Underhill
Active Member
But do the codes it reads refer to specific problems, which I expect are listed in some accompanying reference manual?How useful is the "Car MD" device I've seen advertised on late night tv? Is it really capable of accurately diagnosing problems?
It's just a code reader. Autozone will read your codes for free.
If so, go back to my original question. Are these devices usefully accurate?
I'm no expert, but here is my experience.
I don't know anything about that particular model reader but they can be. If your check engine light comes on they can often tell you why. Although it can be vague.
I used one a while back on my wifes Durango and the code came back with something like a fuel system error. Which upon researching it could be one of a dozen different things. So I started at the most likely and worked my way down.
But it can give you codes for specific sensors etc...
They are virtually no help for many mechanical problems, but they do make life easier for electrical issues. If nothing else it will often narrow down the problem letting you know where to look.
My big question for the factory mechanic here is this. Is there a difference between the readers I've used from Auto Zone and those used at the dealer?