High spec - OBDII, CAN & ABS error codes

Innova are among the leading manufacturers of OBDII and other engine diagnostic tools offering a wide range of products at different price points for all types of motoring enthusiasts and professionals. The Equus 3160 is one of those at the top of their range and while it does come with a higher price than other models, it does come feature packed.

We look at what real users of the Equus 3160 had to say about their OBD II, CAN and ABS scan tool and most importantly whether they think it is a good purchase.

See the full specs of the Equus 3160, plus a $265 discount!

The Equus 3160 is designed for the professional mechanic or serious car enthusiast. It offers diagnostic trouble code solutions for OBD II vehicles (1996 US vehicles and onwards) as well as CAN (Controller Area Network) and ABS codes. It has a backlit display for low lighting conditions and this views up to 25 data points at once. More advanced features include the ability to view, record and see live PCM data play back streams.

Innova Equus 3160

At the time of writing this review roundup, a total of 112 customers had written reviews for the Equus 3160 with 59 of those giving the full 5 stars and a further 28 people awarding 4 stars. The 4 and 5 star ratings represent the majority of customers, however a further 12 people gave 3 stars, 6 awarded 2 and 7 people gave 1 star.

This means that the Equus 3160 scored a total of 4.1 from the maximum 5 star rating.

Other than the fact that like all auto scanners the Equus 3160 can save you a lot of money, customers seemed to rate the amount fo features, ability to read ABS codes and the large backlit display as the main draws for the Equus 3160. In addition to this this code reader seemed to perform quite quickly compared to other models which can be quite slow in determining the engine warning light error code.

“I bought this tool to supplement an OTC scan tool I use in my business. It is so easy to use & much faster than my $3000.00 tool & actually has some features that the more expensive scan tool doesn’t have…”

“I actually take the data from the scanner for each of the 20 frames and put it into a spreadsheet so I can make my own graphs…”

“The ABS circuit is a plus. I own a small used car dealer ship but it has already paid for itself in pointing out driveability issues. Other brands had reliability issues or customer service issues but so far it this a winner…”

It seems the Equus 3160 just works as it should, according to this person anyway:

“I found it to be very useful in many different cars, like a 2001 sequoia, 2001 dodge ram van, 1999 venture, 2002 Isuzu rodeo, a 2006 GMC savana. It worked for all these cars, and I haven’t found a car it doesn’t scan…”

“Nothing scans everything, but this scans the most for >$200. I would buy again…”

“Does what it advertises to do. Worth the money…”

“Took a chance; it worked better than expected!”

While most people had comments similar to those above about their Innova 3160, some people were not quite so impressed. Take this person below for example who didn’t think much of the bundled software:

“The software that comes with it is helpful, but could be better…”

And this person that struggled with operating the unit:

“Not bad, a little hard to operate…”

Another area where the Equus 3160 lost some ratings were with the hardware itself…

“Good Scan Tool…Serial Ports very out-dated…”

“Another thing I would have liked is a USB port/cable instead of a serial port/cable…”

“It requires a serial port for PC communication, meaning you would have to purchase a Serial to USB cable along with it…”

So there you have it – most people agree that the Innova Equus 3160 is a worthy high-end OBD II auto scanner and overall the features work well, it is quick and easy to use thanks to the large backlit display. However, some also expressed usability concerns with certain models of vehicle and others were not impressed with the serial ports on the device and the bundled software (which we believe can be update don the Internet through CanOBD2.com).

If you are in the market for a more advanced OBDII, CAN and ABS scan tool, judging by the user reviews, the Equus 3160 is worth looking into.

Customer Rating:

4.1 out of 5 stars – Save $265 on the Equus 3160 or see more recent customer reviews here…

Equus 3160 Features

- Reads ‘check engine’ light warnings on all 1996 and newer cars, light trucks, SUVs and minivans, domestic and import — including C.A.N. (Controller Area Network).
- Diagnoses ABS codes on most 1996 and newer GM, Ford & Chrysler vehicles.
- Features unique patented back-lit, all-in-one screen display which allows for simultaneous viewing of 25 data points without changing menus in low light conditions.
- Provides SAE enhanced Live Data (view, record and live PCM data plays back streams), displays freeze frame data, automatically refreshes updates data every 30 seconds when connected to the vehicle, and is flash updatable with a standard Windows PC.
- Comes with access to additional online vehicle diagnostics through ‘Repair Solutions’ program.

[The quotes used above are from real users of the Innova Equus 3160 engine code reader - Source]

Android OBD II Scan Tool

Android phone users that are looking for a basic way to find out why your vehicle’s engine light is on without the cost of taking it to a mechanic may well want to check out the Xitech Elm327 bluetooth OBD II scan tool. The Elm327 is a no-frills diagnostic scanner with an entry-level price and enables you to search and solve engine warning light problems on your own by downloading the detection software through the Android market.

Here we look into seeing if the Elm327 bluetooth scan tool is a neat Android OBD II scanner or if your money is best spent with a dedicated diagnostic reader by giving a summary of actual customer reviews.

Go straight to see full specs on the Xitech Elm327 Bluetooth auto scanner…

Elm327 Bluetooth OBD II Scanner

At the time of writing this review roundup, a total of 55 customers had left a review for the Elm327 bluetooth auto scanner. The device was rated 4.3 out of 5 by those reviewers giving an overall satisfaction score of 85%. The rating breakdown is below:

5 stars – 33
4 stars – 14
3 stars – 3
2 stars – 2
1 star – 3

As you can see the majority of Elm327 customers were pleased with their purchase sighting the price, speed of diagnosis and the amount of savings that the unit brings as the main attractions. Many reviewers mentioned that the Elm327 bluetooth OBD II scanner is easy to set up, simple to use and quick to solve engine codes as these people testify:

“I am an automotive technician and on most cars I am able to plug in the XR7, fire up the Torque App and have codes read in under 1 minute!”

