Funktioniert das für jedes Fahrzeug?

Grundsätzlich ja – Voraussetzung ist, dass sich die Daten auslesen lassen und in lesbarer Form vorliegen. Je vollständiger der Export, desto belastbarer die Auswertung. Ein einzelner Code ohne Steuergerät und Fehlerstatus lässt kaum belastbare Aussagen zu.

Ich habe noch keine Diagnosedaten. Was nun?

Fragen Sie zuerst in der Werkstatt nach dem Protokoll des zuletzt ausgelesenen Fehlerspeichers. Führt das nicht weiter, liefert ein OBD-2-Adapter mit App zumindest die genormten, abgasrelevanten Fehlercodes und einige Live-Werte.

Reicht ein Foto des Fehlercodes?

Für eine erste Einordnung manchmal, für eine belastbare Auswertung meist nicht. Ohne Steuergerät, Fehlerstatus und Umgebungsdaten fehlt der Zusammenhang, auf den es ankommt.

Wie schnell erhalte ich den Analysebericht?

In der Regel innerhalb einer Stunde, nachdem Ihre vollständigen Diagnosedaten eingegangen sind – rund um die Uhr, auch nachts und am Wochenende. Sind die Daten unvollständig oder nicht lesbar, folgt zuerst eine kurze Rückfrage; die Bearbeitungszeit beginnt dann mit dem Eingang der fehlenden Angaben.

Bekomme ich eine Reparaturanleitung?

Nein. Der Bericht ordnet die Daten ein und zeigt, welche Prüfschritte sinnvoll sind. Die Ausführung und die Entscheidung über eine Reparatur bleiben bei der Werkstatt vor Ort.

Kann ich den Bericht meiner Werkstatt zeigen?

Ja, das ist ausdrücklich vorgesehen. Der Bericht ist so aufgebaut, dass er als sachliche Grundlage für das Gespräch dient. Ob die Werkstatt der Einschätzung folgt, entscheidet sie eigenständig.

Was unterscheidet die Auswertung von einer kostenlosen Code-Suche im Internet?

Eine Code-Liste sagt, was ein Eintrag heißt. Sie sagt nicht, ob er zu den Symptomen, zu den Live-Daten und zu den bereits ausgeführten Arbeiten passt. Genau dieser Abgleich ist der Inhalt der Auswertung.

Online vehicle diagnostics – clarity without a garage appointment

Online vehicle diagnostics means this: your vehicle’s data is assessed without the vehicle standing in a workshop. You need neither a garage appointment nor diagnostic equipment of your own – only the diagnostic data and a description of what is noticeable on the vehicle.

MotorScope offers independent remote car diagnostics for this: no repair order, no parts sales, no ties to any garage. You usually receive an analysis report within one hour, with a traceable assessment and recommendations for the next test steps – around the clock, at night and at weekends too.

Have your diagnostic data checked

Who benefits from an online assessment

An online assessment replaces neither an inspection nor a repair on the vehicle. It answers the question that comes before both: what does the data actually say?

You have a cost estimate and want to know whether the data supports it.
The garage names a cause, but you are not convinced.
The engine warning light is on, you have read out the fault memory yourself and do not understand the code.
You are away from your usual garage and first need an assessment.
You want to know which questions to ask before the garage visit.
You look after several vehicles and want a second opinion before a budget is approved.

Safety first. If the engine warning light is flashing, if there is a severe loss of power, smoke, a smell of fuel, unusual noises, or anything unusual about the brakes or steering, do not keep driving the vehicle. Have it checked on site first – a data analysis is no substitute for an inspection of the vehicle.

Where to get the data

An online assessment needs data first. There are three usual routes to it, and they differ considerably in scope and effort.

Print-out or export from the garage

The route with the most information and the least effort. Any garage that has read out the fault memory can hand over the log – you usually have to ask for it yourself. Such a log normally contains an overview of the control units read, the fault codes with fault status and – depending on the system – the freeze frame data. Whether you have a right to be given it depends on the individual case and on the terms of the job. In practice, asking politely often gets you there.

OBD-2 adapter with an app

An adapter for the diagnostic socket together with an app on your phone provides fault codes and live data. Worth knowing: a simple adapter with a standard app usually reads only the standardised, emissions-relevant part of the diagnosis – essentially engine and drivetrain. Manufacturer-specific fault codes and control units for chassis, body, comfort and assistance systems are mostly out of reach that way, or reachable only in part; how far you get depends on the vehicle, the adapter and the app. For an engine problem this route is often enough; for a fault pattern spanning several systems it is not.

Professional diagnostic tester

A professional diagnostic tester usually reads out every control unit fitted and provides the most complete data set. Worthwhile if you work on the car yourself or have access to a tester anyway.

MotorScope does not sell diagnostic equipment and does not recommend buying any particular model or app. What matters is not the brand of the device but what the export contains: fault code, control unit, fault status and – where available – freeze frame data.

What data the assessment needs

Required

Vehicle data: VIN (17 characters; the letters I, O and Q do not appear in it), model, engine, year of manufacture and mileage.
Description of the symptom: when the behaviour occurs – right after starting, under load, on the motorway, with a cold engine or only after a longer drive. Since when, how often, under which conditions.
Diagnostic data: diagnostic tester export, fault memory print-out or app export with control unit, fault code and fault status.

