5 Best Automotive Diagnostic Tools For DIY
It is impossible to deny the fact that the automotive industry is one of the most profitable ones. In today’s time, there are thousands of companies that deal with making cars and selling them all over the world. The need for improved cars has increased manifolds within a very short period of time which is why almost all brands have started giving their 100% in order to give their customers a good product. This has resulted in a lot of complexities as well. Not everyone is an expert mechanic who can handle things on their own without letting anyone know about the problems found in the car.
It’s often said that prevention is better than cure and it applies to almost any field especially when it comes to cars. A small problem with the car now may lead to a bigger one later or even worse, if not attended properly/soon enough, these problems may result in in-car accidents which are dangerous for both the driver as well as other people traveling around you.
However, the major task that’s involved in improving a car is not just buying a new one but also diagnosing problems with it. If you buy a used car then you might have to face lots of issues due to poor maintenance and other reasons which can become very hard even for an experienced mechanic if he doesn’t have proper diagnostic tools. That’s where your simple car diagnostic tool comes into play. In this article, we will be discussing the best automotive diagnostic tools required for diagnosing any kind of problem with your car so without further ado let’s begin.
Diagnostic Tools For Cars – List Of Best Automotive Diagnostic Tools
1) OBD2 Scanner:
OBD 2 stands for On-Board Diagnostics and these tools are basically built to help the mechanics to diagnose problems with a car. Almost all new cars and above 20 years old cars run on OBD2 protocol which is why these diagnostic tools work perfectly fine even if your car is not that new or you don’t know its exact age.
These scanners need proper software in order to function properly and they also require access to an internal system of your cars such as ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) or SRS (Airbags). Once you have those things done, then you can start diagnosing any problem because OBD 2 scanners will provide data about anything wrong within your car’s engine.
If we talk about some good models then we would recommend you to have a look originaldiag.com which are some of the best automotive diagnostic tools on the market.
2) Torque App:
So it is basically an app just like Google Map for Android and iPhone but this app has its own set of functionality which you won’t find on Google Map for sure! So what does the torque app do? Well, torque is an amazing tool that lets you connect your smartphone with some kind of OBD 2 scanning device so that you can diagnose any problem with your car easily by just looking at your phone screen. There are different models available out there starting from $20-$30 but we would recommend you to buy either ELM 327 device (which costs around $20-$30 depending on where you buy it from) to connect your Android or iPhone with OBD 2 scanner.
3) Thermometer:
It is always advisable that whenever you see that the temperature of engine oil is too high then you should stop driving immediately because if the temperature becomes more than what it should be then it can have a very adverse effect on your car’s engine resulting in complete mechanical failure of your car.
If you don’t want any kind of improvisations and want an exact result, then we would suggest buying an infrared thermometer (which costs around $60) which has unique abilities to determine the correct reading by just pointing towards the outside surface of your car. You can measure both exterior and interior surfaces easily using this amazing tool.
4) Digital Volt Meter:
This is something that every car owner should have because it helps in finding out problems with batteries, alternators, and starter motors. For measuring voltage there are basically two types of voltmeters available out there one is purely digital meter while the other is analog but we would recommend you to go for the only digital ones because they are more accurate than their counterparts. So if you want to buy a voltmeter for your car then make sure that it has all possible functions included such as continuity tests, diode test, temperature probes, etc. That will not only increase its functionality but also ensures that you don’t need to buy any extra voltmeter after buying one.
5) Pressure Gauge:
Usually, this gauge is mounted on cars that are more than 20 years old because most of the new cars these days don’t have this type of gauge installed. So if you are looking for some kind of pressure gauge to diagnose problems with your car’s brake system then we would recommend having one that has both analog and digital variants available.
These types of gauges can give you precise readings about any problem that might occur with your car’s braking system so it is best to have one installed if you want to enjoy hassle-free driving without worrying about anything bad happening to your car.
So these were some amazing automotive diagnostic tools required by everyone who owns a car! These tools are not only helpful in diagnosing problems with the engine but also help mechanics or car shops in making accurate estimations about work that needs to be done immediately. So if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on taking your car to a mechanic and don’t want to lose your temper, then always make sure that you have these automotive diagnostic tools installed in your car. So buying any one of them will not only help you save money but also ensure that things are taken care of properly without putting an extra burden on your pocket!