reset check engine light info...

[5-90]

Possibly. If you get OBD-I, you'll have some adapters available for various automakers (I've got an AutoXRay OBD-I w/Ford, Chevvy and MOPAR cables - and more are available, I just haven't needed them.)

The OBD-II plug was standardised by SAE, so any OBD-II scanner should (theoretically!) work on any OBD-II vehicle. GM had some "personality module" silliness for advanced functions, but all the basic stuff should work just fine.

I see the OBD-II scanner working on all vehicles from 1995/6 on up until OBD-III comes out...

5-90

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

I think it's like 150 miles at normal driving speeds.

My experience has varied with each vehicle. My buddy's dakota took about 100 miles of regular driving for the not ready's to clear up, but i've heard of others clearing up in as little as 50 to as much as 200 miles.

 

[mrrbby]

If you own a 96 and up vehicle, a scanner will pay for itself. Mine was $80.00 from advance. It paid for itself in two weeks working on my 98 neon that we had. Nothing worse than paying the dealer to clear a code for a loose gas cap. Most of the places around here will charge $50.00 to hook up a scanner. It makes clearing codes a breeze.

 

[exjay33]

If you have a laptop there are programs that you can reset , check sensors while running and so on and so forth for around 150.00 for and obd ll equipped ride , if you have friends and familiy you could make some $ turning off lights and checking things out just my 1.25 cents .

 

[90xj06]

i would love to get one for the laptop. but none of my cars are odb 2 or 1 for that matter. but where can you get one and how much.

 

[meengreen]

Now I'll have to get my laptop fixed, too. :looney:

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

If you have a laptop there are programs that you can reset , check sensors while running and so on and so forth for around 150.00 for and obd ll equipped ride , if you have friends and familiy you could make some $ turning off lights and checking things out just my 1.25 cents .

What programs are you talking about? My dad's got a very expensive DRO tool that you plug into the port on any OBD-II vehicle that will read all the codes, but it's a monster of a scanner and the battery charge doesn't last very long on it. I'd love to get some of the programs for my laptop and be able to do the tests myself. Do these programs come with the equipment to hook it up to your computer (i.e. a cable)?

 

[langer1]

One of them is auto-pc

http://www.digimotosales.com/shop/

 

[5-90]

Try these guys - www.aeswave.com

 

[DenLip]

the question remains , why was the light on to begin with ? could have been just a loose gas cap .

Or even a FAULTY gas cap. My XJ failed PA emissions last year on the GAS CAP. (They use a tester machine for that). They replaced it ($10 or less), then passed me.

I was pissed that the new cap didn't have a tether... so I swapped the old one back on. A few months later, it evidently got "bad enough" that the onboard diagnostics caught it, and gave me a Check Engine light. I put the new cap back on, the CEL cleared within a few startups, and she's been fine ever since. (Except when I drop the da&$^d gas cap underneath...)

Den

 

[DenLip]

If I buy one of the scaners from Harbor Frieght or elsewhere, will it work on all vehicles?
It might be worth getting one if it will work for the vehicles I will own in the future also. If not I will just go to Auto Zone and let them read and clear the codes for me.

It'll work on all OBD-II vehicles. (Required since 1996?... somce vehicles befoe that). Everything new, for now.

I figure the gummint will announce their OBD-3 requirement a week or so after I buy an OBD-II scanner!

Den

 

[Pioneer84]

AutoTap is another one. My 94 cougar Had OBDII and you had to drive so many mi at 35 to 45 mhr then so many at 65 and over to get all the sensor's ready it was in the owners manual. Dont have the car anymore love Renix LOL

 

[sw_mi_xj]

if someone was going to buy an obd2 scan tool , and wanted it to be compatable with newer vehicles ( up to present year )
then they should make certain that it is capable of communication with the newer can bus systems. ( started 03' ~ 04' )

 

[olivedrabcj7]

Autozone code readers have a clear button on them but the employees arent authorized to do it. I worked at an autozone for 2 years and would clear codes for friends and family all the time. Just make a friend at a parts house and they can clear your codes.

 

[falcon556]

Autozone code readers have a clear button on them but the employees arent authorized to do it. I worked at an autozone for 2 years and would clear codes for friends and family all the time. Just make a friend at a parts house and they can clear your codes.

Both Auto Zone and Advance Parts will give you a free reading and will reset if you tell them that you replaced the faulty parts.
I started doing that when the scanners cost $300 and plan to buy when they go down to $25

 

[langer1]

The point is you don't want to clear the "I/M readiness" codes it takes 150 miles to reset those.
With a scanner you only want to reset the "fault code" not I/M codes if you want to pass your echeck.
The I/M check is a record of the last 150 miles to keep people honest and if it's empty you fail.

 

[meengreen]

should only take 2 days for me to get 150 miles.