Will a Scanner Work on My Car? A Compatibility Checklist
How to tell whether an OBD2 scanner will work on your car before you buy – model years, brands, security gateways, newer networks, hybrids and EVs, and each tool's coverage.
Almost every scanner will read something from your car. The real question is whether it will read the systems you care about – and that depends on your car’s year, brand and electronics. Run through these five checks before you buy.
Check 1: Is your car OBD2?
If your car was built for the US market as a 1996 or newer gasoline car, SUV, van or light truck, it has OBD2, and any scanner on this site will read its engine and emissions codes. A few more rules of thumb:
- Diesels: light-duty diesels followed shortly after. Some phone-based tools only support diesels from later years (FIXD, for example, lists 2008 and newer), so check if you drive one.
- Cars built for Canada, Europe or elsewhere: the rollout came later – around 1998 in Canada, and 2001 for gasoline and 2004 for diesel cars in Europe. A European-market import may be newer than you’d expect before it supports generic codes.
- Heavy-duty trucks (big work trucks, RVs on truck chassis, semis) often use a different standard and need a heavy-duty scanner.
- Pre-1996 cars use older, maker-specific systems (OBD1) that these scanners don’t read.
Not sure? The OBD2 port is a 16-pin, D-shaped socket, usually under the dashboard near your left knee. If it’s there and your car is 1996 or newer, you’re good for engine codes.
Check 2: Does it cover your brand for ABS, airbags and more?
Engine codes are standardised; everything else is brand-specific. ABS, airbag, transmission, body and climate modules each speak the carmaker’s own language, so a scanner has to support your make – and sometimes your model and year – to read them. This is the single most common surprise: a tool that “reads ABS and airbags” may only do so on certain brands.
Most makers publish a coverage list or checker on their own site. Before buying, look up your exact make, model and year there. See ABS, Airbag and Transmission Codes for which of our tools read which systems.
Check 3: Is it a 2018+ Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or Fiat?
Many 2018-and-newer FCA (now Stellantis) vehicles have a security gateway between the OBD2 port and the car’s computers. A scanner without gateway access can still read codes, but may be blocked from clearing them or running active tests. Tools that support it usually mention AutoAuth or Secure Gateway (SGW) access, sometimes through a free account you register.
Check 4: Is it a 2020+ GM or other very new vehicle?
Some newer vehicles – notably many 2020-and-newer GM models – use a faster network called CAN FD. Older scanners that don’t support it may fail to connect to some or all modules. If your car is very new, look for “CAN FD” in the tool’s specs.
Check 5: Is it a hybrid or electric vehicle?
- Hybrids have an engine, so engine and emissions codes work as normal. Hybrid battery and inverter data is brand-specific, if a tool reads it at all.
- Fully electric cars have no engine or emissions system to report on, so the generic OBD2 data most scanners rely on is thin. Some tools read brand-specific EV data on supported models – check the maker’s list for your exact car.
Coverage of the tools we review
Every tool below reads engine and emissions codes on 1996-and-newer US cars. “Beyond the engine” is where they differ:
| Scanner | Beyond the engine | Newer-car notes |
|---|---|---|
| ANCEL AD310 | Engine codes only | – |
| MOTOPOWER MP69033 | Engine codes only | – |
| FIXD Sensor | Engine codes only | Diesels from 2008 on |
| Innova 5210 | ABS (not airbags) | Limited on 2018+ Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram |
| BlueDriver Pro Next-Gen | ABS, airbag, TPMS, transmission on listed major makes | North American cars; some year limits |
| OBDLink MX+ | ABS, airbag, transmission, body on supported makes (Ford, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and others) | – |
| Foxwell NT604 Elite | Transmission, ABS, airbag on 60+ brands | – |
| LAUNCH CRP129E | Transmission, ABS, airbag on most makes | V3.0 adds CAN FD and Chrysler/Jeep gateway support |
| Innova 5610 | Every system; airbags on US and Asian makes | Limited on 2018+ Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram |
| OBDeleven 3 | Every system on VW Group, BMW/MINI, Toyota/Lexus and US-built Fords | Other makes: engine codes only |
| Autel MaxiCOM MK808S / MK808Z | Every system on 80+ makes | AutoAuth gateway access for 2018+ FCA |
| TOPDON ArtiDiag800 BT 2 | Every system on 80+ makes | CAN FD and Secure Gateway access |
“–” means the maker doesn’t call out these newer systems; check its coverage list if your car is a 2018+ FCA or 2020+ GM.
Tip: Write down your car’s make, model, year and engine before you shop, then check the maker’s coverage list for that exact combination. Two minutes there saves a return.
Ready to compare? Use the filters on the reviews page, or see all twelve side by side on the compare page.
More buyer’s guides
- How to Choose an OBD2 Scanner
- OBD2 Explained: What Your Check Engine Light Is Telling You
- Scanner Subscriptions and Update Fees: What Each Tool Really Costs
- Dongle, Handheld or Tablet: Which Scanner Style Fits You?
- ABS, Airbag and Transmission Codes: When a Code Reader Isn't Enough
- What Is a Bidirectional Scan Tool? Active Tests and Service Resets Explained