Diagnose and Solve Automotive Troubles Quickly With These OBD2 Scanners

The Ancel AD310 is a basic OBD-II scanner that's perfect if you want to keep the tool in your vehicle without taking up interior space. Using a wired connection to the car's port, the scanner can collect and clear basic trouble codes involving the Check Engine light. 

The design of the AD310 is the highlight of the product. Featuring a large, colored LCD display, it's easy to read in poor lighting conditions. The controls are also easy to use while navigating the simple menu layout. Since it connects directly to the car, it doesn't require any batteries to work.

The BAFX Wireless Scanner gets our best value spot for one simple reason: it's not every day you can get a wireless scanner for a very low price. This scanner is all about convenience when scanning for codes. 

The device itself is nothing more than a simple plug for the OBD-II port. It reads the data just like other scanners but lacks a dedicated display. This means you'll have to download the separate app to access the information. Once it's set up, it will read a number of trouble codes and monitor things like air-fuel ratio, oil temp, coolant temp, etc.

Since it requires a dedicated app, it's not the most convenient to set up right out of the box. The Bluetooth version only works with Android and Windows devices. For iOS devices, you will have to buy the WiFi version, which has a more limited range.

The Foxwell NT301 OBD-II scanner is the option to check out if you want more functionality out of this automotive tool. In addition to checking normal trouble codes, the device is capable of controlling settings like the Check Engine light and sensors and providing live data while the vehicle is running. 

The design and build quality of the scanner is a step above a lot of budget options. The full-color display is large enough to clearly see important information and trouble codes it provides, especially when monitoring live data. The controls are also easy to learn and use due to the big buttons on the surface. 

Despite being marked as a professional-grade scanner, the NT301 lacks some of the more advanced features that true professional models offer. For example, the live data monitoring is limited to just battery voltage. Information like O2 data is not available for all vehicles. In fact, compatibility is an issue with certain makes and models.

The BlueDriver LSB2 is a Bluetooth-powered, two-part OBD2 scanner. The device plugs into your OBD2 port to read information from your vehicle, while the other part—an app on your Android or iOS phone—receives the diagnoses for why your check engine light has turned on.

Ease of use is the major selling point of the LSB2. It’s an extremely simple plug-and-play solution. The app is user-friendly even if you aren’t a digital native, and it’s also capable of providing live information while you drive.

But there’s one other reason to go with this product, and that’s the extent of the information available. BlueDriver really digs deep to get important data out of the cracks and crevices. On a wide range of vehicles, the enhanced diagnostics keep you informed about things like your airbags and anti-lock brakes that other scanners leave out.

One small downside is that enhanced diagnostics aren’t available on all vehicles, though the list still includes most cars. More annoying is the fact that it won’t work with third-party OBD2 apps. The biggest tradeoff here, though, is that the LSB2 will let you change settings. This isn’t a mechanic’s tool; it’s strictly for reporting and diagnostics.

Like the BlueDriver LSB2 above, the Autel AutoLink AL319 is unabashedly an end-user product. It’s not going to give you control over your car’s onboard diagnostic system. The AutoLink AL319 has one goal—to be a cheap, usable tool for figuring out why your engine is smoking. It succeeds with flying colors.

The AL319’s main function is to read and display diagnostic codes, which it can do in seven languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. To enhance its picture of what’s going on, it can also read live data feeds and freeze-frame data. It can also test your car’s readiness for state emissions tests, and read out vehicle information based on your VIN.

Its interface is incredibly simple, with only four buttons for all the features. Diagnostics can be shown on the screen or read out loud so you can get live information without taking your eyes off the road. All in all, it’s about as far as you can get from frantically Googling the problem.

The only drawback is the arcane software updating process. It’s not compatible with current versions of Windows, nor with most hardware since it plugs in with a mini USB connector.

The Veepeak OBDCheck is another app-powered diagnostic scanner. It has an advantage over scanners like the BlueDriver LSB2, however, since it supports a wide range of popular apps, including the acknowledged best software, Torque Pro.

Veepeak’s OBD2 scanner connects to iPhones, iPads, or Android phones via short-range Bluetooth, which avoids draining your battery with Wi-Fi or chewing up your money with data. Setup is as easy as plugging it in and downloading the app of your choice. Once installed, Veepeak can do all the usual tricks: reading diagnostic codes, interpreting frames and streams of data, and turning off your check-engine light and other indicators.

