# Auto - what advanced scan tool does this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2018, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730 "2018-01-16T02:39:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730/21 "2018-01-16T14:27:02Z")
Just to answer your original question as I interpreted it: A basic scan tool / app simply asks the car what it knows about its current state - it collects stored information. One way communication Third party tools (such as the SnapOn device mentioned) do the same and allow some limited updating / changing / querying. Limited two way communication. OEM tools allow access to the full range of options present in the vehicle’s control & command device. Full two way communication. The first is readily available at nominal cost to the public, the second available but generally much more expensive, and the third normally tightly controlled to limit use to dealerships. ---
**Author:** ![Willcross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Willcross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willcross)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730/22 "2018-01-16T16:49:35Z")
> [@Fantome](#): > > P2432. The part I needed: > > [2013 Volkswagen Jetta Secondary Air Injection Pump Hose - 07K131125E - Genuine Volkswagen Part](https://parts.vw.com/p/Volkswagen_2013_Jetta/PRESSURE-SENSOR-Secondary-Air-Injection-Pump-Hose--25-LITER-Connector-tube/49328853/07K131125E.html) > > The adviser on the phone told me the part was $169. I looked it up when we were speaking and I told him it’s $135 on VW’s website. He then told me that it must be from a different state. :dubious: He also quoted me a total of $663 for part plus replacement. It was after some investigating that I got that total down to $0. > Validation! 🙂 > > Thanks, Willcross. Do you remember what this program is called and if it’s something that is made available to everyone, or is it something the car manufacturers keep to themselves? We used an inhouse program called ODIS. But there are several aftermarket ones you can buy. The word you are looking for is “VAG com”. Short for Volkswagen Audi Group Communication. There are several aftermarket VAG com" options but I personally haven’t used any. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730/23 "2018-01-16T17:45:22Z")
Awesome! Thanks a lot, great info! ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730/24 "2018-01-16T19:18:43Z")
One of our work cars, older Impala I think, failed the emissions test for this reason. New battery and the code reader at the inspection station said one of the systems hadn’t reset. I Googled it and found that nothing can be done other than driving the car. With a bad inspection sticker. The only way to fix this is to drive the car but you can’t drive the car without risking a ticket. 200+ miles and it failed again - same thing. I saw a procedure on some web site like JoeyP describes but it said it may or may not work. Some people posted that they put more than 1000 miles on the car and it still wasn’t right. I find it amazing that there isn’t a simple fix for this. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730/25 "2018-01-16T19:41:52Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > I Googled it and found that nothing can be done other than driving the car. Same here when I Googled. But that doesn’t mean nothing can be done; another possibility is that it’s hard to find by Googling. > [@](#): > > I find it amazing that there isn’t a simple fix for this. Did you read all of the thread? The fix may not be “simple”, but having the right tools (see posts 19 and 20) makes it much simpler than doing all of the driving that you did and still not having it re-set. Posts 19 and 20 are referring to VW specifically, but I’m sure they exist for other makes as well. I can’t imagine that if a dealer mechanic trips a code, he can’t make it inspection ready without taking the car for a very long trip. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-what-advanced-scan-tool-does-this/806730.md?page=1)