CP9180 Review
On my way to work one morning my 2004 Tacoma’s check engine light came on. No big deal, everything seemed normal. No driveability problems. Assuming that whatever was wrong would still be covered under the 5yr./60,000 drive train warranty I took Actron CP9180 back to my dealership. There I was informed that the problem probably would not be a warranty issue and the diagnostic charge would be $120.00 unless the fault was covered by the warranty. At this point I said go ahead and check it out. As it turned out it was a defective ECM (Engine Control Module)and would be replaced under warranty. The dealer ordered the part and a few days later it was replaced. End of story? Not quite. About a week later the check engine light came on again. Now I’m faced with another trip to the dealership and the possibility of spending $120.00 for the diagnostic check.
At that point I checked Amazon.com for code scanners and came across the Actron CP9180. The price was good and it seemed like it was very full featured, so I ordered it. I’m glad I did. The scanner said the fault this time was the #2 oxygen sensor (bad O2 sensor at about 15,000 miles?). Although I haven’t replaced said sensor at this time I was able to clear the fault code and thus turn of the check engine lamp. Sofar I’ve had no further malfunctions. It may have been a minor glitch due to the new ECM. But I am monitoring my fuel economy and general engine operation.
I must say the CP9180 is very easy to use. A nice feature is the ability to clear the fault codes and reset the check engine light. Other features allow the user to do real time monitoring of engine performance as the vehicle is driven and then download the data to your PC and print out this info best cialis prices via the USB cable that comes with the scanner. Although the Actron CP9180 is not cheap, all in all I think it’s money well spent. When you’re faced with diagnostic charges of $100.00 or more, a couple of these and this unit will have paid for itself and then some. Even though you may not do the repair work yourself it may prove helpful if you’re forearmed with a bit of knowledge before you take your vehicle to a repair facility. You’ll have some idea if the recommended repairs are legitimate or you’re being scammed. Also, if you have a couple of vehicles in the family that’s more potential savings.
I would definitely recommend this product. It’s easy to use, has plenty of features and can be used on OBD1 compliant vehicle as well, with the purchase of an optional cable. You can update the scanner’s software by going to Actron’s website and following the links (it’s easy-takes just a few minutes). A great product.
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