But now, one can simply plug-in an OBD scanner and have the car itself report the problem through a diagnostic trouble codes (DTC). Without OBD, in case of malfunctions, a mechanic might have to take apart large portions of your car while troubleshooting to find the cause of the problem. For example, the popular engine warning light is a visual manifestation of OBD warning signals. It gathers warning and error messages from your car’s electronics and notifies you in case something is wrong. OBD or On-board diagnostics is a built-in diagnostic system for your vehicle. If they do, that’s just a bonu, not a requirement. They are not expected to read codes from other manufacturers, though. Therefore, to keep the cost low, one would be better off buying a BMW specific OBD scanner, if it’s only gonna be used on BMWs.Īn OBD scanner for BMW will read the standard OBD error codes along with BMW proprietary codes. The proprietary codes offer manufacturer specific information about the functioning of your car.Īn OBD scanner that can read and interpret all types of codes from all manufacturers is not cheap, though. However, besides standard error codes, each manufacturer also uses additional, proprietary codes. This means that any OBD scanner can read and display standard error codes from any vehicle.

With standardized OBD ports, error codes were also standardized. Nowadays, whenever you hear or read OBD, OBD II or OBD 2, know that it refers to the same thing: the currently used OBD II standard. OBD II was introduced in 1996 and it became mandatory for all cars and light trucks in the United States. OBD I is pretty old – it was introduced in the 1980s. To begin with, OBD scanners are of two types, OBD I and OBD II. A quick google search will then tell you what the code stands for and what you can do to solve the issue.

When connected to your vehicle, an OBD scanner will read and display error codes recorded by the electronic control units on your car.

In this article we list the 5 most popular OBD scanners for BMW in 2021. OBD scanners are a great tool for reading, analyzing and for clearing diagnostic error codes on your vehicle on your own, without the need to visit an automotive repair shop.

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