My dad recently got a 2008 SLK200 for his birthday, and it’s been fantastic. However, the dreaded engine management light decided to appear. Of course, the first thought was to figure out what’s causing it. The car seems to drive perfectly fine, no rough idling or misfires, but that light is always concerning.
So, like many car owners facing a mysterious check engine light, I jumped online to find a budget-friendly diagnostic tool. The goal? To read those fault codes and hopefully clear them without breaking the bank. The market is flooded with options, and it’s tough to know where to start.
I’ve been looking at a few OBD2 scanners online, specifically for Mercedes-Benz, and I’m hoping for some advice from those with experience using these tools on Benz vehicles. Here are a few I’ve found on eBay:
- iCarsoft i980 Mercedes Benz Diagnostic Scanner: Around £100, this one seems feature-rich, claiming to cover systems beyond just the engine.
- Konnwei KW808 OBD2 Car Diagnostic Code Reader: A mid-range option at about £40, promising professional features.
- MaxiScan MS309 OBD2 Scanner: Very affordable at £19, but the description mentions limited module coverage.
- U480 OBD2 CAN BUS Fault Code Reader: The cheapest at only £13, raising questions about its capabilities.
The iCarsoft i980 looks impressive on paper, suggesting it can handle more than just basic engine codes, possibly including SRS and ABS. But is the extra cost justified for a home user? The MaxiScan MS309 clearly states it doesn’t cover airbag, DPF, ABS, gearbox or other modules, which is a bit limiting. I’m assuming the U480, being even cheaper, has similar limitations.
My main question is whether the Konnwei KW808, at £40, offers broader system coverage, specifically for clearing ABS/airbag faults, compared to the cheaper options. If it’s just a slightly fancier basic scanner, then maybe the cheaper options are sufficient for simple check engine light diagnosis.
Ultimately, I’m looking for a recommendation for a suitable and reasonably priced Benz Obd 2 Scan Tool that can at least read and clear engine fault codes, and ideally offer more comprehensive diagnostics for a 2008 Mercedes SLK200. Any insights or experiences with these scanners or other OBD2 scan tools for Mercedes would be greatly appreciated!
