At just under $100, this little tool can help you troubleshoot a “check engine light” problem without going to the mechanic…saving you from an overpriced repair estimate and paying for itself in as little as one repair!
I’ve owned the CarMD for several years now and use it every time a check engine light comes on…for both of my cars…before calling a mechanic. You can even use it to “presmog check” your car or check out a used car before buying.
It’s super simple: order the unit, create your online account, plug the unit into the port under your dash (all cars made after 1996 have this), start up the car, wait for the beep, shut off the car, plug your CarMD into your USB connector, click open. You’ll need the car’s VIN number for your account (CarMD supports multiple vehicles per unit). When logging in, select the car which you just plugged into. CarMD feeds the data to the web site which immediately translates your check engine light code into understandable jargon – “Fuel pump needs replacing”. Best of all, CarMD also provides a cost estimate for this repair for this vehicle, so you know what to expect when you go the repair shop.
Occassionally, the engine error isn’t found in the CarMD database and the CarMD people need to view the error and provide you a custom report. This can take a day or two, but is rare – this only happened once.
You’re limited to three vehicles and up to six reports per month. But if you plan to go over that, maybe it’s time for a new car. There are no monthly fees either.
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