easy to use,very versatile,and just as good as the expensive scanners
and may i say even better;best tool i've ever bought for my car.what a
great investment!!the instructions are simplified and very direct. the
amazon price even better.you want a good scanner?? buy this one. i wish i
can say otherwise!!! this scanner is worth every penny.
Since this warning is buried in instructions,
I'll lead with it: only connect it to your car when the ignition is off.
I have no tale of woe around this, but the manual heavily emphasizes
it after inexplicably putting this warning WAAAY down in the
instructions (as well as near the end of page 2's disclaimers to the
effect that hot objects can cause burns).
Finding the connector
was immediate on one of my cars and took some Googling on my Toyota
Tundra. Neither the manual nor the web site has a search function for
this. You'd think it'd be obvious, since it has to be within a couple
feet of the steering column, but it may not be.
AL309 OBD-II Code Reader
On one car, the
unit said it couldn't connect properly when I turned the ignition on
then waited for something to happen. After disconnecting/reconnecting a
couple times, I tried cranking the engine and suddenly all was well.
On the other, just turning on the ignition started the analysis.
AL309 OBD-II Code Reader
Since
no codes were found - or anything else of note other than the basic
info the unit is designed to supply - I have no feedback about resetting
codes or using them to solve some automotive mystery.
The unit
comes with a USB cable, about which the manual says little. Plug the
AL309 into your computer, and you're likely to find that the 309's
readout says something to the effect of not being able to link up. If
you go to the Autel web site, to the 309 page and with the 309 still
connected, you'll see a green-highlighted message that, yes, the 309's
connected (if the 309's not connected, a red-highlighted message
confirms that), then a couple boxes asking you to select which file to
install from your documents directory.Read more
The scanner is easy to use. Ordered this item yesterday and received it
today...one day shipping. My 2001 Jeep Cherokee check engine light came
on three days ago. I connected this scanner, followed the instructions
and it found one error code. I selected "Read Codes" from the drop-down
menu and it read as a slow emission leak. Went to a local store, bought a
new gas tank cap and, so far, the light has not come on. The scanner
can read On-Board Diagnostics II or OBD II for short.
OBD-II Code Reader / Scan Tool
Read this
information before you purchase this scanner to make sure it'll work
with your vehicle...this info is straight from the scanner's manual.
According to the included manual, the EPA required "all 1996 vehicles
and newer cars sold in the United States must be OBD II compliant..."
Also, "a small number of 1994 and 1995 model year gasoline vehicles are
OBD II compliant. To verify if a 1994 and 1995 car is OBD II compliant,
check the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) Label which is
located under the hood or by the radiator of most vehicles. If the
vehicle is OBD II compliant, the label will designate "OBD II
Certified."
