OBD Store – BMW Inpa DIS GT1 Tools
OBD stand’s for On-Board Diagnostics and it was first implemented on a Volkswagen in 1969. A vehicle equipped with OBD is capable of self-diagnostic and reporting capability. The system reports to the mechanic or owner the health of the car usually through a MIL lamp. MIL stand for “malfunction indicator light” or “check engine light”. If in the beginning OBD system was not standardized, since 1999, with the implementation of OBDII, the communication was standardized and a series of trouble codes where introduced (DTCs) to reduce the time and the work needed to identify car troubleshooting problems. Initially OBD was created to reduce car emissions but now this system does a lot more then that, it can tell you the status of the engine, airbags, ABS, and all that is electronic controlled and monitored in your car. The OBD diagnostic trouble codes are composed of 4 digits followed by a letter U for network, B for body, C for chassis and P for transmission and engine. New OBD car diagnostics tools since 2008 are also designed to be compatible with CAN comunication standard. OBD scan tools can be of two types:
- The first type is the stand alone OBD diagnostic tools or hand-held scan tools which are more expensive then the others but are more portable and don’t need additional software to run ;
- Type two is the PC-based OBD diagnostic tools which are commonly composed of a cable (usually with USB and serial standard), a CD with the software and sometimes with a data convertor all connected to a PC or laptop.
OBD codes are generally of two types:
- Type A are the trouble codes that are triggered the first time an event occurs and they are more serious then the other;
- Type A are the trouble codes that are triggered when an event occurs more then one time and they are less serious then type A codes.
In hand-held tools the OBD software is included in the tool and you have to be very careful when you buy one, let’s say a OBDII scanner, because it has to be compatible with CAN standard (since 2008 all new cars in North America switch over CAN standard). A good indicator when buying an OBD2 reader is to ask for the year when the model was designed. For now our OBD Store can offer you only one OBD auto diagnostic tool: BMW Inpa USB OBD Ediabas DIS SSS GT1 Diagnostic cable. This is a great PC-based diagnostic tool very easy to install and use for BMW models starting from 1998 up to 2007.