It’s also able to conduct smog tests. Furthermore, in a more unique touch, it can judge your gas mileage and give you an estimated travel range. Yet Veepeak’s best touch is probably how well it deals with you updating your phone. After an iOS or Android update, Veepeak is back in touch almost right away.

Unfortunately, updates to the device itself don’t go as well. It sometimes ships without the Bluetooth being updated, which drove us nuts as we kept losing our connection. It’s also slow to update information in the connected app.

The Foxwell NT201 is the younger sibling of the NT301, which we placed higher up on this list. Compared to that scanner, the NT201 is cheaper, but lighter on features. The data it displays isn’t as complete and can’t be printed from a computer, nor can you look up codes in a library.

OK, enough about what the NT201 can’t do: Let’s talk about what it does. In every other respect, this is a complete consumer-grade OBD2 scanner, able to read and erase codes, check for the location of an engine misfire, and conduct engine component and emissions tests. It can also monitor limited live data, such as your engine coolant and RPM.

We really like the user interface here, especially compared to other scanners with their own digital control panels. The NT201 has a knack for giving you the exact codes you need to bring into the dealership.

The NT201 is a great scanner, so long as you understand that it will not tell you what the error code means. You have to take it in and give the code to a professional. This can be frustrating, but you’re still saving money on a diagnostic inspection.

The Launch CR319 is an OBD2 code reader with an interactive screen. It takes several design cues that are distinct from all the others, resulting in a dongle that’s not afraid to look old-school if that means it's easy to use.

This is by far one of the cheapest scanners available. The question is, does it feel cheap? It’s certainly not missing any key functions. After plugging it in, you can clear warning lights, use I/M monitors to see if you’re ready for your emissions test, and get real-time information about your engine. It’s nice that it defines codes for you, instead of just giving you information to relay to your mechanic.

The CR319 runs off your vehicle battery, so it never needs to be charged. The interface is straightforward, with very few controls. Without looking at the manual, we were able to look up codes in the library.

However, you get what you pay for with this scanner. It’s incompatible with a lot of current cars, even if they’re on the OBD2 standard. Also, it’s not able to clear all codes, and sometimes glitches and restarts instead of turning off the light.

The OBDLink MX is the recommended scanner of the team behind FORScan, one of the pre-eminent vehicle diagnostic apps. That’s a feather in its cap, but there are a lot of reasons to recommend something, so we decided to test the OBDLink MX on its own merits.

What we found was a fairly standard Bluetooth OBD2 scanner with some good points and a few flaws dragging it down. To start with the good: It works with basically every app, not just FORScan. OBDLink does have its own app, OBDWiz, but it’s awful. We strongly suggest any other one.

The speed is another nice touch. Apps are noticeably faster with the OBDLink MX than with other Bluetooth scanners. We’re also happy to see them paying attention to security, which other scanners sometimes overlook. And speaking of oft-missed frustrations, this scanner also does a great job of not draining your vehicle battery.

We did mention flaws, and here’s the big one: Not every car gets the same data. Some makes just don’t supply the same amount of information, and it’s hard to know what will happen before you’ve paid. Especially in an older car, your diagnostic dashboard might be upsettingly empty.

We’re closing out the list with another OBD2 scanner related to one we’ve already introduced. The Autel AutoLink AL519 is the more expensive alternative to the AL319. For a lot of extra money, you get a lot of extras that make your scanning experience less of a headache.

The big change is an onboard warning code library. Instead of trying to look up the code, or bringing it to the dealer and trusting them to tell you the truth, you can find out for yourself what each one means. The larger screen lets you view data in graph form.

The AL519 is a more diligent companion as you try to get back on the road, offering you hints and tips on what to do once you’ve figured out your engine issue. Of course, it can also turn off lights, read freeze-frame data, report real-time information, help you with emissions test readiness, and do everything else you’d expect from an OBD2 scanner at this point.

However, this scanner is pricier than the others, so it’s up to you whether the additional features are worth it. One other flaw to note: It can’t read extensive diagnostics. This is a scanner for engine problems only.