Buying advice: Error code reader for older Legacy?

[Gaffa]

Well hello, those who are about to aid me. I am on the hunt for an error code reader, I never fiddled with those so the standards and all are difficult to overlook. I have on the one hand a 1999 Legacy that runs poorly and the check engine light flashes sometimes, I want to look into that. I also have a 2001 Impreza that didn't pass the yearly check due to check engine light and error code for bad camshaft position (was it P0340?). I want to just delete that error from its memory.

 

What should I buy? I guess I need both a code reader and adapters to connect it to these pre-2002 models. I found something online that seemed to be suitable but would require a Windows XP computer.... How do you even find such a laptop nowadays? I would like to be able to use either a Mac, a newer PC, or an Iphone. Doesn't really matter, anything but what I don't have (a PC running XP).

 

 

What can you recommend? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Brighton96]

Well to start off, pretty much all scanners/readers are able to do OBDII (which started in 1995) and only certain specialty readers can do OBDI which is pre-1995. With scanners, you get what you pay for, you can find tons of <$30 ones that will spit out the code and may be able to clear them too, but that's all they're going to be able to do. If you are going to actually use the thing in the future as a helpful tool, then I would look at getting one that's $100+ The one I use is $160? I think, and it gives me detailed descriptions of the codes, it also supplies me with active data on the car and can also do OBDI and OBDII. But I use it as a tool for my personal mechanic business so it's a worthwhile investment.

 

Honestly though, you aren't going to be able to delete the code without the shop knowing. A code for a main component like a crank sensor will not go away since it's a running code, which means it's constantly reading wrong. If the scanner does manage to clear the light, it'll probably come back almost immediately. Also when you clear codes, a stored code P1000 will show on the computer but won't show a CEL which indicates that codes were cleared, the shop will still see that when they plug their scanner into the car and will fail it.

 

My suggestion is to just buy the sensors instead. The crank sensors are less than $50 and take all of 10 mins to replace, just replace it instead of buying an equally expensive thing to try to hide it.

[Gaffa]

Thank You for your reply. Thing is the guy in the shop kinda recommended me to just delete the code since it could be leftovers from an engine misfire and not necessarily a bad sensor or something. But you may be right, replacing the sensor may be the logical first step. Still want a reader though because gadgets are fun..... and I want to to do some work on the legacy also.

[Brighton96]

Thank You for your reply. Thing is the guy in the shop kinda recommended me to just delete the code since it could be leftovers from an engine misfire and not necessarily a bad sensor or something. But you may be right, replacing the sensor may be the logical first step. Still want a reader though because gadgets are fun..... and I want to to do some work on the legacy also.

 

 

I gotcha, well with some states, clearing the code yourself is illegal (not that anyone actually cares) But you can also just clear the code by disconnecting the battery and leave it disconnected for 10 mins or so. That will reset everything so if the code was residual, it'll go away. If you want it as an actual tool to use now and in the future, get a good (pricey) one. Actron makes a couple nice ones, but there are tons of brands out there.

[Gaffa]

Thanks a lot for your input, I ended up getting a cheap one not from ebay but from a decent online store for like 100 USD. My intention was to spend a little more but after reading about protocols and technicalities until my head spun rapidly I just went "that might work".

 

This one is called Dibotech OBD-2 scanner. I've seen ones online that look identical called VAG so I guess it is a common chinese product sold with different labels on it. I hooked it up to the 2001 Impreza and it connected without issue and displayed the "old" code. I will order the sensors and replace them and then delete the code but for now I have only checked that it connects.

 

Buut: When I tried hooking it up to my trusty ol' Legacy it lit up, chewed through the different protocols for a while but could not connect, I tried a few times, checked the connector and cables and so on. Google told me to check all the fuses and they are all good. I read that on some Subarus the cigarette fuse needs to be good for the OBDII port to work. Regarding that, I did kill the lighter outlet years ago when I ran the living hell out of a 12V compressor with it and it has not worked since but the fuse is good with voltage on both sides. But since the scanner lights up it obviously has power so that should not be an issue I guess?

 

Is there any reason for this particular scanner to work on my old Legacy? The supported protocols in the device info reads like this:

 

ISO15765-4 (CAN)

 

ISO14230-4 (KWP2000)

 

ISO9141-2

 

SAE J1850 PWM (41.6 kbaud)

 

SAE J1850 VPW (10.4 kbaud)

 

 

 

ISO 15765-4 CAN (11 bit ID, 500 kbaud)

 

ISO 15765-4 CAN (29 bit ID, 500 kbaud)

 

ISO 15765-4 CAN (11 bit ID, 250 kbaud)

 

ISO 15765-4 CAN (29 bit ID, 250 kbaud)

 

ISO 14230-4 KWP (5 baud init, 10.4 kbaud)

 

ISO 14230-4 KWP (fast init, 10.4 kbaud)

 

ISO 9141-2 (5 baud init, 10.4 kbaud)

 

Should I return it and get another model or is there anything else I can try?

[Gaffa]

I checked the pin placement on the female connector on the car and I have metal pins in slots 4,5,7,11,12,13 and 16. This does not correspond with anything google has shown me...

[08SpecB_DE]

Make sure all fuses are good. If they are, try a different scan tool. Launch is a very well known brand as well as Autel and Innova. They should have lower end scanners that will read your car. Keep in mind, most professional scanners are $2k+ so a $300 scanner may sound expensive, but in reality it's on the lower end.

[Gaffa]

Well, hello again. It's been a while...

 

Sooo the situation is this: I eventually settled on the OBDkey and started working with that. It has not really worked well for me and it took me ages to finally connect to the car after fiddling with drivers, protocols, ports and so on. I managed to pull a couple error codes and eventually replaced an O2 sensor and the car ran MUCH better. Now the car has started acting up again and I just can't connect.... I was able to connect once at like the 67th attempt but was unable to run any program so something with the communication does not work, I really put tons of time and effort (since it's kinda fun too) into hacking my way forward with different computers and so on but it just won't work. And I'm not quite willing to give up either so I want to get myself a reader that is custom made for Subaru, the bluetooth OBDkey I got because I thought it would be useful in the future for other cars too.

 

But google does not help me here, what reader will work for me? My Legacy is a European 1999 model that runs the SSM1 protocol, the old one, through the regular OBDII connector. Which all-in-one reader can handle this? I feel kinda done with struggling with laptop connections so I feel a reader with a screen that I just chuck in the connector would be in order but the ones I see on Ebay and so on does not guarantee SSM1 compatibility.

 

I can settle for a USB-connected device and use a computer but the bluetooth stuff, need a little break from that.....

[RumbleRumble]

I bought this 8 years ago and it still works and does pretty much everything I need it to.

[bradlington]

I have a Subaru 2001 Legacy GX 2,5 .

 

 

I had bought several interfaces until I started reading some forums and decided to get on from OBD-365 webpage.Known sometimes as the Vagcom cable BUT has to have the right chip .(Esquire and they will confirm make and model to correct purchase.)

 

 

 

Since receiving the cable I am pleased to say I have not had any issues using the following programs on Windows 7 pref 64 bit :

1-Rom Raider

2-FreeSSM

3-ECUmem

4-ECUexplorer

 

 

The Subaru uses the K-line in our versions using Pin-7 .

 

 

I also got the Volo Performance VP15 to connect with a male and female USB connector so I can still monitor the OBD connector if I connect another cable .