Review on 🚗 NEXPEAK NX501: Advanced OBD2 Scanner and Car Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBDII Vehicles After 1996 by Marcus Dortch

This code reader is a replacement for the older Actron CP9135. Although there's nothing wrong with my old scanner, it doesn't update, doesn't provide live data, doesn't save or write data and codes etc, it just reads the code and description and can erase them, nothing more. Upgraded to this one and costs a little less than my old one when it was new. I immediately used it to diagnose the check engine light and found 2 codes. It was easy to connect, read and identify the codes, and I was able to save them for access to my computer. When I got my laptop, I don't use Windows system, so the software for this tool is not compatible here. But despite this, I was still able to connect via USB, which turned the device on and I was able to view the stored codes. As insignificant as it may seem, it's a lot easier and more convenient than using a piece of paper and writing them down. Another nice feature that my old handheld scanner doesn't have is the ability to check radiation status. There are some additional features like displaying real-time data to help diagnose problems. This data may be difficult for some to understand, but it is provided as an additional feature, since you still get the codes and descriptions of the problems found. The software is only available for Windows. I've tried running this on Linux with Wine, to no avail. I can install and run it, but it doesn't recognize the scanner over the USB connection. It doesn't say it can run on Linux, so it's not a problem, just an observation. The instructions mention the "Power" and "Enter" buttons, which are not present on this scanner. The Enter key is easily equated with the OK key. However, the power button is simply missing. Power is turned on and off by plugging and unplugging the device through the OBDII port or USB port. I did an update before using it. I've updated many different types of devices, firmware etc in the past and it's been pretty easy compared to most others. I ran the software on a Windows 10 Pro laptop and the software installation and update went smoothly. At one point the direction was a bit unclear. To put the scanner in update mode, you just need to press any button and connect it to USB while holding the button. Release the button once it enters update mode, which happens almost immediately. This scanner will not work with other systems such as airbags, ABS, service intervals, etc. as stated in the product description. If you need an engine system scanner to read and diagnose check engine lights, it should do almost anything you need with ease, even for the non-mechanic.