10 best programs for car diagnostics

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Full operation of modern cars is impossible without regular diagnostics. Similar services are available at all service stations, but their cost sometimes reaches half the average salary. Taking this factor into account, you can carry out a simple analysis yourself using car diagnostic programs for your laptop.

A little theory

In the process of studying theoretical material, you will come across the concept of a program for diagnosing a car OBD 2. The abbreviation stands for On Board Diagnostics, protocol No. 2 (adopted in 1991, used for cars from the USA and Canada to this day) and is applied to the connector , to which the scanner is connected. OBD 2 also has analogues - EOBD (for cars from Europe) and JOBD (for Japanese cars). Do not delve into these subtleties - all utilities for diagnosing a machine work approximately the same.

To connect a PC or laptop with software to the machine, a wireless module is used. Also, for diagnostics, you need to connect a scanner to the ECU. There is a corresponding socket on the outside of the block. The connection is made through the same OBD 2 connector (16-pin). Each pinout pin is responsible for its own fault. The connector is most often located under the steering column, but, depending on the model and make of the car, it may be located in another location.

If failures or errors are detected, the program will generate the appropriate codes. Some of them are universal, while individual ones can be found in the technical manual for the vehicle. The exact purpose of each pin of the OBD 2 connector can also be found in the instructions. This information will allow you to interpret the results of the diagnostic program for your car as correctly as possible.

In addition to the OBD2 connector (the most popular), there are others in cars: OBD 1, OBD, GM, ALLD and others. The type of connector must be taken into account before purchasing an adapter, otherwise communication with the scanner will not work.

What is needed to diagnose a car?

1. Computer (laptop) or smartphone with a wireless module (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth);
2. Scanner. It connects to the ECU and PC, and is a kind of adapter between them. It is purchased for a specific car brand, but there are also universal ones. In particular, free car diagnostic programs for scanners operating on the elm327 chip are very popular today;
3. The program itself for scanning cars in Russian on a laptop or smartphone (depending on your device).
4. Adapters and extensions for OBD 2.

Next, let's list the best programs for diagnosing cars using the elm327 scanner - the simplest and most convenient for self-checking without going to a service station.

OpenDiag

The OpenDiag utility is designed for PC diagnostics of injection systems in domestically produced cars. It is compatible with Lada, VAZ and UAZ cars. Allows you to carry out maintenance and repair of cars in car services, service stations or by the car owner with adapters and a PC. The developers announced support for the main blocks of the Lada. This allows you to diagnose your car through your mobile phone screen.

Top tools for do-it-yourself car diagnostics

The software is installed on a laptop or smartphone; you must first find and download it.

Here is a list of the best programs for reading car errors:

• Open Diag Pro. An ideal solution for domestic cars, as well as for not very new cars. The best program for scanning a car with the elm327 adapter in Russian. If you want to download an application for car diagnostics on your phone, this development has a version for Android;

• Scan Master Elm 2.1. The utility, which functions perfectly on foreign and Russian cars, is used by both professionals and amateurs;

• For Scan. It also allows you to perform chip tuning of your car yourself. Suitable for Mazda, Ford, Lincoln cars;

• Tiggo Diag 1.2.0.3. The best solution for Mitsubishi cars;

• PROScan. A universal program for diagnosing cars of all brands;

• ECM diagnostics. Suitable for scanning UAZ and GAZ cars.

Rating TOP 5 best programs for car diagnostics

After analyzing this market segment and interviewing many experts in this field, we compiled a rating:

• SCANMASTER.
• SCANDOC.
• DASHCOMMAND.
• MOTORDATA.
• FORSCAN.

Let's look at each program separately.

SCANMASTER

ScanMaster is a diagnostic application for vehicles that comply with OBD-2/EOBD standards. This application turns your Android smartphone or tablet together with the ELM327 adapter into a diagnostic device for your vehicle. Many important OBD-2 functions are unlimitedly available even in the free version. Only the number of parameters and error codes is limited compared to the Pro version. A paid Pro version with even more functionality can be purchased directly from the app.

Price: from 0 to 499 rubles.

