When a vehicle enters a bay, the first thing a technician reaches for, more often than not, is a scan tool. Having a dependable scan tool that becomes second nature for a technician to reach for is a huge time saver, especially when the technician knows the tool will do its job and do it quickly. For Ken Farley, shop manager at Ken’s Kar Kare in Fowler, Michigan, the Innova 7111 Smart Diagnostic System is the go-to scan tool for both him and his team.
“We have three scan tools here at the shop, but [the Innova 7111] we use as our universal,” Farley says. “We use it as our first go-to scan tool. It’ll work on most everything.”
In addition to being universal, Farley likes that it offers bidirectional controls, live stream data, and quick ABS functionality.
The scan tool is easy to use and is as simple as plugging it in to get the diagnosis started, he notes, adding that it’s great for their entry level technicians to use as well.
“It literally walks you through everything; the steps are right there in front of you,” Farley states. “We plug in the vehicle information and then you’re rocking and rolling.”
Farley has the scan tool hooked up to the shop’s Wi-Fi to enable updates and to interface with Innova’s diagnostic program, an optional feature that he says provides optimum performance. With the tool connected to Wi-Fi, it can scan for diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) as well as provide actual case studies that other technicians have used to solve similar issues.
Another benefit of the Innova 7111 Farley likes is that it powers off the vehicle when plugged in. Although the scan tool has wireless capabilities, Farley prefers to keep it corded so when he goes to use it, he doesn’t have to worry about the batteries being low or drained. It’s always good to go.
As for storing the scan tool, the technicians at the shop keep it in the hard plastic case that it came in for safe keeping.
Ken’s Kar Kare is a full automotive repair shop that services primarily domestic vehicles including Jeep, GM, and Toyota. With the Innova 7111, coverage hasn’t been an issue. Farley and his technicians use the scan tool on everything from ABS systems, engine performance issues, bidirectional controls for EVAP systems, and more.
When the technicians need to dive deeper into a diagnostic problem, they may reach for one of their other scan tools. However, Farley notes the Innova scan tool “is a great start and points you in the right direction quickly.”
After reviewing the Innova 7111 Smart Diagnostic System, Farley notes it will continue to be the shop’s go-to scan tool of choice when first diagnosing a vehicle.
