Does Actron Pocketscan Plus 9660 Monitor I M Readiness?
Honestly, I used to think any OBD-II scanner was pretty much the same. Plug it in, get some codes, maybe clear them. That was my mindset for a good decade, buying cheap plastic things that felt like they’d snap if you looked at them too hard.
Then I bought one that promised the moon, swore it could diagnose my car’s soul. It did nothing but flash a few generic numbers, and frankly, it cost me more than a decent dinner for two. That’s when I started to get serious about what ‘monitoring I/M readiness’ actually means, and whether a tool like the Actron PocketScan Plus 9660 can deliver.
So, does Actron PocketScan Plus 9660 monitor I/M readiness? It’s not as simple as a yes or no, and frankly, most reviews gloss over the nuances I’ve spent too much time learning.
Trying to figure out if your car’s emissions systems are ready for a smog check can feel like a dark art sometimes.
The Actual Meaning of ‘i/m Readiness’
Look, when your local smog station tells you your car isn’t ready for inspection, it’s not because it’s actively failing. It’s usually because the car’s onboard computer, the ECU, hasn’t completed its self-diagnostic cycles for certain emissions components. Think of it like a student who hasn’t finished all their homework yet; they might be capable, but they haven’t proven it through the required tests. (See Also: Does Having Dual Monitor Affect Framerate )
For a car to be ‘ready,’ its ECU needs to have run and passed specific diagnostic tests, often called ‘drive cycles.’ These cycles simulate real-world driving conditions, like a mix of highway speeds, city driving, and idling, to check things like the catalytic converter’s efficiency, the oxygen sensors, and the evaporative emission control system. If any of these tests haven’t been completed since the last time the diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) were cleared or since the battery was disconnected, the system reports as ‘not ready.’ This is where a tool like the Actron PocketScan Plus 9660 comes into play, or at least, where it *should*.
What the Pocketscan Plus 9660 Claims
Actron pitches the PocketScan Plus 9660 as a straightforward solution for DIY diagnostics. It brags about reading and clearing codes, displaying live data, and, yes, checking that all-important I/M readiness status. On the surface, it seems to tick the boxes. It plugs into the OBD-II port, which is standard on most cars made after 1996, and its interface is designed to be pretty intuitive.
I remember wrestling with a different brand’s scanner for what felt like three hours just to find the readiness monitor status. It was buried under three sub-menus and a cryptic icon that looked like a half-eaten pretzel. The PocketScan Plus 9660 promises to cut through that nonsense, presenting the information more directly. It’s supposed to show you which monitors are complete and which are pending, which is exactly what you need to know before heading to the DMV or your local emissions testing center.
My Own Damn Foolishness: The ‘just Clear It’ Trap
Here’s where I practically threw $150 out the window. A few years back, my check engine light popped on, and my car immediately threw a ‘not ready’ code for the EVAP system. My first instinct, fueled by some questionable online advice, was to clear the code with my then-new, fancy-pants scanner. I figured the light was off, so the car was fixed, right? Wrong. Utterly, spectacularly wrong. Clearing the code reset the entire diagnostic system, and the car needed to go through its entire drive cycle routine all over again. I drove it for two weeks, trying every trick I could find – hard acceleration, slow cruising, idling – and it just wouldn’t set the monitor. I wasted precious time and fuel, only to have to go back to the shop anyway. It taught me a brutal lesson: clearing a code isn’t fixing the underlying issue, and it definitely doesn’t make the car ‘ready’ overnight. (See Also: Does Hertz Monitor For Smokers )
Does Actron Pocketscan Plus 9660 Monitor I/m Readiness? The Honest Answer.
Yes, the Actron PocketScan Plus 9660 *does* monitor I/M readiness. That’s its job. It reads the data from your car’s ECU and displays the status of the various emissions monitors. You’ll typically see a list of monitors (like Catalyst, O2 Sensor, Evap System, EGR System, etc.) with a status indicator, usually ‘INC’ (incomplete) or ‘OK’ (complete). The PocketScan Plus 9660 makes this information relatively easy to find, which is a huge step up from some older or more basic units. If you’re just trying to see if your car is good to go for a smog check, it’ll show you that.
However, here’s the kicker: the scanner itself doesn’t *make* your car ready. It just tells you if it *is* ready. It’s like a thermometer; it tells you if you have a fever, but it doesn’t cure it. You still need to drive your car through the appropriate cycles for the ECU to complete its self-tests and set those monitors to ‘OK’. Some sources, like the California Bureau of Automotive Repair, recommend specific drive cycles that involve a mix of conditions, and the scanner just confirms when those cycles have been successfully completed by the car’s computer.
The “everyone Says You Need to Drive It” Myth
Here’s a hot take: Everyone says you just need to ‘drive it’ to get your I/M readiness monitors to set. I disagree, and here is why: while driving is absolutely necessary, simply putting miles on the odometer without understanding the *specific conditions* the ECU is looking for is often a waste of time and fuel. For example, some monitors, like the evaporative emission system monitor, often require a specific fuel level (usually between 15% and 85%) and a period of steady-state idling or cruising without any throttle input. Just puttering around town might never trigger it. I learned this the hard way after spending around $120 on gas trying to ‘drive it’ to readiness, only to find out I needed to drive at a steady 55 mph for 15 minutes.
Beyond Readiness: What Else Can It Do?
The PocketScan Plus 9660 isn’t just a one-trick pony for emissions tests. It can pull diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from your engine, transmission, and ABS systems, depending on the vehicle. This means you can get a heads-up on potential problems before they become major issues. For instance, if your ABS light comes on, this scanner can often tell you the specific fault code, like ‘C1002 – Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction,’ which gives you a much clearer starting point than just a glowing red light on the dashboard. (See Also: How Does Bigip Health Monitor Work )
It also displays live data, which is incredibly useful. You can watch things like engine RPM, coolant temperature, and oxygen sensor voltage change in real-time as you drive. This is like having a window into your car’s electronic brain. Seeing the O2 sensor voltage fluctuate wildly when you accelerate, for example, gives you a tangible insight into how the engine is responding. It’s not quite as advanced as a professional-grade oscilloscope, but for a home mechanic, it’s a revelation.
Final Thoughts
So, to circle back, does Actron PocketScan Plus 9660 monitor I/M readiness? A definite yes. It’s a capable tool for giving you the status update you need before you head to the DMV, and it’s significantly more useful than those dirt-cheap code readers that only tell you half the story.
Just remember, the scanner is the informant, not the fix-it guy. It shows you the report card, but you still have to do the homework and drive the car through its paces for the grades to appear.
My advice? If you’ve got an older car, or you’re just tired of the uncertainty surrounding emissions tests, grabbing one of these is a smart move. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the equation, and in my experience, that kind of peace of mind is worth the investment.
Next time you get that ‘check engine’ light, you’ll know exactly what your car’s telling you, and more importantly, whether it’s ready for its close-up at the testing station.
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