Professional Distributor - 44

DIAGNOSTIC DISCOURSE
comparing cost to functions, and this
is what he said: "Where cost is a concern, obviously the OE scanners are out.
To be able to diagnose today's vehicles
[2010 and newer] will require a top level
aftermarket scanner."
He continues, "While they will not
"need" to go as far as one with programming features, they are still going
to need all the bidirectional controls
and special tests. In most brands this
will be one step below their top tool.
Dropping down to mid-level scanners just sacrifices too many abilities
needed to diagnose and fix cars in the
'CAN' era."
The use of a preliminary inspection/diagnostics scanner is also a new
trend we're finding in the automotive
scanning world. These scanners don't
exactly code the car and spit out numbers that have no meaning to the average
customer. They are merely a great way
to quickly scan the vehicle and tell the
customer in plain English whether or
not any further work with a more specialized scanner is needed. These new
tech devices can be tied into the shops'
existing POS system, and can speed up
the process of getting the job sorted out
to the right mechanic in the service bay,
as well as offer a timely way of keeping
the front office and customer informed
of ongoing service.

SCANNERS
There is no doubt today's vehicle repairs
almost always involve a scanner for one
reason or another. The most common
issues are the relearn or flash procedures that need to be carried out after
a new part or component has been
installed. Another common reason to
use a scanner is for the PIDs (parameter
Identifications). These PIDs can come
in handy for several reasons, such as
to check the status of a component or
switch, or to evaluate the voltage or current levels.
Another great feature is the
'BIAS' control ability found on a lot of

PRODUCTS TO STOCK

Electronic
Specialties
Code Buddy+ Code
Reader, No. 901

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FCAR Tech
F506 HD Code
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Innova
Electronics
5023 CarScan
Code Reader

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Launch Tech USA
Millennium 90 Pro
Code Scanner

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Bosch Diagnostics
ADS 625 Scan Tool

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scanners. This allows the user to manually turn a function on or off as needed
while performing a test, or as part of a
diagnostic procedure.
Now, will a scanner read a code?
Most certainly ... and a lot more, too.
Some scanners have every function
that a code reader will have, but with
greater dexterity and control. The ability
to go online and connect the scanner
to the manufacturer's site for the purpose of finding out a bit more information or programming information
is just part of today's ever-evolving
scanner capabilities.
Elbert Chen, operation director at
FCAR Tech USA, said it like this: "All
the aftermarket professional scanners
have their own features. That is why
shops [frequently] have more than one
scanner. None of the scanners on the
market can cover all the makes on a 100

44 Professional Distributor I May 2019 I VehicleServicePros.com

percent, OEM level. Some of them cover
GM's better, some cover Ford's better.
One-level scan is only working on basic
emissions related diagnostics. Pre- and
post-scan reports are a perfect example;
most data in the report is from OBD,
but it still needs to have manufacturerspecific data."
You probably already know the
major differences between a scanner
and a basic code reader. What I think
is really important to note is the value in
the various types of tools, and how you
can best utilize them to your advantage
and increase your productivity without
breaking the bank.

CROSSOVER SCANNER/
CODE READERS AND SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
For the professional technician and
repair shop there are some crossover

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