Innova 31703 Review

If you need an auto scanner to be able to check ABS and SRS lights then you need the Innova 31703 scan tool. This tool can work with OBD II and some OBD I vehicles.

With my online research there are not that many scan tools that can be able to check ABS and SRS. ABS stands for Anti-Lock Brake System and SRS stands for Supplemental Restraint System (mostly the airbag).

Most of the tools out in the market are designed to only check the basic engine lights. To be honest, this scan tool costs more than those basic ones and that is because this tool is a more advanced tool and has a lot more features. It is worth its price.

It is better to have a tool that can check all the necessary parts. You will save more money in the long run from not having to go to the auto repair shop. It takes them less than 15 minutes to check what is wrong with your vehicle, and all they did is erase or reset the code for you and they will charge you more than $100.00. Don’t you feel that is a rip off?

Yeah, I how that feeling when taking my car to the auto shop. They also try to make me to repair other parts of my car which don’t need it. I think auto shops are very aggressive to make more money. They don’t even consider if I have the money to fix it or not.

Watch this helpful video

 

What exactly is OBD?

Well OBD stands for On Board Diagnostic. It is pretty much the brain of the vehicle. When there is a problem the computer from the vehicle will activate the “CHECK ENGINE” light to let you know to fix it. There are two types of On Board Diagnostic. One is the OBD I and the other is ODB II. OBD I is for vehicles that are made in the year of 1981 to 1995 and designed to monitor manufacturer specific systems.

Starting in the year of 1996, all cars and light trucks were made with the OBD II that is sold in the United States. Actually the government made it mandatory for the manufacturers to use the OBD 2 to lower the vehicle emissions. Having the OBD 2 installed in the vehicle is so much easier to pinpoint the problems.

All it needs is to connect a scan tool, like the Innova 31703 to the OBD 2 port which is usually located under the dashboard on the driver’s seat and it will retrieve the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) for you. At least this type of tool will tell you where to start fixing your car. Even professionals use this type of scan tool to help them to repair their customers’ car.

What can this Innova 31703 do?

You might be wondering what this little scan tool can do for your car. Well this scanner can do a lot of things, but I really don’t know if it fits into your criteria or needs, such as if you need certain features or maybe the price doesn’t fit into your budget. So here are the following things this tool can do.

• It is designed to get transmission diagnostic codes from all OBD2 vehicles from the starting year of 1996 and newer models and also some OBD1 vehicles from the year of 1981 to 1995.
• This tool can read and erase ABS and SRS diagnostic trouble codes for the most popular vehicles that are made from 1996 and newer for the following brand names: GM, Chrysler, Honda, Ford and Toyota. If you are not sure, please check the ABS and SRS charts from below.
  
• The tool can record, display and play back live data in a graph on the screen for the OBD2 vehicles.
  
• It will also display freeze frame data on the screen, if you choose to do so.
  
• It will show you the vehicle information or VIN#.
  
• This gadget has an all in one backlit display screen and can show over 20 pieces of diagnostic information for you to see at any one time.
• The screen will also tell you the status of your vehicle with three green, yellow and red LED indicator lights.
  
• When this gadget is connected to your car it will automatically refresh updated data every 30 seconds.
• There is more than one language to select from on the screen display and even the definitions. The languages are English, French and Spanish. The user can select their preferred language from the languages stated before.
• Oh yeah with the current promotion, you can choose to upgrade the ABS & SRS to Asian vehicles for FREE. Click here to read how to upgrade.
  
• You also have the option to upgrade this device’s ABS & SRS to European. There is a fee if you decided to do so.
• You can review recorded data without having to connect to the vehicle.
  
• This tool can record about 100 frames of live data.
• It is updatable for newer year, make and model coverage with internet access.
• You will also have access to RepairSolutions. Click here to read a little more about RepairSolutions.

Does it require batteries?

Yes, this gadget requires three double AA batteries and it is recommended to use Alkaline-type batteries to last longer. A battery icon will show up on the screen when the battery is low. The three LEDs will light up and no other data will show on the screen. That means it is time to replace the batteries.

Is this tool compatible with your car?

I can understand your concern to see if this tool works for your car. This tool is designed to work with all OBD2 vehicles from the years of 1996 and newer and also on some of the most popular vehicles made from the years of 1981 to 1995 that have OBD1. I have to admit this is the first scan tool that I came across that can do the OBD1. Most of the tools can only do the OBDII.

If you really need a tool that can read and erase ABS and SRS codes for your car then I suggest you to check out this ABS chart and SRS chart to make sure this tool is compatible with your vehicle. Both charts are in pdf format and you need adobe reader to read it. The ABS chart consists of 5 pages and is about 89.4 KB in size and the SRS chart is 4 pages with about 86.7KB in size. Yes, I had to download it to find out the file sizes and pages. LOL…. The chart is pretty easy to read with listed brand names and years made of the vehicles.

What is the OBD1 Coverage for this tool?

1. This tool works with the years of 1982 to 1993 models and some models from the years of 1994 to 1995 for the General Motors brand vehicles. Just to let you know it doesn’t work with the OBD1 Saturn vehicle even though it is part of General Motors. The cable can connect to its DLC (Data Link Connector) but it won’t communicate with the Saturn’s on-board computer. It’s because the computer system is not the same as the other GM vehicles.

