More modern cars can cause significant headaches for the handy home mechanic. Unlike the good ‘ol days when dad would swap the plugs, leads and points on the Kingswood before dumping the oil, modern cars can be intimidating. This is especially so when the mysterious ‘check engine’ light rears its ugly head.
This is where FIXD comes to the rescue. Founded in 2014, FIXD helps drivers understand their vehicles. This neat little gizmo slots straight into the same port that the dealer uses to understand faults and gain data from your car, the OBD-II port. When paired with the free FIXD app, the FIXD plug translates vague dashboard indicator lights into easy-to-understand, actionable insights.
Not only does FIXD translate fault codes into information that you can understand, the app will also report on the severity of any issues and estimates of how much a repair should cost. This last feature is especially important if you are the sort of person who feels helpless when faced with a strange and mysterious bill from the dealership.
Drivers can also set up routine service reminders, receive push notifications when a problem is detected, review a car’s history and keep a track of multiple vehicles for ultimate peace of mind.
Widely distributed in the States, this little fella will work at home with any car with a OBD-II port (nearly everything built after 1996). Price is around US$60 from Amazon.
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