Car diagnostic guides: comparisons and how-tos

Guide

Start & Stop not working: causes and how to fix it

Your car no longer cuts out at the lights and you don't know whether it is a fault or the system has simply decided not to...

October 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Comparison

Autel, Topdon, Thinkcar, Carista or iCarsoft: which diagnostic tool to choose

There are dozens of diagnostic tool brands and nearly all of them promise the same thing. What separates them is how they connect, what they really...

October 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Comparison

OBDeleven, VCDS or iCarsoft VAWS V2.0: which for your VW, Audi, SEAT or Skoda?

If you drive a Volkswagen group car, you will have heard of OBDeleven and VCDS. They are good tools, but they don't do the same job...

October 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Comparison

Launch X431 or iCarsoft: differences and which to choose

Launch and iCarsoft both sell multi-brand diagnostic tools that, at first glance, do the same job. The big difference is what you pay after you have...

October 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Buying guide

iCarsoft models explained: i900, V1.0, V2.0, V3.0 and V4.0

iCarsoft has changed how it names its tools several times: first i900, then II and now V1.0, V2.0, V3.0 and V4.0. Here is what each one...

October 28, 2026 · 2 min read

Guide

iCarsoft CR Max review: is it worth buying?

It is our best-selling iCarsoft. We tell you straight what it does well, what it lacks and who should spend €499.99 on it.

October 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Comparison

iCarsoft CR Max vs CR Pro: which should you buy?

Both read every control unit on 58 makes. The difference is what they do next: the CR Pro reads, clears and handles basic servicing; the CR...

October 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Guide

FCA Secure Gateway: why your scanner reads but won't clear faults on Fiat, Jeep or Alfa Romeo

For a few years now, many Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and other FCA models have had a control unit that blocks commands from diagnostic tools. We...

October 28, 2026 · 2 min read

Buying guide

Which iCarsoft diagnostic tool is right for my car?

Find your make in the table to see the matching single-brand tool and the multi-brand tools that also cover it. Plus what to check if your...

October 28, 2026 · 2 min read

How-to

How to register a new battery with a diagnostic tool

On cars with stop-start, the control unit adjusts charging to the battery's age. Fit a new one without telling it and it will keep charging it...

October 28, 2026 · 2 min read

How-to

How to calibrate the steering angle sensor (SAS) with a diagnostic tool

After a wheel alignment or a new steering rack, the ESP light can come on because the car doesn't know where the centre of the steering...

October 28, 2026 · 2 min read

How-to

How to bleed the ABS with a diagnostic tool

If air has got into the ABS unit, a normal bleed won't do. The diagnostic tool opens the valves and runs the pump to push it...

October 28, 2026 · 3 min read