With standardized OBD ports, error codes were also standardized. Nowadays, whenever you hear or read OBD, OBD II or OBD 2, know that it refers to the same thing: the currently used OBD II standard. OBD II was introduced in 1996 and it became mandatory for all cars and light trucks in the United States. OBD I is pretty old – it was introduced in the 1980s. To begin with, OBD scanners are of two types, OBD I and OBD II. A quick google search will then tell you what the code stands for and what you can do to solve the issue. When connected to your vehicle, an OBD scanner will read and display error codes recorded by the electronic control units on your car.
In this article we list the 5 most popular OBD scanners for BMW in 2021. OBD scanners are a great tool for reading, analyzing and for clearing diagnostic error codes on your vehicle on your own, without the need to visit an automotive repair shop.