It’s always handy to have a fault code reader as an amateur or home mechanic, and for under £60, the Mucar CDE900 is pretty damn good.
What is it?
It’s an OBD2 fault code scanner/reader that works with the majority of vehicles produced after 1996 around the world. There are two versions, S and M. We tested the Small, which measures in at 21cm x 9.5cm x 3cm.
It runs on Android and has a 4-inch 720p touchscreen, 16GB of internal memory, a 1500 mAh battery and supports 16 languages. In addition, you can save fault codes directly to the device and even send them to a nearby printer.
Updates work via wifi, you can charge it via USB-C and OBD when plugged in, and there’s also a microSD card slot to give you extra storage.
For an extra $ 40 USD, you can purchase the complete 4 system diagnostic functions. This works forever once purchased and unlocks diagnosing Engine, Transmission, ABS and Airbag ECU fault codes. Without it, it will only diagnose engine faults.
How?
Connecting via a standard OBD2 port, you can read codes, clear codes, freeze frame data as it comes in and view the live data stream. You can also run EVAP system tests and O2 sensors tests, check the emissions system and even look up diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) by entering the code into the reader.
Specific components can also be tested if they have a remote test ability.
What’s it like?
Previously I’ve used a tiny handheld Foxwell OBD2 fault code reader identical to this OBD2 reader that’s currently on sale at Amazon. And while its little display does the job just fine and reads codes, it doesn’t update. So you’re kind of stuck when it comes to newer vehicles like our BMW i3.
It has saved me an absolute fortune, which is why I highly recommend any home mechanic has a fault code reader. For example, I got a check engine light last year on the trusty Peugeot 207. I was going to book it into the garage, but I thought I’d give the codes a check first.
The fault code came back, and after a quick google search, I’d narrowed it down to an injector. I then switched the injector from one cylinder to the other, and the fault moved with it. So I purchased four new injectors, installed them. Cleared the code, and it’s been fine ever since!
Back to the Mucar CDE900.
The blister packaging belies how good the Mucar actually is.
Firing it up for the first time, the screen is clear and bright. It detected our WIFI and connected straight away. Then there were around 100 updates that had to be downloaded; these are the latest codes for all manner of vehicle marques. Some I’d never even heard of.
It took about 30 minutes to download all of those.
The unit is encased in a thick rubbery, shock-absorbing material. There are directional buttons on the front with a large ‘back’ arrow and ‘ok’ flanking them. The power button is on the top right edge, and underneath a plastic cover at the bottom sits the USB-C charging port and the microSD expansion port, making it easy to increase its memory with a cheap and cheerful 32gb sd card.
Using the Mucar CDE900 is easy enough. Plug it into your OBD2 port in your car, it will then scan to see which ECUs it can find and report back on. If needed, you can erase directly from the home screen or delve into the different ECUs to see the faults.
If you find a fault, clicking on it will then take you to a Google search result (as long as you have WIFI of course) to tell you more about it – incredibly handy as you don’t have to get your phone out, type it in and search. Instead, it just does it with a single tap.
You can also view the live data from all the sensors, CO2, RPM, throttle position, fuel pressure…everything. The Mucar also gives you the ability to save this data, so you can go for a drive, record it and then compare it. Handy if you’ve changed a part and need to see if it’s made a difference.
The reader automatically read the VIN on a newer 2014 Peugeot RCZ R but didn’t pick up my older 207 from 2007. So I had to manually input the VIN, which can be a pain, but it should be automatic in most newer cars.
I picked up two faults with the reader, one on each car. I looked them up, and neither seemed serious. Both were intermittent too. So I cleared them down and will check again after a few outings. If they come back, I know there’s a problem, and I’ll have to look at replacing parts.
You can also email health check reports direct from the CDE900. This then sends a link to a PDF document. You can also print it to a wireless-enabled printer if required.
Mucar CDE900 conclusion
While a basic fault code reader can do wonders in saving time and money, they’re often limited to the database they hold and can’t be updated.
Having the Mucar CDE900 means you get regular updates to both the app and the database. It will read fault codes on almost every vehicle out there and makes it quick and easy to look up the issue by googling it for you with a simple tap.
Paying for the $40 USD upgrade is worth it to get full functionality for modern vehicles; take that into account with the low initial purchase price. However, you only pay an extra £33 or £34 at current exchange rates.
All the instructions are built in, with handy videos to guide you through how to run the diagnostics and clear errors.
Diagnostic time at garages can easily be £100-£200, and that’s just to figure out what’s wrong with your car before they fix it. Having an OBD reader like the Mucar CDE900 gives you the ability to find out what’s wrong and replace parts yourself – that’s all mechanics at car garages do.
Where can I get one?
Mucar sells exclusively through Amazon, and you can pick one up for yourself here.