• the ability to use for free without significant loss of functionality;
• low technical requirements for devices (RAM - 1 GB, Android - >4.3);
• small file weight (8.2 MB).

• View up to two sensors in the free version.

In the Lite version, you can only view up to two sensors at a time. In some ways this is a minus, but it’s good for demo mode. You have to pay for the developers’ efforts, so I didn’t regret it and bought the full version for 400 rubles. Everything works fine, the parameters are accurate. It even shows the vehicle's VIN. I didn't find any errors on my new Lada Granta. Actually, when they were checked at a specialized center, they were not found either.

Vehicle diagnostics SCANMASTER

SCANDOC

A good interface makes work much more efficient. Therefore, in the development of the Scandoc scanner program, special attention was paid to the convenience of the program and the clarity of the displayed information. The program provides all the information about the errors contained in the block, including data on their status and information about the state of other vehicle systems at the time the error occurred. A revolutionary idea in data display is a diagram that shows the system being diagnosed, and sensors with current parameters are located on it.

Price: from 3,199 to 3,599 rubles.

• convenient interface (parameters are divided into blocks);
• ability to print reports;
• the full range of error codes (including the car system sensor and the moment the failure occurred).

• not detected.

Good afternoon I would like to share my opinion about purchasing this scanner program. I got it for 3,000 rubles, which is quite a decent amount. But the investment was justified many times over. The device performs a thorough scan of the entire car system, reads all postcodes and displays the received information in the form of conveniently located blocks of text. In addition, the software is regularly updated, which means the software will serve you for many years to come.

SCANDOC

DASHCOMMAND

DashCommand gives you complete control over your car - monitors and records engine data and performance, fuel economy, and instantly reads and clears problematic check engine lights. The software interface is user-friendly, and the design is constantly improving. The race track visually displays your location, acceleration and braking as you complete laps. This allows you to identify many statistics about your equipment. The built-in inclinometer will show you the angle of the car with an accuracy of tenths.

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Price: from 0 to 749 rubles.

• light weight (48 MB);
• cross-platform (available on iOS/Android);
• Compatible with Pioneer AppRadio 2.

• the most popular error codes are present (ECM, AT, SRS, AC);
• English interface.

There are quite a few minuses, but still there are many more pluses. The size of the application is small - this is to some extent pleasing, since it does not take up much space, which is valuable in most devices. The price is a little high for the available functionality, but in some cases it is justified. Pros: compatibility with Android and iOS, light weight of the finished assembly. The English-language interface makes using the program difficult. For that amount it was possible to add the Russian language, because many users from Russia use this application.

DASHCOMMAND

MOTORDATA

MotorData Professional is an interactive system of high-tech areas of auto electrical work, diagnostics (ECM, AT, CVT, ABS, VSC, EPS, AC, SRS, Multiplex, CAN), refilling and repair of air conditioners, installation of alarms and additional equipment, oil change stations and more. The system is aimed at professional diagnosticians, car service workers and technical service points. The system includes more than 1,200 models from leading manufacturers in Japan, Korea, China and Russia. The system continuously serves thousands of information requests from users from more than 30 countries.

Price: free.

• diagnostics of various types of systems (ECM, AT, CVT, ABS, etc.);
• more than 1200 car models (Nissan, Lada, BMW, Mercedes, etc.);
• automatic connection of the ELM327 adapter is possible.

• not found.

Honestly, this software pleasantly surprised me. Supports a huge database of cars (about 1200). Its capabilities also include: reading and erasing codes, freeze frame data, reading engine operating parameters and vehicle systems in real time, graphs of parameter changes, recording logs, a reference book of fault codes, reading temperatures and auto-connecting to the engine control unit. The application offers access to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technologies compatible with the ELM327. In general, there are no complaints about the quality of work.

MOTORDATA

FORSCAN

FORScan is a software scanner for Ford, Mazda, Lincoln and Mercury cars.

Supports specific features of the manufacturer's protocols, which makes FORScan much more powerful in working with these brands compared to other scanners. For example, FORScan can detect modules that conventional OBD-II scanners cannot see, can show you trouble codes and parameters (PIDs) that are not supported by OBD-II scanners, and perform specific tests and service procedures.

