Plano, Texas — There is no guarantee that an unverified aftermarket tool will provide a fully accurate and comprehensive scan, no matter the vehicle’s age, according to the latest Rules Engine study from the asTech Institute.
asTech, a Repairify company, released its fifth Rules Engine case study on Tuesday, which draws data based on tens of thousands of Repairify-led vehicle scans against the active car parc. The company engaged in extensive research to identify which of the top aftermarket scan tools yield the same results as authentic OEM tools. Its technicians post-scanned a repaired 2017 Toyota Camry using the authentic factory scan tool and discovered two trouble codes within the Antilock Braking System, including one code related to traction control.
The test vehicles were then immediately scanned using leading aftermarket tools to compare the results to the scan from the authentic OEM tool.
The common convention is that most aftermarket scanning solutions should be able to identify all modules on a five-year-old Toyota Camry–one of the most popular vehicles on the road. But when one aftermarket tool brand, “Brand A”, was used to scan the same vehicle, it identified just one of the two trouble codes on the 2017 Toyota Camry’s ABS system,” explained asTech’s Case Study report.
“Even for vehicles as popular as the 2017 Camry, it is still possible for aftermarket tools to miss codes on some of the most common modules (like the ABS system) in circulation.”
The company said these results align with its 2016 Honda Civic case study and other prior case studies, proving that the age and popularity of a vehicle doesn’t matter.
“Without data to verify a scan’s accuracy, there is no guarantee that an aftermarket scan will match the performance of an authentic OEM Tool,” wrote the company. “To ensure a safe and proper repair, shops must utilize empirical data that verifies they’re choosing the correct tool scan for a particular vehicle.”
To learn more about the Rules Engine, visit the asTech, Driven by Repairify, at SEMA 2023, Booth #34193.
