Top 5 compared
The best OBD2 scanners
Find out in a couple of minutes why the check engine light is on, before booking the mechanic.
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The top 5 at a glance
An OBD2 scanner plugs into the 16-pin port under the dashboard and reads the fault codes the car’s computer stores when the check engine light comes on. Almost every gas car and light truck sold in Canada since the late 1990s has the port. Basic code readers show and clear the codes; a step up adds live data graphs and tests on parts such as the O2 sensors.
The scanners here are handhelds with their own screen and cable, powered by the car, so there’s nothing to charge and no phone needed; Bluetooth plugs that work through an app are a separate kind. They read engine and emissions faults only, so an airbag or ABS light needs another tool. Clearing a code turns the light off but fixes nothing: if the fault’s still there, it comes back.
What matters
- Code definitions on the screen, so there’s nothing to look up.
- A backlit or colour screen, easier to read under the dash.
- Live data, to watch the sensors while the engine runs.
#1VDIAGTOOL VD10 OBD2 Code Reader
$30–$50
Maker-specific engine codes alongside the generic ones, pending codes included, each looked up in a built-in library of more than 3,000, so a check engine light comes with an explanation. It shows live sensor data and the freeze frame too, and it’s small enough to live in the glove box.
What owners say: It handles everything owners needed and more, and plugging it in is about all it takes: it tells them the code and finds it quickly. Several are surprised how much it does for a small reader.
A closer look: Its two-line screen is backlit with adjustable contrast, which helps under a dark dashboard. It also reads out the car’s VIN and calibration IDs, a useful check that the engine computer matches the car when buying used.
- Reads pending codes too
- Library of 3,000+ codes
- Shows conditions when fault appeared
- Shows VIN for used-car checks
- Adjustable screen contrast
Best for: Finding out why the light is on
- Screen
- 5.3 cm (2.1 in), 2 lines, backlit
- Reads
- Engine and emissions
- Live data
- Yes
- Code meanings shown
- Yes
- Battery test
- No
- Menu languages
- 8, incl. French
#2ANCEL AD310 OBD2 Code Reader
$30–$50
A reader that keeps things simple: it reads and clears engine codes with a short definition of each, and shows live data and the freeze-frame snapshot taken when the fault appeared. It draws power from the port through a thick 76 cm (2.5 ft) cable, so there’s nothing to charge.
What owners say: Accurate and very easy to figure out, owners say, and it’s pleasingly small; it reads the code, then clears it once the repair’s done. Compatibility across makes is where opinions vary.
A closer look: Plug it in with the engine off, then turn the key to on when the screen asks. Look at the freeze frame before clearing anything: it’s the car’s record of speed, temperature and load at the moment the fault was stored, and it often says more than the code on its own.
- Powered by the port
- 76 cm (2.5 ft) cable
- Shows conditions when fault appeared
- Emissions test readiness check
Best for: A quick read before the garage
- Screen
- 6.1 cm (2.4 in), backlit
- Reads
- Engine and emissions
- Live data
- Yes
- Code meanings shown
- Yes
- Battery test
- No
- Menu languages
- English (others not listed)
#3LeeKooLuu LK11 OBD2 Code Reader (V309)
$20–$30
It does more than read a code: it looks up what each code means, clears the warning light, shows live data such as coolant temperature and road speed, and keeps the freeze frame from the moment the fault was stored. It needs no batteries or app.
What owners say: It does what it needs to with no fuss, owners say: the menus are easy to find your way around, and it reads and clears codes without any confusion. The build quality comes in for praise too, and no complaint comes up often.
A closer look: With no batteries to run down, it can ride along in the door pocket until the day a light comes on. Scroll to the live data with the engine idling and watch the coolant temperature climb as it warms up, a quick look at whether the engine is reaching its normal heat.
- Needs no batteries or app
- Shows conditions when fault appeared
- Emissions test readiness check
- Extra-thick cable insulation
Best for: Kept in the car, just in case
- Screen
- Size and backlight not stated
- Reads
- Engine and emissions
- Live data
- Yes
- Code meanings shown
- Yes
- Battery test
- No
- Menu languages
- Several, incl. English and Spanish
#4MOTOPOWER MP69033 OBD2 Scanner and Code Reader
$20–$30
Plug it in, turn the ignition on, and it shows the fault code with its meaning from a built-in library, then clears it once the job’s done. The 7.1 cm (2.8 in) backlit screen can draw live data as a curve, from engine speed to coolant temperature, and two of its six buttons jump straight to the codes and the VIN.
What owners say: Owners call it an excellent little device and about as straightforward as these get. How well it recognizes codes, and which cars it works with, are where the reviews split.
Heads up: MOTOPOWER’s compatibility list names Subarus sold in the United States from 2011 on, so check your own model against it before buying.
A closer look: The codes come up with just the ignition on; start the engine to watch the live data. The curve view earns its keep on a sensor that only misbehaves once the engine is warm, since a single reading can miss it.
- VIN and code shortcut buttons
- Codes with just ignition on
- Fault snapshot, emissions test readiness
- Adjustable screen contrast
Best for: Live data on a bigger screen
- Screen
- 7.1 cm (2.8 in), backlit
- Reads
- Engine and emissions
- Live data
- With graphs
- Code meanings shown
- Yes
- Battery test
- No
- Menu languages
- 6, incl. French
#5ANCEL AD530 OBD2 Scanner with Battery Test
$75–$100
More than a code reader: a 7.1 cm (2.8 in) colour screen that graphs live data, O2 sensor and EVAP system tests, and a battery test as well, handy when a car is slow to start. It plugs in and runs from the port, with no batteries to fit.
What owners say: The trouble codes read out clearly, owners say, and they rate the battery test highly, along with how accurate it is. The instructions and the software updates get mixed marks.
A closer look: Press the “i” key on any code for a plain explanation and ANCEL’s repair suggestions on the screen, with no searching online. Updates are free for life but install from ANCEL’s website through a Windows PC, so a Mac household will need to borrow one.
- Oxygen sensor and fuel-vapour tests
- “i” key shows repair tips
- Free updates via Windows PC
- Runs from the port
Best for: Battery checks and deeper tests
- Screen
- 7.1 cm (2.8 in), colour
- Reads
- Engine and emissions
- Live data
- With graphs
- Code meanings shown
- Yes
- Battery test
- Voltage check
- Menu languages
- 16, incl. French
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1VDIAGTOOL VD10 | #2ANCEL AD310 | #3LeeKooLuu LK11 | #4MOTOPOWER MP69033 | #5ANCEL AD530 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Best with battery test | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 | $20–$30 | $75–$100 |
| Screen | 5.3 cm (2.1 in), 2 lines, backlit | 6.1 cm (2.4 in), backlit | Size and backlight not stated | 7.1 cm (2.8 in), backlit | 7.1 cm (2.8 in), colour |
| Reads | Engine and emissions | Engine and emissions | Engine and emissions | Engine and emissions | Engine and emissions |
| Live data | Yes | Yes | Yes | With graphs | With graphs |
| Code meanings shown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery test | No | No | No | No | Voltage check |
| Menu languages | 8, incl. French | English (others not listed) | Several, incl. English and Spanish | 6, incl. French | 16, incl. French |
| Best for | Finding out why the light is on | A quick read before the garage | Kept in the car, just in case | Live data on a bigger screen | Battery checks and deeper tests |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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