Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 40

Scan tools, code
readers, and
professional diagnostics
By Scott Brown,
Contributing Editor

Leveraging the data as OBD-II designers intended.

T

he first scan tool I purchased back in the early 80's was an Alltest 3226
BrainMaster, which I believe was one of the very first scan tools to enter the
aftermarket. The unit covered Chrysler, Ford, and GM vehicles. Today, there
are a multitude of scan tools available, but their uses and capabilities vary
tremendously. First, I would like to pay tribute to the late Jack Heyler, an industry
pioneer and technical advocate, for his tireless efforts back in the 80's in promoting
a standardized diagnostic connector and more for what would later become OBD-II.
Back then, I really didn't know "Jack," in both senses of the word, but I knew that
all the manufacturers had different data access ports requiring different cables,
software cartridges, adapters, etc. to "talk" to the vehicle.
If you were working in the industry
frame, you would have grown accusback then and were tasked with diagnostomed to being able to query the vehicle
tics on multiple car lines, then I think
for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs),
you'd agree with me that we have a lot
view and record live data, and perform
to be thankful for today. At the shop, we
bidirectional tests. Looking back, I can
maintain a number of both OBD-I and
remember being disappointed when
OBD-II diagnostic scan tools.
I connected to one of those early Ford
If you were working on General
vehicles and discovered that a datastream
Motors' vehicles back in that timewas unavailable. At the time, I was too

40

PTEN

MAY 2020

www.VehicleServicePros.com

A range of industry scan tools.

naive to realize that Ford was really trying to help guide the technician to the
problem through their built-in diagnostic routines.
Beginning in 1996, OBD-II normalized the data port connection, DTCs,
data parameters, and more with a primary goal of helping service technicians
diagnose vehicle performance issues
affecting emissions.

WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO "SCAN"?

In my opinion, the term "scan" is widely
used but often misunderstood. Most professional technicians would likely agree
that the "scan" you get at places like a


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Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020

Editor's Note
Featured New Products
Innovation Award Nominees Part 1
Tool Briefing
Tool Reviews
Diagnostic Tech
Category Spotlight
Marketplace
Big-Time Boxes
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 1
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 2
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 3
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 4
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 5
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 6
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 7
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Editor's Note
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 9
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Featured New Products
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 11
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 12
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 13
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 14
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 15
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 16
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 17
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 18
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - RSC1
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - RSC2
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 19
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 20
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 21
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Innovation Award Nominees Part 1
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 23
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 24
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 25
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 26
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 27
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 28
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 29
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 30
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 31
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Tool Briefing
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 33
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 34
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 35
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Tool Reviews
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 37
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 38
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 39
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Diagnostic Tech
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 41
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 42
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 43
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Category Spotlight
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 45
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 46
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 47
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 48
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Marketplace
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - Big-Time Boxes
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 51
Professional Tool And Equipment News - May 2020 - 52
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