Customer Reviews

INNOVA 3030 Diagnostic Code Reader for OBDII Vehicles

5 star:		(178)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

As a backyard mechanic I was frustrated with the new cars and the check engine light that results in a $60 charge to read at a garage. Now that the price of a reader is less than $80 it makes sense to try the Equus Innova 3030 car reader and I was happy I did. It works great and is easy to use but does have a minor problem I discovered. My Subaru would not communicate with the 3030. The tech support phone line was tied up, but they quickly responded to my email and sent me a new Innova 3030 with a new chip set. Apparently Subarus, Mazdas and Volkswagons tend to have a problem in communication and in this case require a newer chip set in the 3030 which apparently works on all brands (I checked my Honda and toyota OK), so if you have one of the former car brands ask for the newer chip set. The manual has one misprint and the key must be turned to on position before plugging the 3030 into the car. Tech support at the website was great and called back later. I had already saved $60 on reading my codes plus saved $80 labor by installing a failed sensor myself although I think many other codes require a shop manual to actually track down the problem part. In summary a great tool for backyard mechanics to read the codes, fix the car and turn off the check engine light.

Recently the "Check Engine" light illuminated on the dashboard of my 2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and I used this as an excuse to purchase a code reader. I chose the Equus 3030 based on price, richness of user interface, and sophistication of the company's website (Innova).

I was not looking for a high-end tool, with battery-backed up memory and an internal list of code descriptions. Ideally, I will seldom use this tool, and using the manual (or even better, the company's website) to look up codes works fine for me. So I have to write down the code on a piece of paper, and take that to my computer, rather than the unit remembering it for me. Plus, no batteries to go dead while the tool sits in my toolbox.

I did appreciate the extra indicators on the LCD display, and the Green/Yellow/Red LEDs for quickly checking the status of the system. Other inexpensive code readers have a single line of text displayed, with very little else, and you need to scroll around to get information. With the Equus 3030, icons are displayed to indicate which tests have run, or have not returned good status. Also, a count of codes, pending status, and the status of the check engine light are all displayed along with the code itself.

The CD included with the unit is designed for Windows users. However, it contains the manual in PDF form, plus an instructional video that played just fine on my Mac. I cannot comment on anything else on the CD, but it's certainly not required to use the tool. And as I mentioned, code lookup can easily be done on the Innova website, with the URL printed on the front of the tool. I have the hope that they will keep their database of trouble codes up-to-date, which is often better than software on a CD.

I was able to plug the tool in to my car's OBDII connector, turn on the ignition switch (without starting the engine), press the "link" button, and in seconds had a code displayed. I noted the code, and looked through the user manual. Unfortunately, they only list common codes in the user manual, and didn't have my code. So I typed it in to the search box on their web page and found that I had a fault in my #2 cylinder glowplug. It was a simple test to verify that (check the resistance of each plug), and indeed that was the fault. I have glow plugs on order, and will replace them myself on the weekend.

This device is cheaper than even having a mechanic look at my car these days. Even if I wasn't able to fix the problem myself, I feel more confident going to a mechanic if I have a good idea of what the problem is. The price I spent was well worth it to me, and now I have the tool in case similar issues come up in the future. With today's car electronics, there is no other reasonable way to diagnose trouble.

This is what it is and does what it does. It is a basic bare bones code reader (doesn't give you any live telemetry data) but has the advantage of being future proof. This is one of the most affordable code readers that works with the older On-Board Diagnostics (OBDII) and the newer Controller-area network (CAN or CAN-bus). CAN has been in use by some car manufacturers since the 1990's but as of 2008 all new cars sold in the U.S. are required to use CAN. Both protocols use the same type of connector on most cars. Even if you have a car that is OBDII don't be tempted to save a few bucks on an OBDII only reader; you're bound to have a CAN type car in the future.

It is well made, the LCD and status lights are highly readable and the controls are simple and easy to learn. Amazon is shipping the updated 3030a model that is virtually the same as the one pictured except for a slightly different button placement and a newer processor that apparently is more compatible with all car manufacturers.

I did my research and I don't think you'll find a better featured OBDII compliant code scanner for the money. Comes with complete instructions and a bonus CD with more information. It plugged right in and ran its diagnostics without any problems. This unit will probably pay for itself after one or two uses to check stored codes if your vehicle's MIL comes on. Even if you don't do the repairs yourself, you'll be in more of a position to know and understand what needs to be done when you take it in for service. Certainly less chance of being misled as well. Highly recommended. Obviously, before you buy, make sure you are buying it for use on OBDII compliant vehicle(s)-generally 1996 and later. Otherwise it won't do you any good.

