Customer Reviews

Equus 3140 Innova Diagnostic Code Scanner for OBDI and OBDII Vehicles

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I've been working on cars a while now and I've used a few of these type of code readers/scanners (Snap-on and Mac) and I've found that this one does almost everything you would expect a pro model to do and a price that can't be beat. Shows everything you really need to know, the screen is very large and easy to read, the button layout is good, but can be confusing at first, there should have been an extra button or two as some of the controls do double or triple duty, you have to read the manual and have it on hand until you get used to the controls. I've used it right away to diagnose a problem in my late model truck and have plugged it in to a number of makes and models with great success. It's results are almost as detailed as say the Snap-on, but it costs 1/10 the price! The included software is nice, but not as full featured as it should be in saving data results. I highly recommend doing a firmware update to the unit, mine shipped with firmware 1.0 and the new firmware v2 adds some extra diagnostic functions, such as advanced DTC codes for some makes and updates the DTC code library in the unit, the unit seemed to read live data faster as well. Being able to read OBD I codes is a plus, but there are many limitations on the makes and models, a glaring omission is the lack of Nissan OBD I (Just because I own a older Nissan!). I do all my own repairs and would highly recommend this unit. The unit comes with two nylon cases, one for the unit, OBD II cable, manual and the other for pc serial cable and OBD I adapters and the cases zip together for easy transport. I do have one big complaint, this is 2007, who uses serial connectors anymore? my laptop does not even have one, I have to go out and buy a serial to USB2.0 adapter, it works well and the unit synced fine with my laptop with the adapter, but you would figure that they would have put the serial connector to rest by now.

i recently purchased a 3140 scanner and have found it works really well on obd2 vehicles but on obd1 it has some short falls i own a 93 dodge truck and it will flash out 4 codes through the check engine light but the scanner only retrieves 2 of them i also tried it on a 92 chevy astro van with a egr code the scanner did not retrieve that code either i emailed the companys tech support a couple weeks ago about it and still have got no reply figured this might help some people considering their purchase p.s.it does not work on a 95 grand am with a 3100

My 3140 arrived with PC_SOFTWARE 1.32, and FIRMWARE 1.01
To update:
Install the software from the CD onto your computer, connect the tool to the PC, and turn on the tool. A "USB Serial Adapter" such as Keyspan High Speed USB Serial Adapter ( USA-19HS ) makes this much easier.
Select "Update" from the PC software menu --- and it will say a PC_SOFTWARE update is available, but your hardware is "up to date".
Download the new PC software (17 mb file), install, and run it.
Hit "Update" again now, and it will say that a FIRMWARE update is available. Download the new 'BIN' file (2 mb), and install it in the tool as outlined in the directions.
Currently I have PC_SOFTWARE 1.33, and FIRMWARE 1.02

I bought this for use with several cars: 1994 Lincoln Mark VIII, 2002 Chevy Astro Van, 2007 Honda Civic, 1988 Ford Mustang, 2003 Toyota Avalon, and a 1997 Mitsubishi Montero. That represents a good mix of OBD I and OBD II cars.

I found the OBD I functions to be a VAST improvement over the single-make only units I had before. Since I stink at counting beeps and flashes, a lot of user error is eliminated. It is also nice that the OBD I adapters use a long cord, since some of my cars have the connector mounted under the hood, which makes some tests and troubleshooting difficult.

OBD II functions are just as cool as you would expect, but I have yet to use the recording function, but I imagine its cool. I know my buddy has an Actron that locks up from time to time, this one has not locked up on me yet. The all-at-once screen and backlighing features are fantastic.

The software is very nice. It is simple and easy to use. I use an old Gateway Pentium III laptop running Windows 98SE with 288Megs of RAM, and it works like a champ. I did not see any information at all on what the minimum requirements are, but most of you will be running something newer/more powerful than my machine. The laptop is so old that it has a real serial port on the back of it, so no USB adapter was needed. Those who need a USB-to-Serial cable might want to consider getting an old used laptop instead, since the one I use was less than $30 on an auction site.