“I hooked up to my ’98 Volvo using Torque on my Moto Droid (D1) and it worked flawlessly…”

“In one device I will have a scan-tool, documentation, ability to look up and order parts from my local parts store, etc…”

“The device itself is easy to use. You just plug it in. If the red light is on that means it’s powered and plugged in. If the yellow lights are also blinking that means you’re communicating via bluetooth and you’re all set…”

“This Bluetooth interface plugged in and connected quickly to my EVO. It delivered trouble codes and allowed for clearing. Used on a 2002 Ford Explorer. Top notch, highly recommend…”

Other customers mention that the Elm327 is a true plug-n-play device for OBDII and CAN diagnostics and it seems as easy to use, if not easier, than a dedicated scan tool according to the user reviews.

Not all reviews were as positive as the above however, so let’s see why the Elm327 lost some points off some users.

Firstly one person had an issue with the bluetooth setting:

“The one drawback is the unit has a fixed bluetooth security code that doesn’t appear to be resettable…”

Another customer was less than pleased with the instructions that were packaged with the unit:

“This is a great little product however the documentation is lacking (if you can’t handle ‘playing’ with electronics and software to get it working – find an alternative product)…”

While a few of others had issues actually getting the product to run smoothly:

“Works fine. speed is slow though…”

“While the thing does connect with my EVO4g running 2.2, it drops its connection a lot, about over 10-20 sec then takes a few to reconnect…”

“This and Torque on Android isn’t a very reliable connection for me…”

Luckily comments like the above are in the minority and overall the Xitech Elm327 Bluetooth scanner seems to work as intended and has a low price tag to boot. Most reviewers of the Elm327 bluetooth tool agree that the device is a worthy money-saving gadget, some wishing they had bought it long before they did!

“I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without one!”

Customer Rating:

4.3 out of 5 stars – Click here for the latest rating, user reviews and discount…

Xitech Elm327 Bluetooth Features

- 1 Yr XiTech factory warranty & support.
- Just plug it into tour OBD II port.
- Download Torque for your Andriod device, link – and go!
- Bonus includes exclusive XiTech driver and software demo disc for PC.

[The quotes used above are from real users of the Xitech Elm327 Bluetooth code reader - Source]

Perfect entry-level scanner...

The Equus 3030 OBD II auto reader has been a popular choice among motorists, mechanics and auto enthusiasts mainly thanks to its economical price. However, this engine code reader offers more than an entry-level OBDII scanner with its built in LED display and other features. While the price and features of the Equus 3030 may be admired, one question remains – is it any good? We take a look below to find out exactly that from real user reviews of the Equus 3030.

Save 62% on the Equus 3030 and see full specs here…

Equus 3030 Reviews

At the time of writing the Equus 3030 had 212 customer reviews. Rate from a total of 5 the average score is 4.4 – very respectable indeed. 142 (67%) of those awarded the 3030 scanner 5 stars, while 41 (19%) gave 4 stars. That’s a total of 86% of users giving 4 stars and above.

Judging by the Equus 3030 reviews, this particular device seems suited as an all-rounder auto scanner for the novice or pro user. The 3030 can be used on all post-1996 cars, light trucks and SUV’s and includes an all-in-one LED screen for quick emissions checks and engine light warning details.

The general consensus from users is that the Equus 3030 is simple to use and reads engine trouble easily. Many people suggest this is an ideal entry-level OBDII scan tool, yet others believe it is the only scanner they will ever need. Let’s look at some of the pleased reviewer comments…

“Paid for itself instantly!”

“With today’s car electronics, there is no other reasonable way to diagnose trouble…”

“Future Proof…”

“Inexpensive OBDII/CAN code reader works as advertised…”

“Very good OBDII CAN compliant scanner for the money…”

The above are typical comments from satisfied customers awarding the Equus 3030 the majority four or five stars. Overall the device seems great if you just want a scan tool that works with no frills or complications. Some even suggest that this is an ideal replacement for the more expensive OBD II readers:

“This is all you need ! Don’t buy the more expensive unit unless you have to…”

“Start saving by buying this unit and not the more expensive ones…”

So far so good, but what about the people that were not so impressed by the Equus 3030? What were there complaints?

Well a few people encountered compatibility issues like this person below…

“I purchased this scanner and hooked it up to my Subaru 2002 forester. It didn’t work. When I called the company, they immediately knew of the problem, and told me I would need to ship the code reader back to them to have the chip re-programmed…”

It seems on rare occasions (or rare models of cars) the Equus 3030′s software needs updating. This could cause inconvenience if the unit needs to be sent back to the manufacturer. Another person also had an issue with the software:

“I was forced to take the engine codes provided by the device and google them outside of the device’s software package…”

Luckily for the Equus, the comments above are in the vast minority and overall the reviews suggest that customer satisfaction is well above average. People seem very happy with the level of userability, features, price and build quality of the Equus 3030 auto scanner.

Customer Rating:

4.4 out of 5 stars – Click here for the latest rating and user reviews…

Equus 3030 Features

- Reads Check Engine light warnings on any 1996 and newer car, light truck, or SUV.
- Unique patented all-in-one screen display and LED display for quick emissions check.
- Easily retrieves OBD II DTCs from your vehicle’s computer.
- Automatic refresh updates data every 30 seconds when connected to the vehicle.

[The quotes used above are from real users of the Equus 3030 OBDII scanner - Source]