September_2021 - 42

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
TOPDON
ArtiLink500
Code Reader
Reviewed by Ken Elzinga, owner of
Hilltop Auto Service in Byron Center, Michigan.
THE REVIEW:
Q: What types of jobs/repairs did
you use this tool for?
A: We often have customers stop in
wondering why their " Check Engine "
light is on. We will do a quick code scan
to give them some peace of mind and
help our staff have a basic understanding
of the problem in order to prioritize the
customer's appointment. If it is a misfire,
we get them in right away. If it is something
less crucial, we schedule them at a
later time. So, we mainly use the tool for
initial scanning when customers come in
with a light on. We don't use it for full diagnostic
scanning; for that we use our fullfeature
scanners.
Q: How did the tool function as far
as saving you time?
A: This code reader is handy for
doing a quick scan on a vehicle that has
a " Check Engine " light on. It powers up
in less than 30 seconds and will connect
to the car and read codes within a minute.
Q: How easy was it to use?
A: I would say it is very easy to use for
any technician who is used to scanning
vehicles for fault codes. I plugged it in and
it was very intuitive.
Q: What features did you like?
A: I liked that you don't have to
select the make or model of the vehicle
you are working on in order to scan for
codes. The tool automatically looks at
the different communication protocols
and selects the proper protocol in
order to scan for codes. I also like that
it's free to update the tool to work with
newer vehicles.
Q: Is there any way you could think
to improve or add to this tool?
A: There are some vehicles that the
tool doesn't work on. Sometimes the tool
42 PTEN SEPTEMBER 2021 www.VehicleServicePros.com
would say there were no codes present
when the " Check Engine " light was on.
Sometimes it would read the code but not
give any code description. In both of these
situations, I had to get a different scanner
to read and interpret the fault codes. This
would happen particularly on European
imports but also with some domestic vehicles.
If the problems could be corrected,
that would be a great improvement to
this tool.
Q: Have you used a previous version
of this tool? If so, what are some
new features compared to the
old version?
A: I have had basic scanners
similar to this one. This
one is quicker to boot up and
read codes, so I like that.
KEN ELZINGA is a lifelong
auto tech, starting in the
business in 1978 and today
working as a diagnostic tech
and owner of Hilltop Auto
Service in Byron Center, Michigan, a 24-bay
shop with 12 technicians that opened in
2003. Elzinga worked at a Lincoln-Mercury
dealership for 24 years, gaining knowledge
and experience, eventually becoming a Ford
master tech. He says he has enjoyed working
in this industry and serving his customers
with their vehicle repairs.
TOPDON's ArtiLink500 OBD-II Code Reader
works with all 10 modes of OBD-II tests for complete
vehicle diagnostics (1996 and newer vehicles). It
has a plug-and-play built-in DTC library with over
3,000 detailed definitions and features LED in different
colors (green, yellow, and red), which intuitively
shows the car health status. It also includes a
one-click I/M readiness key for quick state emissions,
DTC lookup, turn off check engine light, O2
sensor test, onboard monitor, freeze frame, and
EVAP test, etc. The code reader automatically
retrieves VIN, as well as records and replays to help
get a reliable assessment of any car OBD-II.
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http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
September_2021

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