Product Description

This scanner is specifically designed to work with all OBD II compliant vehicles (all 1996 and newer cars & trucks that are OBD II compliant). This list isn't all inclusive, therefore, your vehicle might as well work great with the scanner. There are a small number of 1994 and 1995 model year gasoline vehicles that are also compliant. To see if your car is OBD II compliant, please follow this simple instruction: Check the Vehicle Emissions Control Information Label which is located under the hood or by the radiator of most vehicles. If the vehicle is compliant, the label will designate "OBD II Certified" and will have a 16-pin OBDII Standard Socket. This scanner is compatible all OBDII and EODBII compliant vehicles 1996 and newer. Please Note: may not be able to retrieve all codes on some VW, Audi, and Subaru cars. This scanner is not compatible with CAN protocol.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #484 in Automotive
• Brand: UIF Technology
• Model: U380
• Dimensions: .79" h x 2.76" w x 5.91" l, .88 pounds

Features

• Works with all 1996 and newer cars & trucks that are OBD II compliant
• Reads and clears generic and manufacturer specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) and turns off check engine light
• Supports multiple trouble code requests: generic codes, pending codes and manufacturer's specific codes
• Stand-alone unit with no need for an additional laptop computer to operate
• Highly reliable and accurate, Easy-to-read crystal-clear backlit 2-line LCD display

Customer Reviews

Confusing little scanner....get the Actron CP9135 instead
This scanner is mediocre. I plan on returning this scanner and spending a few more bucks on the Actron CP9135 scanner. Why? Read below...

When this scanner arrived, I actually knew the 3 codes that caused my CEL to come on. A few days before this scanner arrived, I brought my car to a car dealer I know and he used his Actron CP9135 scanner, specifically asking the dealer **NOT** to clear my CEL so I could test out this cheapy scanner when it arrived.

According to the mechanic's scanner (again, an Actron CP9135 scanner which sells on Amazon for $73) 3 codes caused my CEL....two P0441 codes and one P0446 code (emissions, charcoal canister stuff).

Did the Actron CP9135 and this cheapy scanner give the same codes? Sort of....

First I'm going to describe the experience of using Actron CP9135 and then I'll contrast it with my experience using this cheapy scanner (I was hovering over the mechanic as he used his Actron scanner so I saw how he operated it and how his scanner worked).

The Actron CP9135 was very, very clear about the codes that caused my CEL. First it displayed '3 codes' then the mechanic pressed the up button on the Actron and the display changed to 'P0441, code 1 of 3' and it also had a short discription of the code below (the Actron CP9135 has a multi-line LCD display). The mechanic pressed the up button on the Actron again and the display changed to 'P0441, code 2 of 3' and it also had a short discription below (Again, I had two P0441 codes). And another press of the up botton displayed 'P0446, code 3 of 3' and also a short description of the code below it.

The experience I had with this cheapy scanner wasn't nearly as good. The scanner's display is only able to accomodate maybe 6-7 characters, 1 line only. When I plugged the scanner into the OBD port in and pressed the 'read' button, it displayed '1' then '2' then '3'. This was the scanner's way of telling me I had 3 codes but the manual didn't mention anything about that. In fact, if I hadn't known my codes beforehand I would have been totally confused.

And that's the moral of the story. This scanner may be cheap but its confusing. Here's more evidence this cheapy scanner is confusing:

1) the scanner doesn't tell you its a 'P' code (important because not all OBD codes begin with P). The Actron told me I had a P0441 code while this scanner told me I had a 0441 code (no P). That's a big deal when you're stressing over what's causing your CEL (a person wants as much clarity as possible in such a distressing situation).

2) This cheapy scanner only gave me as codes '0441' then '0446'. That's it. Had I not gone to the mechanic beforehand I would have never known I had **two** P0441 codes.

Also, this cheapy scanner obviously doesn't give any discription for the codes (the manual does have some pages on it though).

Don't go cheap on an OBD scanner. I plan on returning this scanner and buying an Actron CP9135 instead.

Edit: BTW, this cheapy scanner did clear my CEL so it did its job in that respect.

O2 Sensors, etc
Unit works great to find the code and erase. You can see if it repeats or if it was a temporary check engine light.

Good but missing current protocol
I've had this unit for a few years and its worked with my 2003 Mazda MPV. We sold the MPV and bought a 2007 Toyota Sienna and this unit won't work with the Sienna.

Apparently there is a newer OBDII protocol called CAN (Controller Area Network) which my U380 does not support.

Otherwise, a good very basic unit. Nothing fancy and the interface is a bit clunky but it did the job and pulled the codes.