Foxwell NT530 Mercedes 38-Pin Bidirectional Scan Tool

The NT530 is Foxwell's handheld scanner built for the 38-pin round diagnostic connector Mercedes used before the car park moved fully to the 16-pin OBD2 socket. It plugs into that round port under the hood and talks to every module on the car, not just the engine: engine, AT (transmission), ABS, SRS, airmatic suspension, HVAC, TPMS and battery. This is the 38-pin version only. It does not support the 16-pin configuration, so check which connector your car has before ordering.

For transmission work the AT menu is the reason to own one. You get stored and pending codes out of the transmission control module, live data you can graph, ECU information, and active tests, which is what you need when you are chasing a shift complaint on a 722-series box and want to see what the module actually sees before you drop the pan. Live data displays two graphs at once and can merge them into a single plot so you can line up two sensors against each other on the same time base.

Beyond diagnosis it runs the service resets a Mercedes needs after a repair: suspension level calibration and height test, ABS auto bleeding, oil light reset, battery registration, crankshaft sensor relearn, EPB retract for brake jobs, TPMS service, SAS (steering angle sensor) reset, diesel particulate filter regeneration, traction and throttle body adjustment, and CBS condition-based service reset. It also drives the body actuators directly - fuel injector pump, windows, mirrors, door locks, horn, wipers, and cycling the A/C clutch on and off - which turns a guessing game into a two-minute test.

On 38-pin cars from 1996 up it will also read the OBD2 modules and show I/M readiness status before an inspection. 2.8 inch screen, no subscription fee, and one-key AutoVIN so you are not typing the VIN in by hand every time.