DIY Car Stuff

My brain is too cold to come up with a good line \*hello\* message, so this will do.

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I asked in the r/MechanicAdvice about a car issue, and I want to know if the **Autobacks** in Japan also have the same feature that the commenter mentioned.

>DIYer advice: first scan the vehicle; any major auto parts store will scan your vehicle for free. There are some quality DIY scanners available for \~$100, BlueDriver & Autel are popular.

If not Autobacks, does anyone know of another chain repair shop that might do it? The device is a **Fault Diagnostic Machine Scan Tool,** and places like AutoZone typically do it for free in the US. But I don’t know about it here in Japan.

4 comments
  1. Hello.
    There are many shops that can scan your vehicle with an OBD diagnostic tool.
    Basically, scanning is possible at dealers, car supply stores, and privately owned maintenance shops that conduct vehicle inspections (usually every two years). Of course, AUTOBACS can also be carried out at any store that accepts vehicle inspections.
    Other famous chain stores include Yellow Hat, Haute Earl’s and James.

    The dealer is the most reliable, but I think that some expenses will be incurred just for the scan.

  2. Working on your own car isn’t really a thing in Japan. I’m not even sure I’ve seen an OBD2 scanner for sale at autobacs.

    But, they do have a garage. You can ask them to scan your codes for you. Whether they will do it for free or charge you a diagnostic fee is something you’d have to ask them about.

    Edit: I looked at your other post and you didn’t mention having any warning lights. If you don’t have any warning lights, scanning it won’t tell you what you want to know. You’re probably going to have to diagnose it the old fashioned.

  3. I had a quick look at your description of the problem. Bogging down at acceleration can be a variety of things (none of which will show up on a scanner). First thing to check is fuel. Change the fuel filter. If it’s easy enough to get at, put in a new fuel pump. They’re cheap and it won’t do any harm. Next test is to search for a vacuum leak. Get a butane torch and blow butane on the vacuum hoses. If the engine revs, you’ve got a vacuum leak. Change the suspect hose. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. You may get a flash, but it won’t do any damage if you put it out. If all this fails, try resetting the ECU. I don’t know about your car’s method but it’s usually pulling the battery and pressing the brake to drain the capacitors. This will force the car to relearn your driving style and may solve your issue though this is a major PITA so it’s not recommended. If you’re looking to get someone to scan your car, just get someone to diagnose the car. I know it sounds like giving up, but there’s a plethora of things that can cause sluggish acceleration and few of them are easy to find.

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