CarScan

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Fault codes, sensors and the tricks of diagnostics: what the codes mean, where to start checking and why a cheap adapter sometimes lets you down.

The fuel gauge lies: codes P0460, P0461, P0462, P0463
The fuel gauge lies: codes P0460, P0461, P0462, P0463
You filled the tank and the needle did not move — or it drops in jumps. Usually a stuck float in the tank, but there is an unpleasant consequence peop
6 September 20264 min
Cruise control gone: codes P0500, P0501, P0504, P0571
Cruise control gone: codes P0500, P0501, P0504, P0571
Cruise control stopped engaging, the speedometer froze or jumps, and the gearbox started shifting at the wrong moments. All of it is one sensor — or o
6 September 20264 min
Charging and voltage: P0560, P0561, P0620, P0621, P0622
Charging and voltage: P0560, P0561, P0620, P0621, P0622
The car starts every other time, the battery lamp flickers, and the list shows voltage and alternator codes. Here is how to tell a dead battery from a
6 September 20264 min
AdBlue and urea: codes P203B, P2047, P204F, P20EE
AdBlue and urea: codes P203B, P2047, P204F, P20EE
The dashboard shows «AdBlue» with a countdown in kilometres and the scanner returns a urea code. The countdown ends with the car refusing to start — a
6 September 20264 min
Lean and rich mixture: P2177, P2187, P2195 vs P0171
Lean and rich mixture: P2177, P2187, P2195 vs P0171
These codes do not merely say «the mixture is wrong» — they say where and when: at idle or under revs, on bank one or bank two. That detail cuts the s
6 September 20264 min
Fan, A/C and fuel pump relays: P0480, P0645, P0691
Fan, A/C and fuel pump relays: P0480, P0645, P0691
The fan runs non-stop, the air conditioning stopped switching on, or the car will not start — and the list shows relay codes. Almost always this is a
6 September 20264 min
Electronic throttle and pedal: P2119, P2122, P2138, P2110
Electronic throttle and pedal: P2119, P2122, P2138, P2110
Pedal to the floor and the car barely moves, refusing to go past two thousand rpm. That is what electronic throttle protection looks like — and nine t
6 September 20264 min
«Lost communication»: codes U0100, U0101, U0121, U0140
«Lost communication»: codes U0100, U0101, U0121, U0140
Everything lit up at once — check, ABS, stability — and the scanner returned codes starting with U. This is almost never fried electronics: usually a
6 September 20264 min
Oil pressure: codes P0520, P0521, P0522, P0523, P0524
Oil pressure: codes P0520, P0521, P0522, P0523, P0524
The red oil can lit up, or the scanner returned P0521 — and you have a second to decide whether the sensor is lying or the engine really has no pressu
6 September 20264 min