OTC - Stinger OBDII Scanner Review

I work on my own cars and eventually needed a means of reading the on-board computer that stores trouble codes. Since 1996, all cars sold in the US have a technology called Onboard Diagnostics II (or OBDII), which keeps track of malfunctions throughout the car. When your car's computer senses a malfunction, it triggers the "Check Engine" light on the dashboard. Depending on the nature of the trouble code, you can either ignore it or get it fixed -- some problems are harmless and some demand immediate attention. To read the trouble codes, you will need a gizmo called an OBDII scanner. The one I bought is the OTC Stinger (model number 3769), which cost me around $120.

The Stinger is easy to use. It comes with a cable that connects to any car's OBDII connector. It takes no batteries and is powered by the car to which it is connected. Once connected, turn the car's ignition on (but don't start it) and press the "Link" button on the Stinger. If there is more than than one trouble code, you can step through them by pressing the down-arrow button on the lower left. Holding in the "Erase" button will erase the trouble code and turn off the "Check Engine" light.

In use, the OTC Stinger has been mostly simple, although the screen shows a lot of information. It's best to keep the manual handy and open to the section on reading trouble codes. The good news is that the manual is excellent and has lots of useful information. At the rear of the manual is an explanation of all the trouble codes, which comes in handy when troubleshooting car problems.

Since I've had my Stinger, I've used it to read the OBDII codes in my cars and the cars of friends. It has helped me troubleshoot complex problems that I could not have figured out any other way. The Stinger from OTC is not the cheapest OBDII scanner out there (you can get something at Wal-Mart for $70) but it has worked well for me. I recommend the OTC Stinger (model 3769) OBDII scanner.