warranty that makes it good, if it’s updatable, for 2 years and 90 days.

Bought this to ABS trouble shoot an 08 fusion and it works well. Abs bleed works perfectly. Interface is a little clunky compared to a MAC or Snapon but nothing terrible. Only complaint is freeze frame data, you can’t, as far as I can tell is motinor PIDs.

You can record data but not view them on a graph. I feel it’s good value, just wish freeze frame/live monitoring was smoother. If you have never used a pro level scanner then these issue will not be an issue.

Also confirmed it worked on my wife’s 17 Patriot, 00 S10, and 06 F250. Some features weren’t supported due to age of the vehicles but what was supported worked well.

Not actually had chance to use it yet so when I have will update the review. Seems quite solid with sensible sized buttons and rubberised grips. Clear display and I think will be simple to use. Decent length cable too.

Powers on when plugged in and covers a decent range of car models.

Item is easy to use and displays lots more performance data than older generation code scanners. Item also performs SAS (Steering angle sensor) calibration. This saved me $120. I had to pay Hyundai to perform this adjustment last time I had a wheel alignment.

The only negative I found was the poor English used in the instruction manual.

Unit has nearly no programming capabilities. Sure it lists nearly every vehicle made on the home drop diag screen but try using any programming hot functions such as PCM / ECM / Odometer calibration or most basic relearn processes such as PATS programming.

It does none of them. Out of 7 vehicles the only vehicle supported was a BMW 335i. Called Autel and they are useless! My cheap Autel 608 has more capability. You can buy a Blue Driver for a $100 and a Galaxy TabPro S 12″ for under $500 with nearly identical results.

An overpriced pile of dung with limited functionality. I am a master tech with multiple devices. I know one tool can’t do it all but this tool is a boat anchor and JBTools is giving me the runaround on it being activated and trying to charge a restocking fee.

Of course it is activated, you can’t use it for more than a handful of vehicles without doing so. I had hoped that the unit was just missing the updates. NO dice! So $919 to return the unit and I am assuming they are trying to charge me for activating the device where a subscription is expensive as well.

By the time I return the unit, I could purchase a Launch Xtool which I know works 100%. Just insane! Make sure you read through the return policy buried on this website because it is not nearly a 60 day hassle free return IMO.

I do not feel they were up front with the restocking fee and the restrictions they impose just to get basically 75% of your money back. I don’t even have an issue with paying the shipping which is over a $100 but to pay all the other fees for a device that does not operate as advertised does not make any sense.

The unit is in new condition and to pay over a $1,000 for them to place it back on their shelf is absurd. They know this and basically this pushes folks to not pursue a return. I consider this fraudulent to advertise products with a hassle free return when in turn it is anything but hassle free.

If you truly promote customer service and stand behind your products, drop the nonsense and return the unit without all the misc bogus fees. I will be submitting this to the Michigan AG office for review.

Not happy,This tool has a lot of awesome sounding features, but in reality when you get to use them they don’t perform as expected. We tried to erase typical bcm codes in a 2019 ram 1500. Couldn’t do it, secure gateway.

we had another simple project for injector flow rates in a 2018 chevy 3500 6. 6l duramax. couldn’t accurately read flow rates out of the original ecm. it would duplicate the first 2 digits and chop off last 2 making it useless.

we had trouble with the wifi connection between the vcmi and scanner needed for using the scope. restart everything and still no connection, but worked when we got it. some of the back probe connectors don’t even fit in the scope leads.

this is the best scanner autel offers, autel maxisys ultra. usa model and not a clone. very disappointed. We are a repair shop with other autel scanners.

So far this scanner is in a league of its own. With the subscription it allows you to see TSBs and most common fixes. Guided functions and even programming or reprogramming of the ECU/ECM or several other modules that previously were only done by the dealer.

Great purchase and i recommend any ASE Certified technician to own. Cuts diag time in half and allows for thorough testing of all circuits with built in multimeter along with a bunch of other goodies.

All in all worth the money.

This scan tool has a lot of features for the price, the live data is invaluable and even has graphing capability! However the first day I dropped it and part of the graphing capability was lost, so it needs to be a little more durable as I am sure being in the automotive field they will get a lot of rough treatment.

I would have given it ten stars if it had endured being dropped a little better as some of the features on it I don’t have on a scan tool from a different manufacturer that cost over a $1000. So well worth the money just DON’T drop it.

It even has a light on the end of the cord that attaches to the DLC so finding it in the dark is easier, it lights automatically. NICE!!! It has a trouble code library built in that gives all the trouble codes you can imagine from powertrain, body, chassis, and network integration codes or P, U, B, or C codes.

Must be thousands of them. Very useful! It gives instructions on drive cycle procedures too that are not always easy to remember and handy to have right on your scan tool. It has a battery test and an alternator test, very useful, also oil reset and battery reset.

Also OBD Monitor tests, EVAP test, I/M Monitor Test, all very useful in today’s world. Overall I am very impressed with the number of features for the money on this scan tool!.

I have been a member of the Automotive Aftermarket for over 30 years and always use the Actron Brand of Tools. This one is very comparable to those I am familiar with. I bought this one because I was at the store and wanted a new one since one of my sons decided to take mine and it never made it back.

You guess which one it was and you’d have a better idea than I do. But, it does everything a novice to mid level tech would need and for $100. 00 more you can get one that does almost everything.

