Check Engine Light on Your Car How to Read the Code with a Scan Tool

In this video, we're going over how to use a scan tool. Now, no matter how good your technician or mechanic is, you can't determine what's wrong with a check engine light without a scan tool. Now, there are many different scan tools to choose from. You have something as simple as a code reader and they go more advanced into something that can do a lot more diagnosing. And they also make Bluetooth adapters to connect to your phone. Now, this is a very simple code reader, pretty much that's all it does is read the code and you're able to clear the code but it doesn't do much more than that. And then you have a scan tool like this that will give you the codes, you can clear them, but you can also get some data and watch it in real-time.

And this scan tool can actually do the same thing, but it can also graph, which may be helpful while you're trying to diagnose something. The advantage of a scan tool like this is you can talk to different modules. And what I mean by talk to is communicate or view data in multiple modules. These other code readers can only read engine data, this one can read up to 14 different modules in the car. And a scan tool like this, you can communicate with all those modules, but you can also command different functions, which will help in a lot more diagnosing. And there's those Bluetooth adapters, which sometimes these can be great and can give you a lot of information and you can communicate with the vehicle. But sometimes they're a little bit clunky to use, they're kind of difficult to connect to.

Now, depending on what type of DIYer you are, whether you do a lot of automotive repairs and you want to use one of the more advanced scan tools, or you just do it once in a while and one of the more entry-level code readers will work just fine. Now, to get the actual code from the vehicle, they're all pretty much going to work the same. The more advanced ones, you're going to have to enter in more information, you'll have to enter in the vehicle make, model, even the VIN number. And these ones will be a little bit quicker, there'll be less information to enter in. So, let's grab one of these scan tools, scan our vehicle and find out why our check engine light is on.

So, these connectors are all going to be the same on all these scan tools. It's an OBD-II connector or a DLC connector, and that's what you're looking for under the dash. Most of the time they're under the dash, sometimes they could be under the steering wheel area, sometimes over here, sometimes you'll even see a little cover that you have to pop open a little door that you're going to find that DLC connector. So, just take it and line it up, and connect the scan tool, then you want to turn the key on. Now, all these tools are going to be a little bit different. So, just follow what the directions say on the tool. We want to go to diagnose, so I'm going to hit enter. And the tool is going to do its thing. And it shows that there is a DTC stored. So, I'll hit enter again. And then we can read codes, erase codes, see data, see freeze frame. So, we're gonna read the code. So, hit enter again.

And there is our actual code. So, you want to write that down. So, it's a P0452. And it has to do with the evaporative emission system. And I can scroll through to see what the other one is. And that's the same one. Now, this says it's a pending code. And this says it's a current code. So, that's important. If it's a pending code, it's not an actual code yet, the computer's doing a test to see if it will become an actual code. If it's a current code, that means the computer has determined there is a problem with the vehicle. And then if you find that there's a history code, there may not be anything wrong with the vehicle, something may have tripped the light on and caused this situation but that situation isn't there anymore, so it becomes a history code. So, there if you find that you have history codes, it's not as concerning as a current code or even a pending code.

So, that is how you get the code to determine why your check engine light is on and that information is going to help you diagnose the problem. If you enjoyed this video, make sure you subscribe to our channel, ring the bell, turn on all notifications so you don't miss any of our videos.