Be A Code Breaker

I’m a firm believer in having an obd code reader as part of my faultfinding equipment whenever I travel.

- Ron Moon

Not sure what an OBD reader does, or is?

An OBD reader is an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) unit that you can plug into the OBD port on any modern vehicle and it will detect any faults, show what fault or code is occurring, and in the better units allow you to erase those codes and faults.

OBD readers come in all shapes and sizes and cover all price ranges from 20 bucks to a few thousand dollars, the latter you’ll find in good, well-equipped service outlets. I’d stay away from the cheap units you’ll find on eBay or the like and go for something that is a bit more effective, reliable and that can, at the very least, erase unwanted codes.

While there are literarily dozens of different code readers and scanners on the market, you need to ensure they are compatible with your vehicle. The Autophix range reviewed here will work with most modern vehicles, but, for example, may not work on Patrols earlier than 2007 and LandCruisers earlier than 2008. It pays to check!