Fault code readers

Does anybody here know of an affordable fault code reader which would read fault codes from a 2001 Astra diesel?

I've done a search on the net but only seem to find professional tools which are too expensive.

I know it won't cost much to have the vauxhall dealer do it, but i'd prefer to do it myself regardless of cost so I don't get the ECU software "upgraded" to a muppet friendly version like my last astra did.

cheers

The Dervboy

Reply to
DervBoy
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ECU software upgrades shouldn't be carried out as a matter of course, only if it is indentified that a problem that is present is resolved by an upgrade. If you ask them to just check the fault codes, nothing more, then that is all they should do.

I dont think that there are any cheap DIY code readers. The cheap ones rely on the ECU producing flash codes, which many engine management systems stopped supporting years ago.

Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.

Reply to
Anthony Britt

Perhaps I'm just being paranoid, but the software upgrade really made the petrol Astra horrible to drive. A superchip restored the proper performance, but the other "driveability" and "emmision reduction" features still left it horrible to drive, and with markedly increased fuel consumption. It actually made the fault I had complained about worse too, and one of the coils in the DIS pack failed the day after I got it back from the vauxhall dealer!

I use a different vauxhall dealer now, they complied with my request not to upgrade the software (i.e. overwrite the superchip) when the petrol astra was serviced. I would have been able to notice if they had, as it would have been gutless again. But it was fine.

I found it disturbing though when they told me software upgrades are now a standard part of a service, or when a customer reports a fault to which there is no apparent cause (as was the case with the petrol astra).

Yep, it's so easy on the cav, but this method doesn't work on the 1999 owards vauxhalls.

The cheapest EOBD code reader I have found is on this web site, costing £250+vat:

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They've also got loads of useful information on fault codes and diagnostics. What I found interesting was the PC-based diagnostic software on which you can observe live data on the running engine, but none of this is worth me buying just to read fault codes. I'll just take my chances at the vauxhall dealer. At least this one will allow me to go in the workshop to observe and talk to the technicians, so I can make it clear what musn't be done.

The Dervboy

Reply to
DervBoy

performance,

diagnostics.

The other garage wouldn't let you watch them do work on your car? My car never sees a main dealer, but if it did, I'd want to see what they're doing, if only so I can do it myself next time it breaks. All this black magic bollocks is a bit bloody irritating, I lost the keys to my car the other day, dealer wanted £170 and would have the car for half a day or so, a locksmith did it in 15 minutes, cut me 3 rather than 2 keys, so if I lose another I can still set up a new key, and explained how the transponder system worked.

Reply to
Doki

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