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[acura]

Hi,

has anyone got/used/experienced an RAC Fault Code Reader?
They sell them at ARGOS for £50. I've just got £25s worth of  freebie Argos vouchers so I'm wondering if it could be worth me paying the extra £25. My check engine light comes and goes intermittently so could be worth a punt to see what it says.
Any thoughts?

[Dave DND]

Not got any experience of the Argos one, but I would avoid anything that comes with a book to look up the fault codes and has no facility to update in the future.

Although we have some very good diagnostic equipment available here, I must confess that we also have an "El-Cheapo" fault code reader here in the form of a MaxiScan MS509 - cost around £60 including delivery from China/ebay and as a first line attack of fault code reading, Its actually quite good. One of the reasons we went for this is that you can also print out your results by downloading to a computer via the usb cable. Worth having a search on and seeing what you think.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MaxiScan-MS509-code-reader-can-bus-OBDII-EOBD-Scan-tool_W0QQitemZ170399668845QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment?hash=item27ac9c9a6d

 

[acura]

Cheers Dave

[Harison213]

I've recently bought a reader based on ELM327 chips off ebay for around £30 delivered. Haven't used it on my Omega yet, but it was fine on miss's 206. You need a laptop to connect it to (USB), but it can also do other stuff like reading live data, etc. and can be used on any car post 2001.

There are loads of these on ebay for different prices. Their basically all based on the same thing, only different casing and/or different freeware software. If you go for one, make sure it's the latest version (currently 1.3) and read this before you buy: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ELM327-mini-guide-Read-Before-Buying_W0QQugidZ10000000009829308.

[Dave DND]

I've recently bought a reader based on ELM327 chips off ebay for around £30 delivered. Haven't used it on my Omega yet, but it was fine on miss's 206. You need a laptop to connect it to (USB), but it can also do other stuff like reading live data, etc. and can be used on any car post 2001.

There are loads of these on ebay for different prices. Their basically all based on the same thing, only different casing and/or different freeware software. If you go for one, make sure it's the latest version (currently 1.3) and read this before you buy: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ELM327-mini-guide-Read-Before-Buying_W0QQugidZ10000000009829308.

I`ve seen a fair few Airbag faults generated by the laptop based ones - mainly on VAG cars, where the airbag light will illuminate after the laptop has been plugged in. Some sort of software issue !!  Better to go for a dedicated hand-held machine I think

 :-/

[TheBoy]

I've recently bought a reader based on ELM327 chips off ebay for around £30 delivered. Haven't used it on my Omega yet, but it was fine on miss's 206. You need a laptop to connect it to (USB), but it can also do other stuff like reading live data, etc. and can be used on any car post 2001.

There are loads of these on ebay for different prices. Their basically all based on the same thing, only different casing and/or different freeware software. If you go for one, make sure it's the latest version (currently 1.3) and read this before you buy: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ELM327-mini-guide-Read-Before-Buying_W0QQugidZ10000000009829308.

I`ve seen a fair few Airbag faults generated by the laptop based ones - mainly on VAG cars, where the airbag light will illuminate after the laptop has been plugged in. Some sort of software issue !!  Better to go for a dedicated hand-held machine I think

 :-/

Only ever diagnose airbags on a VAG (with *any* reader) if necessary - there is a firmware fault in a load of their airbag ecus that running diags on them destroys the ecu

[Harison213]

I've recently bought a reader based on ELM327 chips off ebay for around £30 delivered. Haven't used it on my Omega yet, but it was fine on miss's 206. You need a laptop to connect it to (USB), but it can also do other stuff like reading live data, etc. and can be used on any car post 2001.

There are loads of these on ebay for different prices. Their basically all based on the same thing, only different casing and/or different freeware software. If you go for one, make sure it's the latest version (currently 1.3) and read this before you buy: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ELM327-mini-guide-Read-Before-Buying_W0QQugidZ10000000009829308.

I`ve seen a fair few Airbag faults generated by the laptop based ones - mainly on VAG cars, where the airbag light will illuminate after the laptop has been plugged in. Some sort of software issue !!  Better to go for a dedicated hand-held machine I think

 :-/

Only ever diagnose airbags on a VAG (with *any* reader) if necessary - there is a firmware fault in a load of their airbag ecus that running diags on them destroys the ecu

Luckily mine only supports engine ECU, good tip though

[Dave DND]

I've recently bought a reader based on ELM327 chips off ebay for around £30 delivered. Haven't used it on my Omega yet, but it was fine on miss's 206. You need a laptop to connect it to (USB), but it can also do other stuff like reading live data, etc. and can be used on any car post 2001.

There are loads of these on ebay for different prices. Their basically all based on the same thing, only different casing and/or different freeware software. If you go for one, make sure it's the latest version (currently 1.3) and read this before you buy: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ELM327-mini-guide-Read-Before-Buying_W0QQugidZ10000000009829308.

I`ve seen a fair few Airbag faults generated by the laptop based ones - mainly on VAG cars, where the airbag light will illuminate after the laptop has been plugged in. Some sort of software issue !!  Better to go for a dedicated hand-held machine I think

 :-/

Only ever diagnose airbags on a VAG (with *any* reader) if necessary - there is a firmware fault in a load of their airbag ecus that running diags on them destroys the ecu

Luckily mine only supports engine ECU, good tip though

No !!