Helpful, if available

Freeze frame data with engine speed, coolant temperature, engine load or vehicle speed.
Live data and target/actual comparisons.
Screenshots from an OBD app and photos of the warning lights.
Invoices for work already carried out and a list of replaced parts.
Any indication that the fault memory was cleared, that the battery was weak or that a connector was recently disconnected.

How to make your data usable Send the complete log wherever possible rather than a code typed out by hand. Screenshots only help if every value is legible and not just the top line of the screen is shown. Photos should be sharp and show the entry in full. A special diagnostic tester is not a requirement – existing print-outs, photos or app exports are often enough, provided the fault description is meaningful.

How the analysis works

Describe the problem – Give the vehicle model, engine, year of manufacture and mileage – and describe when the symptom occurs.
Send the data – Upload fault codes, diagnostic logs, freeze frame data or screenshots through the form.
Assess the connections – MotorScope compares the data with the symptoms you described and the work carried out so far.
Receive the analysis report – Usually within one hour of complete data arriving, you receive your analysis report with a traceable assessment and a prioritised list of possible checks.

What does online vehicle diagnostics cost?

The online assessment costs a one-off €19.99 incl. VAT per vehicle and assessment. No further costs arise. Included are:

Systematic assessment of the fault memory and – where available – the live data and sensor values
Plausibility check of the values and assessment of the technical connections
Comparison with publicly available manufacturer specifications and reference values
VIN-based check for publicly available recalls and service campaigns
Analysis report assessing the irregularities, with recommendations on how to proceed

If the data is to be taken at the vehicle

If MotorScope is to read the data at the vehicle itself, that is available as a mobile analysis:

€149.00 incl. VAT for the analysis
plus €0.90 incl. VAT per kilometre in travel costs, charged for the one-way distance from 21149 Hamburg
The distance that applies is the route determined via Google Maps
The operating radius is up to 200 km

One-way distanceTravel costsTotal incl. VAT

25 km€22.50€171.50

50 km€45.00€194.00

100 km€90.00€239.00

200 km (maximum)€180.00€329.00

The exact travel costs for your address are given to you before you complete the order. Until then you incur no costs.

If the journey makes it too expensive: online vehicle diagnostics for €19.99 delivers the same analysis report – you then send the data yourself.

Online or garage?

The two do not exclude each other – they answer different questions.

Online vehicle diagnosticsGarage on site

AnswersWhat do the fault memory and live data say?What is actually faulty on the vehicle?

Access to the vehicleNot needed for the assessment – the data has to be read out onceRequired throughout

AvailabilityAround the clockBy appointment

Commercial interestIncome independent of repair work and parts salesIncome arises through repairs and parts

ResultAnalysis report with assessment and recommendationsInspection on the vehicle and, where needed, repair

Cost€19.99 incl. VATDepending on the business and the effort

The sensible order is usually: first place the data in context, then go to the garage with a clear question.

What the online assessment does – and what it does not

What the online assessment does

Puts fault memory, live data and symptoms into context
Shows which measurement is most likely to bring clarity next
Makes a repair recommendation verifiable before you approve it
Prepares the garage visit with a clear question
Is independent of repair orders and parts sales

What it does not do

Repairs and parts sales
Approving repairs or certifying roadworthiness
Replacing a personal inspection of the vehicle
Swapping parts on suspicion, or a guarantee of success
Replacing the German MOT (HU), the emissions test (AU) or any other legally required inspection

If the data does not show a clear picture, the report says so explicitly. Rather than settling on a cause prematurely, it shows which check will bring the most clarity next.

Frequently asked questions about online vehicle diagnostics

Does this work for every vehicle?

In principle yes – provided the data can be read out and is available in legible form. The more complete the export, the more solid the assessment. A single code without control unit and fault status allows few solid conclusions.

I have no diagnostic data yet. What now?

First ask the garage for the log of the last fault memory read-out. If that leads nowhere, an OBD-2 adapter with an app at least provides the standardised, emissions-relevant fault codes and some live values.

Is a photo of the fault code enough?

For a first impression sometimes; for a solid assessment usually not. Without the control unit, fault status and freeze frame data, the context that matters is missing.

How quickly do I receive the analysis report?

Usually within one hour of your complete diagnostic data arriving – around the clock, at night and at weekends too. If the data is incomplete or illegible, a short query comes first; the turnaround time then starts when the missing details arrive.

Do I get repair instructions?

No. The report places the data in context and shows which test steps make sense. Carrying them out and deciding on a repair remain with the garage on site.

Can I show the report to my garage?

Yes, that is expressly intended. The report is structured to serve as a factual basis for the conversation. Whether the garage follows the assessment is its own decision.

What sets this apart from a free code search on the internet?

A code list tells you what an entry is called. It does not tell you whether it fits the symptoms, the live data and the work already carried out. That comparison is exactly what the assessment consists of.

You will find further answers under All questions and answers.

Understand the data first. Then act with purpose.

Upload your diagnostic data and receive an independent assessment usually within one hour – before you order the next part.

Have your diagnostic data checked