best diagnostic for 2000 maxima for DIY

The $98 $98 Equus (at Walmart) is fine for most folks. It reads and resets all the codes.

Is that the 3030 OBD2 Car Reader or the 3100 OBDII Code Reader or the 3110 CANOBD2 Tool thanks

The 3100.

I bought the Actron 9135 for $149.95 at AutoZone. Worked fine for my Maxima

I want one that also connects/reads the older code = obd I

Suggestions?????????

If you live anywhere but California, AutoZone will pull the codes for free. But if you want your own scan tool and have a laptop, the following is pretty good (have been using it for a few years now). Does a lot of pretty cool extra stuff:

I went to the site home page, was unable to load pages for

1. USB OBDSCAN+CAN
2. CANSCAN With Windows software
3. OBDSCAN With Windows software

which one do you use?

Strange...I have no problem loading the pages (IE 6 or Mozilla 1.7.12). In any case, I have the older RS-232 version ($140 + $7 S&H):

"OBDScan-Universal RS-232 Assembled, tested for all OBD-II vehicles (ISO-9141, KWP2000, PWM, VPW) Includes everything you need for Laptop and PC Windows Computers (RS232) Ford Extended Data S/W Included"

If your laptop doesn't have an RS-232 serial interface (many newer ones only have USB), you can buy the USB version for $20 more.

Unless the law has been changed recently, California requires the technician pulling the codes to be certified and since few AutoZones have certified technicians working there, I believe they simply don't provide that service in their California stores.

ok. thanks. I just went back and was able to pull up web page. Who Knows.. might be those Internetted Goblins and their Polarity Locks... :) thanks

The 2 terms that have been kicked around in this thread are

"scan tool"

and

"diagnostic tool"

lets start off it term clarification.

A "scan tool" does just that.... it communicates with the on board computer and spits out a code, sometimes with a small amount of info about the code like

P-0400 EGR low flow, that tells you a lot don't it

or

P-0440 EVAP very small leak

Get the picture

A diagnostic tool is very different, not only does it communicate with the ECM it also allows the user to manipulate various sensors and solenoids to specific conditions at the time the code was set... like injector pulse width engine coolant temp outside air temp calculated load on the engine mass air flow in grams per second and so on...

So if all you want to do is read and erase a code , there is no need to drop a lot of $$$ on a diagnostic tool , just get a tool the reads and erases codes

if you want to learn why and what caused the code to set then go ahead and get a good quality diagnostic tool and a FSM and then you all will keep me looking over my shoulder wondering who my replacement might be.

;;;;;;;; original msg edited ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Thanks for your explanation. FSM (def) - Field Service Manual ??

do you have recommendations for either a scan tool or a diagnostic tool ? Thanks. bob