Others are having problems upgrading their software and firmware, but I had no such issues. Once I had the software installed I was able to update the software to version 1.33, restart, then update the firmware to 1.02. The software install took a few minutes, but the firmware update took over 15 minutes.

I am also impressed with the packaging of the unit. It comes in a cardboard box with a built-in handle and colorful slipcover, and inside the box are two nylon zippered carry cases, both of which can be zippered together so you keep all the parts together. The build quality of all of the parts is top notch, and the MASSIVE (tri-lingual) manual is easy to read. I am disappointed that no paper manual is included for the software.

Overall I am very happy with this unit, and am looking forward to using all of the extra features that I haven't gotten to yet.

I rarely give the top (or bottom) rating for a product, but the Equus 3140 Innova Diagnostic Code Scanner earned top honors. It is exactly what I had hoped it would be after a great deal of research. I checked out several manufacturers and discounted most of them immediately, but went into greater depth on a few. First, I really liked Equus' chart that showed the capabilities of each model allowing me to easily chose the one I needed to get. No other manufacturer offered that. Second, I received exactly what was described. It read the data from the 91 Dodge and told me I installed the wrong thermostat a year ago (my interpretation) as the engine was consistently running colder than expected (who knew)? It read the data from a 2003 Mazda and told me that I had installed the new engine correctly as I had no reported problems and the 'live data' came up almost immediately, when requested and looked good. Last, I found the quality to be better than expected. The scanner was very well made, but the plugs and cables (which are most likely to take some knocks) were far more robust than I expected. They can take additional abuse that the lesser manufacturer's accessories would not.

The capabilities of this model are exceptional. I wasn't able to find any other manufacturer that claimed all of the same capabilities as this model and some of those were twice the price. It not only scans many older vehicles ('83-'95 - OBDl), but also includes Transmission codes which were not mentioned by any other manufacturer I researched, and I was looking. I have already found it extremely helpful and expect it to pay for itself many times over.

I bought this product to help troubleshoot codes on my 1994 Toyota Pickup, as well as other older and newer vehicles in my "fleet". Updating the firmware was a small issue because the unit has a COM port connector, and a 3rd party USB/COM adapter didn't work with my particular laptop (which only has USB). Fortunately, I had an old PC with a COM port, and the update process worked flawlessly on that. Took about two hours to update its firmware. Kind of an unusual update process. The PC software is badly designed from a user interface, but gets the job done. My unit shipped with 1.01 firmware. So, the first "check for updates" said to update the PC software. No problem, easy download and reinstall. Next, it said to update to firmware 1.02. No problem, took about 30 minutes. Then, I checked for updates again just to make sure I was all done, and was surprised that there was another PC update, so I downloaded and reinstalled that too. Finally, it wanted yet another firmware update to 1.03. Another 45 minutes or so went by. After that, everything was all perfect. The firmware updates show a status bar, so at least you have an idea of how long you're waiting. And it might not be a bad idea to disconnect the device and reset it between firmware updates (that's what I did). After each update, check the unit to make sure it reports the firmware version that you think you loaded onto it. I did all this before even connecting it to my pickup. My desire would be to have the PC sofware show a list of all available updates in a dialog box along with information about what they do (like Windows Update), and maybe estimated install times. Then, at least you would know what you're in for (two updates, three, four, etc.) I dislike interfaces that hide the entirety of a process, and prefer more visibility with software in general.

The unit comes with two equal sized zipper/nylon cases, which are a bit snug to fit all the cables in. The cable connectors are huge, much larger than the picture would lead you to believe. The cables take more room than the unit, so you're almost forced to put some cables in the case with the unit, which raises concerns about scratching its display. A blow molded hard plastic case would have been nicer, with a recess to protect the unit (I have one of those for my Fluke 87 DMM). Also, the OBDI cables connect to the "main" adapter cable, so it always seems like you have two cables ganged together, making it hard to stow things back into the cases. Not a major issue, just an annoyance. I try and keep the product manual in the case with the unit, along with its CD, and its COM cable.