Have only used it once. Worked well on a medium duty Mercedes bus that was a diesel. Was rather simple to use. Went right to Mercedes code list. Wished I had bought the next model up now to be able to adjust TPMS.

Was afraid of its complexity. Bought it just so not to be at a technicians or dealers mercy! Good purchase for me!.

I needed to find out what my brake codes were so I could get my ABS light turned off. This tester shows on the startup screen that it’s programmed for Mazda/Mitsubishi. I was so happy since it’s the 3rd tester I purchased and none of the others would read the brake codes.

I found 3 other codes that my other testers didn’t pick up on either. And the one I bought at Autozone wouldn’t read actual LIve Data. This one was good for Live Data. ABS. Engine codes, and I think it reads transmission codes also.

Very much worth the money.

This is amazing. I tried a cheap version which came up with a general issue with my car but did not pin point it. This device took me straight to the problem which I fixed in 2 minutes for $0 and saved $900 in quoted repair bill.

Great product\. Was able to read all systems on my Mazda that other scanners couldn’t. Has a color screen that is easy to read. Very good product foe the price.

Looked for OBD2 tester online at CTC site web. Found 3100RS on sale. I read all reviews. They stated nicely connected to Android phone. Went to store. Asked clerk about unit since it showed 3100J on pacjage and same store product code.

Kid says same as advertised since store product codes matched. Tried unit out. Would not pickup my car’s Vin number (Lexus 2003) as well would not connect with phone. Called help desk in Cali. Guy tells me the J model will not connect to phone as is not the RS model.

I tell him CTC sold it to me as RS model. He says I know your not the first! Brought back the unit told CTC about false ad and got my refund.

Updating the firmware borked the catalog. So I returned and got another one. Same thing happened. All within the span of about an hour. I called Innova support and they were completely flummoxed. I did my part, I reported the issue.

I ended up just getting a very cheapo generic wireless ELM327 OBD II reader from the biggest online retailer in the world. With that, your choice of cheap iOS app to drive it and guess what? No more issues and much better software.

This is an antiquated product. do your research. It works, but there’s better.

The foxwell works just as good as the snap on scanner I used as a mechanic. of course it doesn’t have as many features being the base model but it still scans and reads the codes well and does it accurately.

It clears codes and reads live data, was able to read my vehicle information like VIN number (car had to be turned off with ignition on for it to read VIN). It does everything i wanted it to do. I am surprised how good it works and highly recommend this product.

The higher models that have more features would give the snap on and the other ridiculously over priced scanners a run for their money. I had a camshaft sensor issue with my 2007 BMW 320i and without this scanner, i wouldn’t have been able to fix the problem so effortlessly.

Cost me $40 for 2 camshaft sensors, as my car has 2 and it fixed the problem, no more engine light anymore and no more worries. would have cost me around $300-$400 to get it fixed at a mechanic shop.

If you can work on your car yourself then definitely get this scan tool, you won’t be disappointed.

Wanted to check battery state, but discovered that this isn’t a standard obd2 diagnostic. Obd2 was invented to monitor emissions and so it concentrates on engine efficiency, not peripheral stuff like batteries.

This unit is solid and has its own display (not relying on a linked phone like some). It did read a fault code that led me to change glow plugs that I didn’t know were failing. The instructions talk about different protocols but only the standard one worked on my Renault Megane.

I bought this to carry in the car for remote area travel – to identify faults so that I could pass on information to mechanics without them having to come to me. And to clear transient fault detections that might otherwise leave me stranded.

I have only used it once to scan the system as a trial but it was quick and simple to use, It was a bit disconcerting that it did not come with an instruction manual but it was very simple and intuitive to use for this purpose.

Perhaps some of the other functions could benefit from more information on how to use them. It appears to be well built. It would have been nice if it had come with a storage pouch but overall I think it was very good value.

simple reader, if you need codes (esp while on a road trip some place) this thing will do the trick, but you need to translate the codes which is easily done for the most part via the good ol internet.

I only paid 50 bucks for this thing which is worth the money. As I just got one code fixed (transmission sensor) and before that catalytic converter sensor both which cost me 75bucks to get diagnosed.

This time, I’m using the reader then repairing what I need. I’m not paying 75 bucks just to get a code read. That’s ridiculous.

I made the mistake of spraying an upper engine cleaner spray into my intake manifold and ended up setting multiple trouble codes and having the MIL light (check engine light) permanently turned on along with 3 other dash lights.

The electric power steering light, the low tire pressure light and the traction control light! All on and wouldn’t go off. Yikes! I got this nifty scan tool on sale. Reading some comparison charts etc I knew this would turn off the MIL light but I wasn’t sure if it was advanced enough to turn off the rest of the lights.

It turns out it did turn them all off. After driving my vehicle on the highway and burning up all that engine cleaner my engine began to run normally and the lights never came back on. Problem solved.

I don’t know what the point was of this OBD2 reader. It was kind of vague what it would show when plugged in. I have a car that won’t start and plugging it in according to the directions told me nothing I didn’t already know.

Only that the O2 sensor and Evap system needed attention. Neither would prevent starting. It told me nothing else. Autozone quickly refunded my purchase price when returned. They said only the higher priced reader would tell me what is wrong.

Lesson learned.