Being a dedicated penny-pincher in the expensive world of motorsports, I’m always looking for ways to save money without sacrificing performance or reliability. My race car is a labor of love, built and maintained on a tight budget, which means my daily driver needs to be economical too. Enter my trusty, if slightly geriatric, Toyota Corolla. It’s served me well for years, racking up so many miles that the odometer decided to retire at 299,999. Driving an older car is a financial strategy to avoid car payments and fuel my racing passion, but it comes with its own set of challenges, namely increased maintenance. Recently, I found myself needing a reliable diagnostic tool and turned to the Launch Obdii Creader Professional 129X (CRP 129X).
As a seasoned DIY mechanic, I’m no stranger to diagnosing car troubles. However, my Corolla recently threw me a curveball: a check engine light flashing multiple codes, an ECU refusing to enter ready mode, and to top it all off, my trusty 15-year-old OBD-II reader decided to give up the ghost. This perfect storm of automotive issues led me on a quest for a new diagnostic scan tool. My research pointed me towards Launch OBDII scanners, primarily because of their competitive pricing, modern features, positive reviews online, and importantly, US-based product support. After some deliberation due to the price point, I decided to order the Launch OBDII CRP 129X diagnostic tool.
Replacing my decade-and-a-half-old scanner with the CRP 129X felt like a leap into the future. It’s remarkable what you get for around $240 these days. My old OBD-II scanner, purchased at a similar price point back in the early 2000s, offered a basic two-line LCD text display and limited functionality, with advanced features like freeze-frame data locked behind expensive upgrades I never bothered with. The Launch OBDII CRP 129X, in contrast, boasts a vibrant 5-inch touchscreen and comes loaded with features right out of the box.
The Launch OBDII CRP 129X runs on Android 7.0, so it’s not the fastest system, but it’s more than adequate for the job. The software interface is functional, though not perfectly streamlined. For instance, both the “Diagnose” and “OBD-II” buttons lead to similar diagnostic processes, but I found navigating data more intuitive through the “OBD-II” button. However, the “Diagnose” function has the advantage of allowing you to save diagnostic reports for future reference, a useful feature for tracking down intermittent issues.
One of the standout features of the Launch OBDII CRP 129X is its integrated diagnostic code lookup. For more in-depth research, the unit’s Wi-Fi capability provides direct web access. This is incredibly handy for looking up specific codes or troubleshooting tips on the fly. The Wi-Fi connection also enables lifetime software updates, ensuring your scanner stays current with the latest vehicle systems and diagnostic protocols.
Stepping up from its slightly more affordable sibling, the CRP 123X, the Launch OBDII CRP 129X offers enhanced functionality, including interaction with a vehicle’s electronic parking brake (EPB), steering angle sensor (SAS), tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), throttle position sensor, and oil reset light. It also monitors battery voltage, which is a great feature for diagnosing charging system issues. These features are in addition to the standard ABS, SRS, and transmission diagnostics shared with the CRP 123X. Both models also include a substantial rechargeable battery, chargeable via a supplied USB cable or through the vehicle’s OBD-II port.
However, for me, the most impressive feature of this Launch OBDII scanner is its ability to access and graph live engine sensor data. Like my old scanner, and virtually every OBD-II scan tool on the market today, the CRP 129X reads and clears current and pending trouble codes. But the CRP 129X goes further, allowing you to delve into the real-time data from your vehicle’s sensors to verify their operation. You can then visualize this data by graphing it in real-time, a powerful tool for understanding complex engine issues.
My Corolla was persistently triggering a P0420 code (catalyst system efficiency below threshold) and occasionally a P0171 code (system too lean). Based on my experience, the P0420 code often points to oxygen sensor issues, while the P0171 code can be related to the mass air flow (MAF) sensor or fuel injectors. With the Launch OBDII CRP 129X’s live data capabilities, I was able to drive my Corolla while simultaneously logging data from the O2 sensors, MAF sensor, and fuel injectors. The ability to overlay these data streams, and combine them with parameters like RPM and throttle position, allowed me to pinpoint exactly when and under what conditions these codes were being triggered.
While the Launch OBDII software isn’t the most intuitively designed, it’s user-friendly enough that anyone with a reasonable understanding of vehicle systems can effectively use this powerful diagnostic tool. Instead of blindly replacing parts, the CRP 129X empowers you to investigate issues thoroughly. As I write this review, I haven’t completely resolved my Corolla’s problems using this scan tool, but I’m making significant progress. The insights I’ve gained through the Launch OBDII CRP 129X have already proven invaluable, and I have no doubt that it has already paid for itself by saving me time and money on unnecessary repairs.
Perhaps in another 15 years, I’ll be back with a review of my next automotive ECU diagnostic tool, but for now, the Launch OBDII CRP 129X is an impressive piece of kit for the DIY mechanic.
