BMW diagnostic equipment

Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
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Those who have BMW automobiles should know something about their cars, when they ask for help and have no clue what a short test is, or what diagnostic equipment the dealer uses to find out what is wrong with their car, it makes for a long interaction. The generic scanners can do some stuff, but they are often misleading and can be a pain in the exhaust. How can we put some sort of instructional thing together for these people?
Friday, August 28th, 2009 AT 2:20 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
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Hi Doc,

Its not just the BMW's, more and more cars will not spit out all the codes with a 2 bob scanner plugged in. Even my zillion $$$ snap-on scanner goes into meltdown mode with most late model range rovers and discoveries. This is becoming a bit of an issue when you suggest to go get a scan to read any unresolved codes and they go plug in a 2 bob scanner and miss 1/2 the codes and come back with less information then they started with.

Mark in Aust.
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Friday, August 28th, 2009 AT 2:31 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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There are many different standards for OBD-II and some scanners are not able to communicate with the DLC.

Guess we have to slog like dogs just to keep up-to-date with these equipments.
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Friday, August 28th, 2009 AT 2:44 PM
Tiny
BRIAN 1
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For GM we use the MDI module scan tool,which is part of the future of all GM vehicles,along with GDS,which is global diagnostic system which is all laptop based and can only be used with the MDI module which can read data and codes,wright now the only vehicles its used on is 2010 camero,equinox and la cross.the average scan tool will not communicate with these vehicles,pretty soon all GM vehicles will be like this.glad I have all the training for all this!


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/147643_MDI_108_271_1.jpg

this is the scan tool people will need.
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009 AT 12:48 AM
Tiny
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We should have become doctors like our mothers wanted us to à â Â
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009 AT 3:37 AM
Tiny
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And I bet it don't come free in a Wheaties box either. Lol OMG how I am getting sick and tired of keeping pace with all this technology, I will be glad when I finely put down the tools for the last time. But that won't be for a while I feel, I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.

Mark in Aust.
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009 AT 3:38 AM
Tiny
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Going to make our work boring and too easy.

Typical answer would be :

Send your car to the dealer. Only they have the scanner to perform the job.
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009 AT 2:07 PM
Tiny
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Does this thing still work?
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2016 AT 9:18 AM

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