A code reader is a must have item in your tool kit if you're going to do any automotive work. The Equus 3030 is an excellent low to mid-range OBDII code reader. I purchased this item for about $60 and I've used it to pull codes from Fords, GMs, and Saabs. The process is simple and straight-forward as outlined in the instruction booklet. It comes with a CD for Windows PCs. Mac users can use Bootcamp or some other emulator if they desire to peruse the CD. I myself didn't find the CD that useful. While the instruction booklet has explanations of the codes, I've found the best practice is to google the code(s) and you'll get a wealth of info as to meanings, causes, and how to fix the problem. Generally someone else has had the same problem and has posted a pretty good fix that can save you time and quite a bit of money.

Modern (post 1996) cars provide on-board diagnostic information. All car manufacturers use the format because it was mandated to make it easy to perform emissions tests.

The Equus Innova 3030 code reader retreives diagnostic codes from your car's engine and displays the error code(s) on its display. The 3030 does not need batteries either because it is powered by your car's battery via the OBDII port. You can then look up these codes in the manual or on the Equus website to get details of the problem. These codes enable you to determine what is wrong with the car and then take corrective measures. For example, if the code indicates a cylinder misfire and the spark plugs were recently changed, the cylinder misfire may indicate a bad spark plug. You can then change the spark plug for that cylinder.

This device will also clear the check engine light (CEL). This is useful when you have taken corrective measures, such as replacing a defective part, and you want to determine if you have solved the problem. Replace the defective part, clear the CEL, and run the car. If the CEL does not come on again, the problem is fixed. If the CEL comes on again, then the problem probably lies elsewhere so you might have to try replacing a different part.

This device is also useful for going to the auto mechanic armed with some knoweldge of the problem and will save you the cost of your mechanic having to plug in his much more expensive OBDII reader just so that he can make the same diagnosis.

The manual says not to turn on the car but I kept getting an error message when I plugged in the 3030 to my 08 Mazda with just the key in at the ACC position. However, once I started the car it worked fine, retreiving the error codes, displaying them, and allowing me to clear them. So if you get an error following the procedure in the manual, try turning the car on after you plug it in.

All in all, this is an excellent diagnostic code reader for the money. Highly reccomended.

I purchased this scanner and hooked it up to my Subaru 2002 forester. It didn't work. When I called the company, they immediately knew of the problem, and told me I would need to ship the code reader back to them to have the chip re-programmed. Best part is that they want me to pay the shipping! Innova should really recall all their 3030 scanners and fix them, or offer free shipping to have them reprogrammed. It might work for many other cars, but the Subaru is OBDII compliant, and the code reader should work out of the box.

If your car's yellow check engine light comes on, you have two choices:

1. Take your car to a mechanical
2. Try to fix the problem yourself

If you belong to the first category, why are you reading this?

If you belong to the second group, and you have a basic knowledge on car repair, read on.

All the new cars now have many sensors, it is basically impossible to fix your own car unless you have a OBD2 code reader. The reader will tell you what the problem is, but it will not tell you how to fix it.

The Equus 3030 is a good basic OBD2 code reader. I found it works perfectly on my 2002 Chrysler. I plug it in, it tells me the code, I look up the instruction manual, and I know what is the problem. In my case, it was code P0340 Camshaft Position Sensor. My next challenge is to figure out where the Camshaft Posistion Sensor is located. The company web site does not give instructions on how to fix the problem. After an hour of searching on the internet, I found a web page showing me a picture of where the sensor is located, what it looks like, and many other technical information about the system. The rest was easy, buying the sensor cost me $50 and took me an hour to install. Then I use the Equus 3030 to reset the OBD2 code and turn off my yellow check engine light.

I found the Equus 3030 to be an excellent unit for occassional users like you and me. The other more expensive units does have some more features, but they are really not needed for the weekend car mechanics. The unit is compact (remember you have to store this unit for a couple of years before you use it again), well constructed, and does what it said.

Some other users comments on incompatibility with Subaru and VW. I don't know if it is still a problem, but the comments are old, and I hope the company has fixed the problem.

I do recommend this unit to all of you who are occassional car repairman. This unit will save you money in car repair. Start saving by buying this unit and not the more expensive ones.

I purchased this for my 2006 S2000. I plugged it in and I received an error code. I called Equus tech support and I was told that it will not work on 06-07 cars and they are making a new chip for it so it will. It will not be ready for 3 months or so. He said - if could wait the 3 months, I could send it in to have it replaced. I guess if you have an older car it would work just fine. It's going back to Amazon....

I bought this tool because I have a 2002 dodge stratus that has some electrical problems and the check engine light is always coming on. Since it costs about 60 dollars at the dealer just to reset the check engine light this tool has already paid for itself since I have reset the light 5 times since I bought it. It is also very easy to use and the codes are detailed enough even for the weekend mechanic. This tool has also helped me identify 2 problems with my car that i was able to repair immedietly. This really was a good buy.