How to Use a Scan Tool There are countless scan tools on the market today. Some are available from major retailers for less than $30, while other, professional-grade offerings can cost thousands.

A quick scan will reveal what current (and/or past) codes the vehicle has had. Once the data is available, it’s up to the user to decide how deep they want to go into details.

A quick way to precisely diagnose myriad automotive problems—or at the very least get a rough idea of what might be wrong—is to use an automotive scan tool.