Scan Lab: TOPDON ArtiDiag600 S

Let me first get this out of the way. Despite what you may have heard, a scan tool does not diagnose a car problem. It can be a useful diagnostic tool under the right circumstances but bear in mind that a hammer can be a diagnostic tool under the right circumstances. A tap test is a valid test at times and at times a system scan is a valid test. With that said, let's show some things a particular scan tool is capable of and we will look at several over time.....

Today we will use the TOPDON ArtiDiag600S. The tool can do specific vehicle diagnostics using the VIN and accessing some OEM systems or can access the OBDII system which is less inclusive and more geared toward emission controls. European OBD (EOBD) is emission controls as required in Europe, so slightly different than OBDII we use in the U.S. This scan tool will speak to either system type but here we only use the OBDII language. Speaking of languages the OBDII system has used various protocols over the years, though most use CAN these days. In generic OBDII mode the tool will first identify the protocol. You can do that automatically and it will search until it finds the correct one for the vehicle you are scanning or if you know the protocol you can just enter it manually. We are using a 2014 Mazda CX-5 for this particular scan, which will be CAN. 

Once in OBDII realm we can see that the MIL is off (check engine light, or malfunction indicator light), that 0 fault codes are stored, that all monitors have run. If we look specifically at the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) & FFD (Freeze Frame Data) menu we can again verify no codes are stored. 

Now does this mean there are no trouble codes on this car? No, we have only looked for OBDII system codes. To look for other system problems that may have set codes we need to access the OEM system via "Diagnostics" which will list all available modules and query them all for faults or you can pick and choose particular modules to query. This particularly becomes important when you see online questions and attempts to help and the exchange goes, "I have no trouble codes..." We don't know what the questioner is using to check for codes so can't be sure there are no codes. The OEM officially used scan system is always best but also expensive so most professionals that work on several makes and models use aftermarket scan tools which can be great at particular systems and less than great on some. The aftermarket manufacturers may not include as many modules of data items in their particular tool as is available with the OEM tool. The answer to that is to have several options of tools to use. Let's take a look at what is available with this tool in Diagnostics. We'll scan for the VIN and then scan all the available modules though it is possible to scan each module individually. 

When that scan is finished we can see that we have faults stored in four modules despite no OBDII codes. 

We have available the code description and freeze frame if we go deeper into each one. That PCM code is for a low circuit voltage from the refrigerant pressure sensor which is expected since the car is here for a refrigerant leak. Which brings up another point I should mention. The PCM has no idea if the refrigerant is low or even if that sensor is bad. It only knows it isn't seeing the correct circuit voltage. If you were diagnosing that code on a filled system you would be checking the voltages at various points to determine why the system isn't recognizing the correct voltage. You would not be charging the system or replacing parts blindly. 

The other system fault codes are prefaced with a U so are communication faults which are often a symptom of low battery voltage. The code description stored for the ABS module indicates this fault is no longer present but is a history code. Now is when your mind begins thinking you should do a test of the battery. It could just be that the battery was low charge at some point, or disconnected at some point or is actually a weak battery. 

I found that the battery has been replaced so the codes are probably left from the failed battery and weren't cleared. Which I will do before it leaves. Another related area I was wondering about is if the battery was replaced yet codes not cleared was the battery monitor system updated. Many modern cars need the system updated to change from the system adapting to a weak battery to allow it to start fresh with the new. This particular car did not use the battery monitor so didn't need the update but some of these do. I also did a quick battery test featured in this tool that will graph the battery voltage before, during and after cranking and starting the engine. Looks fine.

Btw, the 600 S also referenced the relevant tsb concerning this particular refrigerant leak.

The tool also comes with a Google Chrome browser so is capable of accessing most online repair information that you typically use.

Thanks for reading. 

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Tool Review: Offline Repair Info (11)

 The MX900 is the current tool designed to replace the older MX808. The 808 runs Android 4.4.4 and suffered from a lack of internet friendly apps because they were outdated. It is still diagnostics friendly and update subscription is still valid. The MX900 is Android 11 based and brings back all the online capability. 

Thanks for reading.

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Data Diagnostics (Jeep Loses Power)

 Going through some old files I had saved on the old Snap-on SOLUS PRO. This particular file was a data recording during the test drive on a 1994 Jeep with 2.5 engine. The complaint was a power loss on acceleration. Line A is the feed from the front oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor should be a constant rich to lean switching except under certain circumstances, like when you should have more fuel coming in as during hard acceleration.  Line B is the injector pulse width or just how long the fuel injector should be open. It should go full stream when the computer is demanding fuel. Line C is the throttle position which increases as the throttle is pressed. Line D is the oxygen sensor status which I'm using here to back up or verify what I'm seeing from the front O2 signal. I was mainly wanting to see these items to see if I had a fuel delivery problem. There was a point in time when you would have to drive with a fuel pressure gauge taped to the windshield to check this sort of thing. I don't miss those days a bit. 

Now in C you can see two points in time that I put the pedal to the metal with a brief release between the two. In B you can see the injector pulse width immediately being commanded to allow more fuel through the injectors. 

What you can also see, by looking at lines A and D is that even though I have throttle demanding more fuel and injectors commanded to allow more fuel I am not getting more fuel. The front O2 voltage goes dead lean for both events with a brief activity when I allowed the throttle to return between punches. The O2 status remained lean for the entire event. It does back up the fact that I wasn't getting enough fuel. Which was a bad fuel pump. 

Thanks for reading. 

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Tool Review: Offline Repair Info (10)

 Last but not least in the Genisys line. Actually the first one I purchased, the OTC SPX Genisys w/2.0 software. I even have piggybacked the software reader for the previous OTC 4000 Enhanced OBD1 software. 

Thanks for reading.

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Tool Review: Offline Repair Info (9)

 The other Genisys EVO I have is running 4.0 software and cuts off at 2009 but still functions as a diagnostic tool and the repair database covers through 2009. 

Thanks for reading.

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Tool Review: Offline Repair Info (8)

 The Genisys EVO 5.0 at one time was the very best in diagnostic tools in the shop. It is the last of the Genisys line I used before moving to the Encore. I think the database is covering up to 2011 so still has some uses in the shop, and of course the generic OBDII will access models past 2011 for basic checks. 

Thanks for reading.

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair

Scan Tool Review: Offline Repair Info (7)

 The actron AutoScanner Plus is yet another of my no longer supported scan tools but I feel I should mention that even though this doesn't support oem specific cars beyond 2015 it is still very capable of reading generic OBDII systems as are the MX808 and the Encore. Around 2003 CAN networks were becoming the norm so most any scan tool that can read CAN will still read later model cars as generic. What the tool does have that makes it eligible for the list of tools with repair information is a data base of trouble code definitions that allows you to look up a specific code. 

Thanks for reading.

Kenny@GGAuto.Repair