Performance Tool MaxiScan MS300 User manual

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CONTENTS
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND WARNINGS.......................................................... 1
1GENERAL INFORMATION ...................................................................... 2
ON-BOARD-DIAGNOSTICS (OBD) II............................................................... 2
DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) .......................................................... 2
LOCATION OF THE DATA LINK CONNECTOR (DLC)............................................ 3
OBDII READINESS MONITORS ..................................................................... 3
OBDII MONITOR READINESS STATUS............................................................ 4
OBDII TERMINOLOGY................................................................................. 5
2PRODUCT INFORMATION...................................................................... 7
TOOL DESCRIPTION .................................................................................... 7
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................... 7
PRODUCT FEATURES................................................................................... 8
VEHICLE COVERAGE ................................................................................... 8
3OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS................................................................10
READ CODES:...........................................................................................10
ERASE CODES ..........................................................................................12
RETRIEVEI/MREADINESS STATUS...............................................................13
VIEW VIN NUMBER ....................................................................................14
RESCAN DATA...........................................................................................15
4DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) DEFINITIONS.............................16

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Safety Precautions and Warnings
To prevent personal injury or damage to vehicles and/or the Scan Tool, read
this instruction manual first and observe the following safety precautions at
a minimum whenever working on a vehicle:
Always perform automotive testing in a safe environment.
Wear safety eye protection that meets ANSI standards.
Keep clothing, hair, hands, tools, test equipment, etc., away from all
moving or hot engine parts.
Operate the vehicle in a well-ventilated work area; Exhaust gases are
poisonous.
Put blocks on drive wheels and never leave vehicle unattended while
running tests.
Use extreme caution when working around the ignition coil, distributor
cap, ignition wires and spark plugs. These components create
hazardous voltages when the engine is running.
Put transmission in PARK (for automatic transmission) or NEUTRAL
(for manual transmission) and make sure the parking brake is engaged.
Keep a fire extinguisher suitable for gasoline/chemical/ electrical fires
nearby.
Don’t connect or disconnect any test equipment with ignition on or
engine running.
Keep the Scan Tool dry, clean and free from oil, water and grease. Use
a mild detergent on a clean cloth to clean the outside of the Scan Tool,
when necessary.

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1 General Information
On-Board-Diagnostics (OBD) II
The first generation of On-Board Diagnostic (called OBD I), was developed
by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) and implemented in 1988 to
monitor some of the emission control components on vehicles. As
technology evolved and the desire to improve the OBD I system increased,
a new generation of On-Board Diagnostics system was developed. This
second generation of On-Board Diagnostic regulations is called "OBD II".
The OBD II system is designed to monitor emission control systems and
key engine components by performing either continuous or periodic tests of
specific components and vehicle conditions. When a problem is detected,
the OBD II system turns on a warning lamp (MIL) on the vehicle instrument
panel to alert the driver typically by the phrase of “Check Engine” or
“Service Engine Soon”. The system will also store important information
about the detected malfunction so that a technician can accurately find and
fix the problem. Here below follow three pieces of such valuable information:
Whether the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is commanded ‘on’or ‘off’;
Which, if any, Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) are stored;
Readiness Monitor status.
Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs)
OBD II Diagnostic Trouble Codes are codes that are stored by the on-board
computer diagnostic system in response to a problem found in the vehicle.
These codes identify a particular problem area and are intended to provide
you with a guide as to where a fault might be occurring within a vehicle.
OBD II Diagnostic Trouble Codes consist of a five-digit alphanumeric code.
The first character, a letter, identifies the control system which sets the code.
The other four characters, all numbers, provide additional information on
where the DTC originated and the operating conditions that caused it to set.
Here below is an example to illustrate the structure of the digits:

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Location of the Data Link Connector (DLC)
The DLC (Data Link Connector or Diagnostic Link Connector) is the
standardized 16-cavity connector where diagnostic scan tools interface with
the vehicle’s on-board computer. The DLC is usually located 12 inches
from the center of the instrument panel (dash), under or around the driver’s
side for most vehicles. For some Asian and European vehicles, the DLC is
located behind the ashtray and the ashtray must be removed to access the
connector. Refer to the vehicle’s service manual for the location if the DLC
cannot be found.
OBD II Readiness Monitors
An important part of a vehicle’s OBDII system is the Readiness monitors,
which are indicators used to find out if all of the emissions components have
been evaluated by the OBD II system. They are running periodic tests on
specific systems and components to ensure that they are performing within
allowable limits.
Currently, there are eleven OBD II Readiness Monitors (or I/M Monitors)
defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Not all
monitors are supported by all vehicles and the exact number of monitors in

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any vehicle depends on the motor vehicle manufacturer’s emissions control
strategy.
Continuous Monitors –some of the vehicle components or systems are
continuously tested by the vehicle’s OBDII system, while others are tested
only under specific vehicle operating conditions. The continuously
monitored components listed below are always ready:
1. Misfire
2. Fuel System
3. Comprehensive Components (CCM)
Once the vehicle is running, the OBDII system is continuously checking the
above components, monitoring key engine sensors, watching for engine
misfire, and monitoring fuel demands.
Non-Continuous Monitors –unlike the continuous monitors, many
emissions and engine system components require the vehicle to be
operated under specific conditions before the monitor is ready. These
monitors are termed non-continuous monitors and are listed below:
1. EGR System
2. O2 Sensors
3. Catalyst
4. Evaporative System
5. O2 Sensor Heater
6. Secondary air
7. Heated Catalyst
8. A/C system
OBD II Monitor Readiness Status
OBDII systems must indicate whether or not the vehicle’s PCM’s monitor
system has completed testing on each component. Components that have
been tested will be reported as “Ready”, or “Complete”, meaning they have
been tested by the OBDII system. The purpose of recording readiness
status is to allow inspectors to determine if the vehicle’s OBDII system has
tested all the components and/or systems.
The powertrain control module (PCM) sets a monitor to “Ready”or
“Complete” after an appropriate drive cycle has been performed. The drive
cycle that enables a monitor and sets readiness codes to “ready”varies for
each individual monitor. Once a monitor is set as “Ready”or “Complete”, it

