Review on 🚗 Bafx Products Wireless Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner Diagnostic Code Reader for Android - Scan, Reset & Clear Car Check Engine Light by Timothy Barnes

I was given this to diagnose a P0420 code that my car was giving intermittently for about 6 months. I scanned it at an auto parts store and got the source code, but for an accurate diagnosis I would have to bring it to the store for $45 an hour (I have a discount). I did a bit of searching for a scanner, but I looked up YouTube and found these things that still do the same thing for a fraction of the cost. I searched for a couple of weeks to find a good one and this turned out to be one of the cheapest and BAFX seemed like a good company to me so I bought it. The tool came in a plain white box with peanuts, an installation and troubleshooting guide, and a tiny CD that I believe fits in a CD drive (never tried it). The guide was pretty good for getting an overview of the initial setup. There are no problems with them at all. You need an Android smartphone or tablet to run the tool, and any smartphone or tablet will do (even old ones). Basically, you plug it into the car's DLC port (under the dash), wait for the red light to come on, turn on Bluetooth, and search for the device. A strange name or OBD scanner should appear. Enter password 1,2,3,4 to connect and that's it. Easy. You need an app (this only works on Android, not iOS!) for this to work. They recommended Torque Pro, so I got it for $4.99 (worth it, the lite version is pretty much useless). There are other applications this will work with, but Torque is the best. When the application starts, it enters settings and configures the adapter. It establishes a connection and begins transferring information from the car's computer. This thing is amazing even though it costs less than $30. It reads every PID from the onboard computer, so every sensor that the computer is monitoring will be read. It is now an OBD II reader only (1996 and later vehicles only), so reads general and vehicle specific emissions and powertrain data. It does not read chassis and SRS codes for ABS and airbags. To do this, you need a specialized tool of a higher class. My Subaru read all engine sensors except oil pressure and dc voltage. It also reads codes and you can clear them too. Updating the sensor data was pretty quick. Since I got it, I haven't had any connection problems. My car's head gaskets are leaking, so I use them to keep an eye on coolant temp. If you have a P0420 code, you can monitor the oxygen sensor data to determine if your catalytic converters are bad. Use it to diagnose a P0430 for a faulty oxygen sensor heater. This tool will pay for itself 4x more than the first time you use it for DIY repairs rather than at the shop or dealership. This is invaluable for a DIYer like me. Pros Inexpensive Fast sensor update High quality 1 year warranty Reads and clears codes Reads real-time data Reliable connections Cons Reads sensors and OBD codes only No support for SRS/ABS/or chassis codes No iOS support This is a great tool to have in your toolbox should or glove box. Good for DIY or professionals. I love it. It does everything it promises for a fraction of the cost of a specialized scanner. Yes, you need a tablet or smartphone to use it. So if you don't have one there's a case for getting a handheld scanner, but for those with a tablet or smartphone it's a great tool.