2. It will also work with Lincoln, Ford, and Mercury from the years of 1983 to 1995 model vehicles with EEC-IV systems.

3. From the years of 1991 to 1995 for Honda vehicles.

4. From the years of 1991 to 1995 for Toyota or Lexus vehicles.

5. From the years of 1984 to 1995 for the Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler vehicles.

6. It will also work with Jeep with the years of 1993 to 1995.

Where to buy Innova 31703 online?

Innova Pro 31703 Scan Tool

While writing this article, I can only find one place that is selling this model. I could be wrong and they might be offering it at other places but for this moment I can only find it selling at amazon.

You can save a lot of money if you buy it from there. It is qualified for FREE shipping. To check the current price, please click the picture on the right. I usually take advantage of the free shipping offers whenever I buy something online. I really don’t like the idea of paying for shipping costs.

Can it be used with other languages?

Yes, this tool can be selected in three different languages. It can be set to English, Spanish and French. As a matter of fact when you first power up this tool, it requires you to set your display language preference on the screen and unit measurement between USA or Metric.

Did I mention the definitions can also be selected to your preferred language? This is definitely a very nice feature to have for those who are not English speakers or readers. I mean if your parents or friends only know Spanish or French and don’t know English and want this kind of gadget to help them to fix their car then this tool makes a very great gift and you don’t even have to translate it back to them.

I know there are some tools that can select a different language on the screen but not on the definitions though. The definitions are still in English and that is a bummer for non English speakers.

Can you do updates and upgrades with this scan tool?

Yes, you can do updates with this scan tool if there is a newer version available. You do have to go to this page and click on the Tool Updates menu tag to find out if there are any available updates or upgrades.

Will live data work on OBD 1 vehicles?

No, live data streaming, recording, graphs, playback, freeze frame data, and vehicle information are only work for OBD2 vehicles.

Can you still use this tool when the car is driving?

Yes, you can still use it when you are driving your car to perform a trip drive cycle, for example, but it doesn’t recommend you to do it all by yourself. It is recommended for you to have more than one person to perform this. Have one person driving the car and the other monitoring the scan tool. It is for safety precautions to prevent a car accident.

What exactly is RepairSolutions?

Well, RepairSolutions is an online web based application service that was created to help technicians to quickly diagnose and repair vehicles. It allows you to save, view and email your retrieved diagnostic data from your vehicle. To use the emailing feature, you would have to use the Innova Pro Scan tool to do it. You can be able to manage and print vehicle diagnostic reports. Printing out a copy of the diagnostic report is a good idea whether you take it to the auto shop or you are repairing it yourself. With the RepairSolutions you will also have access to the following items:

• Verified Fixes
• Step By Step Repair Instructions
• Safety Recalls
• Technical Service Bulletins
• How To Repair Videos

To access RepairSolutions:

1. You will need your scan tool and link it to your vehicle to get diagnostic data.
2. You will also need to download and install the latest verison of the RepairSolutions Software. Make sure your computer is compatible with the software.
3. You have to connect your tool to your computer by using the mini USB cable and it should be included with your purchase of the scan tool.
4. You will also need to register a FREE RepairSolutions account to be able to have access to it.

Innova 31703 Review

The rating for this scan tool is very high by online users. A lot of them are very happy costumers.

Pros: Many users are saying this tool is very easy to use, worth its money and it does as it claims.

Cons: It might not come with a hard copy of the user manual. If that is the case you can just download it from their site. I can understand the manual is 144 pages long for the English version, and the Spanish is 164 pages, and also French is 160 pages.

As you can see that is a lot of pages to print. The company might be trying to save money on ink and paper. Besides, you can get to choose which ever language you want to download.

Warranty and Manual

This tool includes a one full year of warranty. According to a few users, it doesn’t come with a hard copy manual, but you would have to go to the official site of Innova to download a copy. It does come with a quick reference guide. You can find the English manual by clicking here, Spanish manual here and French manual over here.

It might be a good idea to take a look at the manual first to see how this tool works. Just to let you know the manual consists of 144 pages for the English version and it is written in detail. If you want to have a hard copy for reference you might have to print it out yourself from your computer.

How to upgrade ABS and SRS to Asian or European?

If you decide to upgrade its ABS and SRS to Asian, first you should click here to go to this page for upgrades and then find the 31703 model number on the right side of the page where it has a shopping cart icon and then add it to the cart. From there you will have to click the check out button and you need to fill out your name and address information.

It doesn’t ask you for credit card information. If you can’t find the check out button, you can click on My Cart on the top right left side of the page. That should take you to the check out button.

These are the brands for the Asian vehicles: Acura, Infiniti, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Honda. I strongly suggest you to check out the vehicle coverage charts for the Asian ABS and SRS. It is just a little below the shopping cart with the model number.

The regular price for this upgrade is $150.00 but you can get it for FREE if you are buying this Innova 31703 scan tool.

You can also upgrade it to both Asian and European for the ABS and SRS functionality. As of May 15, 2015, the promotional price package for both Asian and European is $99.99 and just the Asian upgrade is free. You can go to this page for both Asian and European and please do check out the vehicle coverage charts before proceeding. You don’t want to do the upgrade without knowing if it is compatible with your car first.

If you decided to go for the upgrades, you should do it as soon as possible. You might not know when the promotion will stop. It is still pretty cool to get just the Asian ABS and SRS for FREE of charge. Yeah, you do have to purchase the Innova Pro 31703 to be able to do the upgrades, right. 🙂 Click here to check out this tool’s current price.