hello, glad to have found this site. i think i've already solved one problem my vehicle has been having.

one post i read got me thinking about something i've heard about here and there. this post

https://www.mazdaforum.com/m_30832/tm.htm

talks about getting codes from a diagnostic box. where do you get these? are they affordable? are they specific to a particular make or model, or range of model years? i recall hearing about software you can get which allows you to diags using personal computer.

any info/links would be appreciated.

 

Ah!A scan reader, or tool.
They seem to range from around $100 up, and are specific to any OBDII (On Board Diagnostic Interface, v2) equipped car... from 1996-8(?) upward. They standardized a system after the OBDI (On Board Diagnostic Interface) system turned out to be such a mess.

Even Small-Mart has a cheap version of them now for $100, butwould you want one from there? Personally if I were in the market I'd buy one form someone a little more knowledgeable and specific to cars than Wal-Mart.

I personally don't own one,but I think you have to have a list of codes specific to your car in order todecipher them.
I have heard of ones that are linkable through your computer to the Internet though.
'Don't know too much more about 'em.