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Price: from 189 to 449 rubles.

• light weight of the software (46 MB);
• indie developer who constantly maintains the application (Alex Savin);
• cross-platform (available on Windows and Android).

• old primitive design (lots of text on a dark background).

This software combines low cost and a huge range of functions. Applies to computers and phones. It's a pity that it only analyzes the brands Ford, Mazda, Mercury and Lincoln, but it does an excellent job. The list of main capabilities includes: determining the vehicle system configuration, reading and resetting codes, reading sensors, performing diagnostic tests and service procedures. Everything works without lags or bugs.

FORSCAN

Diagnostic stages

Briefly and using the ScanTool Pro scanner as an example, let’s look at how a car’s ECU is checked for errors:

• The first step is to select and download a car diagnostic program for your laptop or phone. Look online for the version with an activation code (to gain access to the full functionality of the program). Launch the software, select Russian language;
• Connect the scanner to the ECU via the OBD 2 connector;

• On your PC, turn on Bluetooth and find the V-link module. If prompted for a password, enter four zeros or 1234;
• Identify the connected adapter in the program (detect it);
• Restart the program, and then, in the settings in the “Communication” section, set the “Manual mode” parameter;
• Click on the “Connect” button and wait for synchronization. After which the diagnostic process will start;
• When completed, a report will appear in table form. You will see codes that have yet to be interpreted.

If you use another scanner, the process steps may vary slightly; we recommend that you carefully read the instructions for use.

For Android and iOS

OBD Car Doctor

pros

• Free trial available
• Built-in economizer
• Availability of a note log
• Graphical display of data
• Clears stored error codes

Minuses

• Slows down when connection is poor

From 999 ₽

For the economizer to operate correctly, it is necessary to correctly enter parameters into the application: engine volume in cubic centimeters and the percentage of volumetric efficiency. When you initially enter incorrect indicators, you get a rather crooked result that is fundamentally untrue. Works with non-standard user settings. Engine data is read in real time and compared with vehicle parameters.

OpenDiag Mobile

pros

• Performing the longest analysis
• Error printing function
• Additional equipment included
• Professionalism
• Multifunctionality

Minuses

• No technical support
• High price
• Lack of instructions for pairing with additional equipment

From 3,000 ₽

Works with different types of adapters, good connection of the application with Bluetooth, Internet or via cable. Diagnoses absolutely all domestic car models with one interface. There is a free trial version of the program, but it does not reveal all the functionality.

Decoding the results

As we wrote above, today all codes are brought under a single standard to simplify decryption. Most often they consist of letters and numbers. Unique combinations specific to a particular car must be present in the documentation. Each symbol represents a different type of fault. The full list of codes can be found in special tables on the Internet.

The first letter of the code can be:

• P – problem with the engine or automatic transmission;
• C – problems with the chassis;
• B – errors in the operation of air conditioning, airbags, sunroofs;
• U – problems with communication between control units.

The second character is usually a number that allows you to determine whether the given code is universal or individual. Accordingly, you will see the number 0 or 1.

The third character allows you to identify the node where the failure occurred:

1. Fuel supply system;
2. Fuel supply system;
3. Ignition;
4. Add. control;
5. Idling;
6. ECU;
7. Transmission;
8. Transmission.

The fourth and fifth characters are the serial number of the error that occurred in the current diagnosis. Keep in mind that some faults may not be current, but saved from previous diagnostics. To reset such errors, use the diagnostic program menu. However, it is better to record particularly serious lags, even after elimination, for information and statistics.

Well, as you understand, the whole process of using programs for car diagnostics comes down to correctly connecting the PC and scanner to the car and to each other, launching the program and deciphering the generated trouble codes. Choose the right scanner, download a good utility and prepare a laptop with Bluetooth. Once you thoroughly understand the theory, and in the future, you will be able to do diagnostics, even every month. By the way, you will get significant savings, because on average, the cost of this procedure at a service station ranges from 2-10 thousand rubles.