Your car's mind, the OBD2 system

The wife’s 2000 Volkswagen was displaying a Check Engine light the other day and would not extinguish itself after one or two start-stop cycles. So, we took it to two local mechanics and the first wanted $95 to plug into the ODBII port and the second wanted $90.

I knew that this was a matter of plugging their computer into the car and reading a code from their diagnostic software. Now, I understand everyone has to make a buck and get paid for their time. But, I think it is a bit ridiculous to charge someone $100 for about 5 minutes of your time and use of your equipment. So, after I told the second shop to plug in and figure out the problem, I hopped on the computer at home to see what OBDII scanners and diagnostic equipment would cost to buy.

I use Actron CP9180 AutoScanner Plus OBD II Reader and Scanner which is a great piece of hardware. You can use it to save money by reading error codes without a trip to the mechanic when your "check engine" light is on, capture performance data about your car's drivetrain in real-time, or log data as if it were an airplane's "black box"

On-Board Diagnostics, or OBD systems give the vehicle owner or a repair technician access to state of health information for various vehicle sub-systems. The amount of diagnostic information available via OBD has varied widely since the introduction in the early 1980s of on-board vehicle computers, which made OBD possible.

Modern OBD implementations use a standardized fast digital communications port to provide myriad real time data in addition to a standardized series of diagnostic trouble codes, or DTCs, which allow one to rapidly identify and remedy malfunctions within the vehicle.






Hmm, I can buy a full blown OBDII diagnostic tool for $160 and it works on any car since 1996? The shop called a little while later and told me that one of the O2 sensors was bad and that it would have to be replaced. They wanted $168 for the oxygen sensor and another couple of hundred to put it in.

That was the final straw. I told the wife that I would screw in the oxygen sensor myself, since it is one plug and the size of a spark plug. And, that I would order the Actron scan tool so that we can just do our own Check Engine light scanning in the future…for less than it will cost to have them do the repairs. Of course, I will have to crawl under the volks, but I am cool with that…I like to tinker with stuff. Plus, I am getting tired of everything in auto mechanics being marked up 300% just because they can get it.