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BAFX
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Foseal
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Big Banana
The 3 Most Affordable OBD2 Scanners for Nissan
My Three Favorite Picks:
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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for Android Phones ONLY - Wireless Bluetooth... | Buy on Amazon | ||
| 2 |
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Foseal Wifi OBD2 Scanner, Car Code Reader Check... |
$19.99 |
Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 |
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Big Banana BB600 OBD II CAN Diagnostic Auto... | Buy on Amazon |
Hello there! Vince from Scanneranswers to bring you another round up of awesome OBDII adapters. Our friends have been asking us about the best Nissan OBD2 scanner for the price, and those questions brought about this article. We originally wrote about this back in 2016 here (https://scanneranswers.com/the-best-obd2-scanners-for-nissan-vehicles/) but wanted to publish a more updated edition. Enjoy!
You can find a lot of Nissan OBD2 scanners in the market. So we decided to test a few OBDII scanners on a Nissan Altima and Pathfinder to find the 3 most affordable OBD-2 scanners for Nissan vehicles. We started with a list of about 7 scan tools and decided that no scanner should be above 50 bucks.
Top choices for the best Nissan OBD2 scanner with Reviews
So after a day in the shop, a few bloody knuckles, and some grease on our hands, we finally came to a conclusion on our 3 choices for OBDII adapters.
1. BAFX
Bluetooth wireless OBD-2 scanners are designed to work on both Android and Windows devices only, and the BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth is one of the best. It only costs less than (find it on Amazon), but it is a full-featured scan tool that can read and clear diagnostic trouble codes, including both manufacturer specific and generic trouble codes.
We plugged it in the OBDII port of our Nissan Pathfinder and fired up our Android smartphone. The trouble codes P0460 and P0462 popped up, confirming the fault with the fuel level sensor.
When we used the BAFX Products 34t5 on our Altima Coupe test car, the results were conclusive. The scan tool was able to read and diagnose the P0460 and P0461 trouble codes, which was caused by a misfire on cylinder #1.
Read more about our experience with the Bafx 34T5: Bafx Review
2. Foseal WiFi
The Foseal WIFI OBD2 Scanner is designed to work on both Android and Apple devices. Don’t confuse Wi-Fi scanners with Bluetooth scanners! If you want to use your Apple device to diagnose the check engine light on your vehicle, you need a Wi-Fi version instead of a wireless Bluetooth scan tool.
The Foseal WIFI OBD2 costs less than [amazon link="B00W0SDLRY" title="see price on Amazon"], which is ideal for anyone who wants to save a couple bucks. We used the Torque Pro app for Android to diagnose our Pathfinder. We found only 2 Diagnostic Trouble Codes; P0460 and P0461. We knew this had something to do with the fuel level sensor.
We hooked the Foseal up to our Altima Coupe and the DTC trouble code P0301 was diagnosed in no time at all, which is a misfire on cylinder #1.
You might be asking why the results between the Big Banana BB600 and the Foseal WIFI Scanner were a bit different, although they both pointed out the same trouble codes. We were using the free version of the Torque Pro app, but after upgrading, it started showing all 3 codes.
We wrote a full length Foseal OBD2 adapter review here
3. Big Banana
The Big Banana BB600 Code Reader is not a wireless scanner, but it trumps the competition because of two things: ease of use and price. It costs less than {see price}, and the easy-to-use interface with only 4 main buttons is designed for both beginners and expert mechanics.
This baby is compatible with all 1996 and newer vehicles, which includes the CAN-BUS protocol for newer cars. It also comes with a large backlit LCD screen, and it has the ability to display both generic and manufacturer specific codes.
We hooked up the Big Banana BB600 to our Nissan Pathfinder, not exactly knowing what we would find. Remember, the only indication of a malfunction is the presence of a check engine light on the console, because this Pathfinder seems to be working fine.
We were surprised to unearth 3 fault codes from the Pathfinder: P0460, P0461, and P0462. Using the on-screen code definitions feature of the Big Banana BB600, the trouble codes were all associated with the fuel level sensor circuit. P0460 is the trouble code for the fuel level sensor circuit, P0461 is for the fuel level sensor circuit performance, and P0462 is the trouble code for low input on the fuel level sensor circuit.
Visibly impressed by the results, we hooked up the Big Banana BB600 to our Altima Coupe test car. After about 30 seconds, our scan tool was able to detect 2 fault codes: P0300 and P0301. The first is a cylinder misfire on random cylinders, while the second is number 1 cylinder misfire detected. This is the reason why the Altima’s engine felt so asthmatic.
If you want to know more about the Big Banana and if it’s the right scan tool for you, check out a full review here
Our test subjects (Nissan pathfinder and Altima)
We needed a couple of Nissan test cars. Parked in our garage was a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder SUV and a 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Coupe.
The Pathfinder was driving fine, until you see the check engine light on the console. While there were no inherent problems with engine performance, we were itching to find the cause of the MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) before things get out of hand.
Here’s a friendly reminder: the very moment that the check engine light comes on, you need to pay attention even if you feel there is nothing wrong with your car. It could be anything! You should park the car safely and schedule a visit to either the dealership or to your favorite mechanic. Don’t wait until your car refuses to start or stalls in the middle of the road.
That is the old-fashioned way of doing things. But if you want to save some cash while learning more about the inner workings of your vehicle, you should get your own Nissan OBDII scanner. Modern scan tools are incredibly easy to use, and they can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars on your next repair job.
On the other hand, our Altima Coupe had obvious problems with engine performance. The idling is unstable, there is a lot of vibration from under the hood, and acceleration is mediocre. Compounded by the obvious presence of the check engine light, we were excited to find out the exact cause of the Altima’s engine problems.
We spent the whole day testing various OBD2 scan tools on our Nissans, and we came up with 3 of the most affordable scanners that you can buy today.
Final Thoughts
All of the 3 OBD2 Nissan scanners that we tested were affordable, effective, and easy to use. Personally, the Foseal was our favorite adapter because of it’s compatibility with Android and iPhone. However, if you don’t want to mess around with wireless connections, Android/iOs apps, and other shenanigans, maybe you’re better off going with the corded Big Banana. Some of our “purest auto mechanic” buddies won’t even touch the wireless scanners now-days 🙂
Anyway, as always, if you have any questions, comment below or contact us
Vince