SCANNERS
 

Unless you have a StarDas, the best scanner I have found for all of the data you could hope to monitor as a DIY'er is the Autel Maxidiag Elite (ALTMD802). I bought one recently and it can read, analyze, store, and clear all of the problems I have asked it to identify, including SRS, ESP, ABC, etc.

They run around $400, depending on where you shop. But considering that my last trip to the dealership in central Virginia cost half of that just to tell me what they thought, for my money it's a solid investment.

Santa gave me a Maxidiag Elite MD802. I had asked her for that because I need a tool that will work both with my 2004 Porsche Boxster S, my 2009 CLK 350 and future cars.

Put it on the Mercedes this afternoon and did a comprehensive scan. Lots of codes, most of which has to do with low ECU voltage, so I guess someone changed the battery without clearing the codes caused by the old, failing one. After clearing all codes it came up clean with no codes.

The manual and the latest firmware are badly our of sync. Will have to check whether there is an updated manual available. Other than that very pleased with the device.