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Appendix B: Troubleshooting

Startup Troubleshooting

If the display does not light up when you use the Quick ID

button or connect the Scanner to vehicle power, check:

The Scanner battery, located under the left handgrip.

For a blown cigarette lighter fuse on the vehicle if using

the cigarette lighter power cable.

For bent or broken pins on both ends of the data cable

and on the test adapter.

For a loose cable connection.

For an open ground wire in the vehicle connector wiring

harness.

For correct connection at the battery if you are using the

battery power adapter.

Replace the internal battery if the Scanner operates

erratically in any way when you use the Quick ID button or if

recorded data is not retained in Scanner memory.

If the display is very dim or virtually blank when you apply

power to the Scanner, disconnect the Scanner from

vehicle power and remove the internal 9-volt battery from

under the handgrip. Hold down the Quick ID button for 5

seconds to clear Scanner memory. Then, reinstall the9-volt battery.

If one or more segments of the display do not light during the

display check, you may not get valid readings when viewing

vehicle data or performing functional tests.

If the Scanner displays incomplete characters, remove the

cartridge and carefully clean the edge connector with a Pink

Pearl pencil eraser, or equivalent. Wipe off eraser dust witha clean cloth.

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Low Internal Battery Voltage

If the internal battery is low, but still has enough power to

light the display, or if you are using a Power Pac with a low

charge, you will see a message similar to Figure 47.

Figure 47. Voltage low message

If the battery is very lowbut still has enough power to light

the display, the low-voltage message may appear when you

press the Quick ID button. In this case, replace the battery

immediately or you cannot use the Quick ID button. Also,

Custom Setup selections and recorded data may be lost

when the Scanner is disconnected from the vehicle.

Power Interruption

If vehicle power is interrupted at any time during testing, the

Scanner briefly repeats the display check and the

2-second copyright message. It then displays the vehicle

identification message shown previously. Your choices are

the same in all cases:

Press Y to return to the Main Menu and continue testing.

Press N to enter a new vehicle identification.

If Scanner power drops too low during cranking or during

some other repeatable condition on a particular vehicle, the

Scanner again resets to the display check. To keep the

Scanner from resetting, hold down the Quick ID button as

an auxiliary power source during conditions that cause

resetting on a specific vehicle. The MT2500-600A Super

Power Pac may also be used for auxiliary power.

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Problems With Printer, Displays, and Other Remote Terminals

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Problems With Printer, Displays, and Other

Remote TerminalsThis section gives information for diagnosingcommunication problems between the Scanner and the

printer, display, or other remote terminal. If you suspect a

communication problem, follow these tips:

After sending a Print Screen or Print Frame command to the

printer, the Scanner should briefly display a printing

message (Figure 48).

Figure 48. Printing message screen

The Scanner then returns to the previous menu. If there isa problem, the Scanner displays a printer not responding

message (Figure 49).

Figure 49. Printer not responding screen

If the printer is ready, the above message usuallyindicates

a cable problem. Only the Seiko printer and the Snap-on

printer cables are recommended for Scanner use. Other

printers may require a custom printer cable.

The Scanner serial port is a 6-position modular (RJ-11)

receptacle (Figure 50).

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Figure 50. Scanner serial port I/Os

AGround

BCTS (clear to send)

CRXD (data to Scanner)

DTXD (data from Scanner)

ERTS (request to send)

F +12 V (battery volts)

The Scanner serial port transmits data in the following

formats:

8 data bits

1 stop bit

No parity

Baud rates: 19200, 9600, 4800, 2400

XON = 17 (011H) XOFF = 19 (013H)

If you are sending a print command to a display or other

remote terminal, the printer not responding message

usually indicates a cable problem. Only Snap-on cables

should be used.

If print commands are sent successfully, the printed or

displayed data should replicate what is displayed on theScanner screen. Illegibly printed or displayed data

indicates an incorrect baud rate. Refer to the printer, display,

or other remote terminal manufacturer's baud rate

A B C D E F

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Vehicle Communication Problems

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specification to determine the correct baud rate. Refer to

Communication SetupBaud Rate Setting on page 33 for

instructions on setting the Scanner baud rate.

If no data is printed or displayed, either the cable is bad, the

printer is incompatible, or the display or other remote

terminal software is not working properly.

Vehicle Communication ProblemsWhen the screen displays a no communication message

(Figure 51), it means the Scanner and the vehicle control

module cannot communicate with each other for some

reason. Common problems that prevent a vehicle from

communicating are addressed in this section,

manufacturer-specific problems are discussed in the various

vehicle communication software manuals.

Figure 51. No Communication message

The following conditions will cause Scanner to display a

no communication message: You are using the incorrect Personality Key with the

test adapter.

You select a system for testing that the vehicle is not

equipped with (i.e., ABS).

There is a loose connection.

There is a blown fuse or wiring fault on the vehicle.

The vehicle has been identified to the Scannerincorrectly.
http://04%20scannerops.pdf/http://04%20scannerops.pdf/

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Check Scanner Operation

If the Scanner works properly on other vehicles from thesame manufacturer, particularly other models with the same

control system, the source of the problem is most likely in the

vehicle, not the Scanner.

If the display fails to light up or if readings are unsteady, the

Scanner may be at fault.

If the display intermittently resets or goes blank, there may

be a wire opening intermittently in the data cable or in the

test adapter. Check the cable and test adapter connections.

If connections are good, check data cable continuity from pin

to pin between the D-shaped connectors at either end of the

cable with an ohmmeter (Figure 52). There should be little or

no resistance.

Figure 52. Checking continuity of the data cable

If the Scanner passes all the above checks, the problem is

most likely in the vehicle. Vehicle communication problems

are unique for each vehicle manufacturer. Refer to the

appropriate manufacturer test manual.

07 appendix b

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