You may have missed my point - The laptop code readers can trip the airbag light on VAG (and possibly others?) just by connection to the car - you do not have to be looking at or diagnosing the Airbag section at all - even if you simply view the Engine section, you may find that the Airbag light will be illuminated when you finish. Yes, on VAG there is a software issue on Beetles and Golfs circa 2000 - 2002 but this usually prevents you from resetting the light and nothing else. Not aware of any similar problems with aftermarket handheld readers, just the Chinese laptop USB ones.

I know how fickle the Omegas can be, and the laptop readers may be ok on this marque, but the general feeling I get from other forums (and beleive me, I`m on them all !!) is that the laptop USB ones are really to be avoided.

[acura]

OK, so I bought the RAC handheld reader (in effect £25 so as cheap as any).

I ran the scan and it came back with no recorded faults, which is good news I guess. Somewhat puzzled tho as the light does come on now and again and remains on until the car is next switched off and re-started. Car runs perfectly ok by the way.

Not sure now if I should just ignore it; is the Omega management system a bit fickle and sensitive? The one on my Corsa would flick in and out now and again with no ill effects. :-/

[Dave DND]

OK, so I bought the RAC handheld reader (in effect £25 so as cheap as any).

I ran the scan and it came back with no recorded faults, which is good news I guess. Somewhat puzzled tho as the light does come on now and again and remains on until the car is next switched off and re-started. Car runs perfectly ok by the way.

Not sure now if I should just ignore it; is the Omega management system a bit fickle and sensitive? The one on my Corsa would flick in and out now and again with no ill effects. :-/

So the RAC code reader cannot read or diagnose the light on the Omega - speaks volumes methinks !!

Lucky for you that Argos have a 16 day money back guarantee then

 

[acura]

 

[Dave DND]

Just for info, various cars we have here, VW, Audi, Subaru, and my old Ferrari all suffer with EML warning lights coming on and off at random, and showing the Lambda probes as prime culprits in every instance.

Change fuel from Morrissons to Shell for a few tankfulls, blast up and down the road for a few days and bingo, light goes out - then back for the cheap fuel until the light comes on again.

Whilst an EML light should never be ignored, a change in fuel may show that you have one that is over sensitive maybe?

 :-?

[acura]

Cheers Dave,

as you may gather I'm a bit new to this. I assume that the RAC reader ( supposedly reputable name) should be much of a muchness with other cheapo (it is made in China) readers so I'm maybe a bit reluctant to send it back, buy another and have the similar results.

Would it be fair to say that every time a check engine light comes up it MUST trigger a code to be stored in the management system or can a light show and NOT always trigger a code?

Car runs fine, light shows now and again and always re-sets on switch off/start up.

[Dave DND]

I`ve never known an EML light ON and a code not stored (or at least pending), but I have seen various code readers that cannot interrogate all aspects of the vehicle, and unless the engine has physically fallen out, cannot detect any faults.

But then thats why the professional tools are better than the Cheapie ones.

[Dave DND]

Maybe someone can assist here with an Omega approved form of diagnostic software

Isn`t it   "My Naff Code Reader" that you guys use - or am I confused with something else?

 :-/

[Kevin Wood]

Would it be fair to say that every time a check engine light comes up it MUST trigger a code to be stored in the management system or can a light show and NOT always trigger a code?

Normally a code would be stored even if the fault has cleared and the light has extinguished, but there may be exceptions. :-/

I can think of two other possibilities here:

1) The code reader is fundamentally incompatible with the car and, instead of reporting that it has failed to communicate with the ECU, is reporting "no fault".

2) The code reader is communicating with the ECU happily, but the ECU reports no current faults (only stored ones), so the code reader reports no faults. This is very unhelpful. If it's an intermittent fault you want to know the code is stored!

Have you tried deliberately causing a fault (E.G. unplug an easily accessible component) and checked to see if it will then read a code?

For cheap code readers your choices are between a "cheapo tech 2" complete with very flaky software in a foreign language that will attempt to read codes from several systems on an Omega. Some find them quite usable. Others have no success at all.

For the 2.2,2.6 and 3.2 engines an ELM327 based USB/Serial cable will read the engine only, and also display live data. In my experience these are much more reliable, generally in english and well worth getting if accessing older Omegas is not a requirement.

Kevin

[Entwood]

For engine only faults I bought an ELM327 and with the software on laptop it worked .. ish .. but was a pain to connect and use. It now sits in the garage doing not-a-lot

So I bought the maxscan which lives in the boot, requires no laptop or external power, reads stored and current faults as well as limited "live" data.

It is NOT a tech2 .. but it does do all the engine parameters, and at £80 was the equivalent of one visit to the stealers ... it has been used 3 times on my motor, twice on other miggies, and on a couple of other makes at work .. if its OBDII.. it will work .. so more than paid for itself.

Just my thoughts .. nowt else ..

[TheBoy]

There is an FAQ about code readers


Light coming on for more than just a flicker should store a code.


2.6 and particularly 3.2 suffer lamda codes due to a crap design.  Other engines are fairly resilient to false emissons codes.


2.2 is likely to be a cam sensor, but you need to find that telltale 0340 code before changing parts willy nilly



Lastly, sounds like that rac one is a bit poor to be honest - much like rac branded tools like jacks and stands...

[acura]

Thanks all for your input.

Got a refund from Argos today and will look for a better reader but can't pay the earth for it.

Before I took it back I tried the RAC on my wife's Rav4 and got the same results with the exception that when it got to the bit where it checks all the systems for readiness it listed the MIL (check engine) light as having a status of OFF, which is correct. On the Omega the MIL status was ON, which also could be correct. The sales blurb on the reader stated the MIL could be switched off but I found no way on the menu to do this. Or could this be only when a recorded fault is cleared?

Confused  :-/