Use of Diagnostic Scan Tool
Car automotive diagnostic scanner tool is used to comprehensively scan a new vehicles performance, faults and health. Diagnostic scan tool is ideal for home car owners. It is used by DIY car enthusiasts for car maintenance.
What Do You Do If Your Automotive Scan Tool Does Not Show Any Error Codes?
Imagine the following scenario – your car’s ‘check engine light’ is flashing and you decide to find out what the problem could be right away. If you are one of the many car owners in Australia who have a automotive diagnostic scanner and diagnostic scan tool, it should not be a problem for you as all you have to do is plug in the tool into your car’s scan port and let the machine does the rest for you. But what happens when the tool does not read the error codes at all? What happens if it does not show any indication as to what could be the problem with your car?
If you are someone who has dealt with scan tools for a long time, you must have encountered such snafus before and probably already know what to do. However, if you do not have a great deal of experience in dealing with an automotive scan tool, you could certainly be left scratching your head in such a situation.
What You Need to Do
Many people think that they have no other option but to rush to the nearest mechanic if their scanner does not show any error code, despite the ‘check engine light’ flashing on. If you do consult a mechanic, you might have to cough up a tidy sum of money to have the problem diagnosed and fixed. Even if you find out that it is only a minor issue which you could have fixed yourself easily, there is no choice but to pay the mechanic in the end. This is why a visit to the nearest mechanic shop should always be kept as the last option.
So, what should you do in such a scenario? You should check for two things.
Blown Fuse
A blown fuse is one of the most common snafus that could happen if you are not careful enough. If your car, like many other cars today, has the onboard computer and cigarette lighter on the same fuse circuit, there is a good chance that the problem could be a blown fuse. Cigarette lighter is notoriously prone to blowing fuses – something that many car owners know from experience. So, with the lighter and the computer being on the same circuit, the chances of a blown fuse increase considerably. If it is the case, your scan tool will not be able to read anything even when connected to the port.
Mind you – the fuse problem is not limited to cigarette lighter alone. It could be any accessory port for that matter. If your car’s onboard computer is on the same circuit as any other port, there is always the risk of a blown fuse. Sometimes, even if the onboard computer is on its own fuse circuit and not connected to the lighter or accessory port in any manner, it could still blow for a number of reasons. The bottom line is that you can never be too careful when it comes to fuse circuits. So, if your diagnostic scan tool is not reading the codes like it is supposed to, the first thing you should do is check the fuses in your car.
Clogged Port
Many car owners are guilty of not paying enough attention to the scan port, as a result of which the port gets clogged with dust and other materials. While many people wipe the dashboard, steering wheel, and other things that they regularly come into contact with, they overlook the scan port most of the times. After all, it is something you pay attention to only when your car develops a problem. So, the port stays unused, collecting dust and debris on a regular basis. When you stick your automotive scan tool into the port, the accumulated dust could prevent the tool from reading the codes. So, it is important to keep the scan port clean all the time.
The Last Resort
If your scan tool is not reading the error codes, it could be due to the aforementioned reasons. If there is nothing wrong with the fuse circuit or the port, and if the problem still persists, you should consult a mechanic to know if there is a problem with your car or with your automotive diagnostic scanner.