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will remain in this state. A number of factors, including erasing of diagnostic
trouble codes (DTCs) with a scan tool or a disconnected battery, can result
in Readiness Monitors being set to “not ready”. Since the three continuous
monitors are constantly evaluating, they will be reported as “Ready” all of
the time. If testing of a particular supported non-continuous monitor has not
been completed, the monitor status will be reported as “Not Complete” or
“Not Ready.”
In order for the OBD monitor system to become ready, the vehicle should
be driven under a variety of normal operating conditions. These operating
conditions may include a mix of highway driving and stop and go, city type
driving, and at least one overnight-off period. For specific information on
getting your vehicle’s OBD monitor system ready, please consult your
vehicle owner’s manual.
OBD II Terminology
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) –OBDII terminology for the on-board
computer that controls engine and drive train.
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) –Malfunction Indicator Light (Service
Engine Soon, Check Engine) is a term used for the light on the instrument
panel. It is to alert the driver and/or the repair technician that there is a
problem with one or more of vehicle's systems and may cause emissions to
exceed federal standards. If the MIL illuminates with a steady light, it
indicates that a problem has been detected and the vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible. Under certain conditions, the dashboard light
will blink or flash. This indicates a severe problem and flashing is intended
to discourage vehicle operation. The vehicle on-board diagnostic system
can not turn the MIL off until the necessary repairs are completed or the
condition no longer exists.
DTC –Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) that identifies which section of the
emission control system has malfunctioned.
Enabling criteria –also termed Enabling Conditions. They are the vehicle-
specific events or conditions that must occur within the engine before the
various monitors will set, or run. Some monitors require the vehicle to follow
a prescribed “drive cycle” routine as part of the enabling criteria. Drive
cycles vary among vehicles and for each monitor in any particular vehicle.

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OBDII Drive Cycle –a specific mode of vehicle operation that provides
conditions required to set all the readiness monitors applicable to the
vehicle to the “Ready” condition. The purpose of completing an OBD II drive
cycle is to force the vehicle to run its onboard diagnostics. Some form of a
drive cycle needs to be performed after DTCs have been erased from the
PCM’s memory or after the battery has been disconnected. Running
through a vehicle’s complete drive cycle will “set” the readiness monitors so
that future faults can be detected. Drive cycles vary depending on the
vehicle and the monitor that needs to be reset. For vehicle specific drive
cycle, consult the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual.

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2 Product Information
Tool Description
1. LCD DISPLAY –indicates test results. It is a backlit 2-line display
with 8 characters on each line.
2. ENTER BUTTON –confirms a selection (or action) from a menu list,
or returns to the main menu.
3. SCROLL BUTTON –scrolls through menu items or cancel an
operation.
4. OBD II CONNECTOR –connects the Code Scanner to the
vehicle’s Data Link Connector (DLC).
Product Specifications
1) Display: backlit LCD, 2 lines, 8 characters each
2) Operating Temperature:0to 50°C (32 to 122 F°)
3) Storage Temperature:-20 to 70°C (-4 to 158 F°)
4) Power:DC12Vprovided via the vehicle’s battery
5) Dimensions:
Length: 113 mm (4.4”)Width: 74 mm (2.9”) Height: 21 mm (0.83”)

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6) Weight: 250g (8.9 oz)
Product Features
Works with all 1996 and newer cars & light trucks that are OBD II
compliant (including the CAN, VPW, PWM, ISO and KWP 2000
protocols)
Reads and clears generic and manufacturer specific Diagnostic
Trouble Codes (DTCs) and turns off check engine light
Supports multiple trouble code requests: generic codes, pending codes
and manufacturer’s specific codes
Reviews the emission readiness status of OBD monitors
Retrieves VIN (Vehicle Identification No.) on 2002 and newer vehicles
that support Mode 9
Determines the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) status Easy to use with
one plug-in; Highly reliable and accurate Easy-to-read crystal-clear
backlit 2-line LCD display
Stand-alone unit with no need for an additional laptop computer to
operate
Small in size and conveniently fits in your palm
Safely communicates with the on-board computer
No batteries needed--powered via detachable OBD II cable
Vehicle Coverage
The MaxiScan OBD II Scan Tool is specially designed to work with all OBD
II compliant vehicles, including those equipped with the next-generation
protocol-Control Area Network (CAN). It is required by EPA that All 1996
and newer vehicles (cars and light trucks) sold in the United States must be
OBD II compliant and this includes all Domestic, Asian and European
vehicles.
A small number of 1994 and 1995 model year gasoline vehicles are OBD II
compliant. To verify if a 1994 or 1995 vehicle is OBD II compliant, check the
Vehicle Emissions Control Information (VECI) Label which is located under
the hood or by the radiator of most vehicles. If the vehicle is OBD II
compliant, the label will designate “OBD II Certified”. Additionally,
Government regulations mandate that all OBD II compliant vehicles must
have a “common” sixteen-pin Data Link Connector (DLC).

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For your vehicle to be OBD II compliant it must have a 16-pin DLC (Data
Link Connector) under the dash and the Vehicle Emission Control
Information Label must state that the vehicle is OBD II compliant.