When your car develops a fault it can be a stressful time which offers more questions than answers. How much will this cost? Is it safe to drive? Is my car going to die? The products featured in this article should not only reduce the stress and uncertainty, but could save you time and money as well.
Thanks to Topdon, I’ve recently been able to get hands on with the AD600S scanner and TC004 Mini thermal camera to get real world experience.
AD600S – More Than Just A Code Reader
Granted, it’s likely this tool will spend most of its time scanning and reading fault codes, but there is a good chance you will be surprised with the versatility this small, but perfectly formed device offers. As well as being a code reader capable of supporting over 60 brands and over 10,000 different models of car, the AD600S is able to perform tasks such as service resets, ABS bleeds, TPMS reset, SAS reset, BMS reset, DPF reset, injector coding brake reset and ETS reset.
Priced at £219.99, the AD600S features a robust body in which a 5″ touchscreen and chunky, rubber buttons, ideal if you’re wearing gloves. Yes, some may find the touchscreen on the small side, especially in today’s world where screen size monopoly is big business. However, it’s worth noting that the AD600S is not the largest offering Topdon makes bigger scanners, if desired.
The scanner is powered by Android 11, making it easy to pick up and use, even if you’re not completely au fait with diagnostic scanners. Indeed, for me, whom has limited experience with scanners, I found it pretty easy straight out of the box to use. Plugging it in to my SEAT Leon Cupra to code scan an engine management light was a doddle and another great feature is that it uses auto VIN to pick up your vehicle efficiently. Although there is a subscription fee (this is common, not just for Topdon), updates are free for life, plus there is also a free trial.
Scanning the car was a straight forward process and I was quickly able to retrieve the fault codes, which were related to a misfire and MAF (Mass Air Flow) – I had disconnected an ignition coil and the MAF sensor. Once the issues were rectified clearing the fault codes was extremely easy, and quick.
Not Just For DIYers
It’s not just the hobbyist mechanic that the AD600S will be useful for. Seeing as I work in a car repair garage that specialises in diagnostics, I handed the device to one of the technicians, Jake, for a few days to see what an actual professional thinks of it. I was very interested to hear his thoughts as he has access to several scanners and has a lot of experience to call upon.
I was pleasantly surprised to hear how useful it had been for Jake and in fact he had been able to solely use the Topdon for his jobs during the time he had borrowed it from me. He praised the auto VIN function, the speed of the device and the feature that enables you to email the report directly to a customer. He was also impressed by the value, the capability of the AD600S, and if truth be told, I think he was a little reluctant to hand it back!
TC004 Mini
Unlike the AD600S, the TC004 Mini will probably see less frequent use, but that’s not to say it’s an ineffective tool. This device will be useful to seeking out thermal irregularities on areas such as wiring, exhaust systems, brakes and HVAC systems, to name a few. With a retail price of £179.99 on Amazon the TC004 Mini makes use of a 2.4″ screen, which offers a resolution of 128*128. This can be improved, however, with the Thermal Imaging Super Resolution, which doubles the resolution for a crisper picture.
Depending on the settings selected, it can offer up to 15 hours of battery and is built to last, with Topdon claiming it can withstand a drop of 2 metres. Like the AD600S, the TC004 Mini feels robust and features chunky rubber buttons, making easy to use, even with gloves on. It’s able to scan temperatures from -20 degrees celsius, all the way through to 450 degrees celsius, with five display modes on offer.
Although this device won’t be used in my arsenal as much as the AD600S, I still found this useful to on my modified Mazda MX-5 when I took part in a recent trackday. It enabled me to keep tabs on the temperature of the brakes and tyres, as well the engine bay as well. You can set alarms on the device for when it detects a set temperature and you can take photos as well.
It also served a very practical use for Jake as he was able to determine whether the Quickclear windscreen on his Ford Kuga was working properly. The windscreen had previously been replaced but the Quickclear function on the driver’s side was not working correctly, so the car car had to go back to be rectified. With the TC004 Mini I was able to confirm that the windscreen was clearing as designed.
Bottom Line
Although the AD600S and TC004 Mini are arguably aimed more at the budget-conscious, that’s not to say you can’t have cheap and cheerful. Both devices are rich with features but you don’t have to rich to enjoy them – see what I did there? Not only is a DIYer very likely to be impressed with the performance, but even professionals were impressed. And if it’s good enough for a professional, I’m sure it’ll be more than good enough for you.