Minor issues aside with the software and cases, this appears to be a fantastic unit. Fit and finish are excellent. The build quality and materials seem very nice. The unit feels solid and doesn't "creak" like some other plastic devices. Its cables have a nice rubber feel, very flexible yet tough. The cable connectors appear to be fairly durable hard plastic. The unit itself has a nice display, easy to read, comfortable rubber buttons that feel good and have a nice tactile feedback. Nicely designed. I think it even looks cool :) I can't say enough good things about the overall build quality. Far better than similar units at this price point that I have looked at. The whole product comes in a nice heavy white box with a full color sleeve and carrying handle, and all pieces are tucked into the two zipper cases.

I only used the unit on one vehicle so far (my 1994 Toyota Pickup with OBD1), and it worked flawlessly. It automatically detected two engine codes as well as displayed full text descriptions for them, so I knew exactly what was going on (I dislike counting blinking check-engine lights). It was easy to hook up to the vehicle, and the connector fit firmly. I couldn't be happier.

Since my Toyota is an older vehicle, I haven't tested the "live" features of the unit, or the PC reporting, or any of the much fancier OBD2 features that a person would normally buy the product for. And the unit doesn't work for all older vehicles, so be sure to check the online compatibility list. My pickup matches a 4Runner, so I determined that would be a good enough match. That may not be the case for other lookalike vehicle models, it was just a happy outcome in my situation.

Overall, an excellent product so far. Well built, nice looking, works well, priced right compared to other units, does OBD1 and OBD2. Four stars for all the good stuff. Better PC software and a nicer storage case would have earned a fifth star.

This machine will tell you your check engine light and give you live data for checking the components as they are transmitting their info. I use the the expensive model at work, quite frankly when it comes to hook up and code reading this machine is simpler and quicker. I realize the expensive model has the abs & body control features and can do a lot of other functions; but work on the side is mainly the "check engine" lights. The price on this computer from Amazon cannot be beat, for having this type of technology.

This scanner worked great for my Ford OBD 1 and IBD 2 vehicles and has already paid for itself. It seems to be well made and well designed. Although, it could use a few more buttons as some do double duty and it is hard to remember the sequences. Getting started took some time as the user's manual is hard to follow and full of acronyms that are never explained. If you have little experience with automotive computer lingo you may need some outside help. The scanner came with a CD that has PC software to communicate with the scanner to update the firmware. The CD or how to use it or how to install the software is never mentioned in the user's manual. My PC had problems communicating with the scanner so I called the Innova tech. support. When I told the technician the error code, his only suggestion was to try a different computer as he had never heard of "error 5". The "help" built into the software was no help for that (or much of anything else). Overall, I would rate the scanner as 8/10 and the manual/support 2/10 = 3 on the Amazon scale. I have been wrenching on cars for 35 years as a hobby and I am a professional electronics engineer by day so, I was able to muddle through and would buy this scanner again.

I purchased this unit for personal use. I have used it to trouble shoot problems on a 1993 Lincoln Towncar: It worked perfectly and correctly diagnosed the problem - EGR. I corrected the problem and cleared the code.
light has not returned. I had a little difficulty with 2 1995 Chevy Caprice's (Both OBD1)-one 4.3L and 5.7L the Tech support number was helpful and I was able to get it to pull up the SES Codes. (earlier year and different engine VIN code) TEch said it would not read an LT1 but I got it to pull codes. [EGR on one and driver's side O2 Sensor on the other - (Both correct diagnosis). I have also used to to read and clear codes on a 1996 Impala SS (Air Pump), and 2003 Silverado (EVAP System).
So far I am very happy with this units functionality and ease of use. It offered the broadest coverage and functionality of any unit in this price range. AMAZON.COM also had the best deal I could find anywhere = (Approx 1/2 of list$)

Got this unit yesterday. Worked on both my OBD1 vehicles (Toyota and Ford) just fine. I was impressed with the extra tests for the OBD1 ford EEC.

Just beware those that buy this product, check the compatability with your vehicles before purchase, and update the software on the code reader.

Purchase a usb to serial plug also