Watch & Learn: Locating Misfire Data with TOPDON Tools

Engine misfires will ruin a car owner’s day, but for a technician or DIY’er with the right tools and a little training, tracking down a misfire is all in a day’s work.

On TOPDON’s YouTube channel, National Training and Development Manager Haakan Light shows us how to locate misfire data in the video “Locating Misfire Data with TOPDON Tools.” Light uses three different TOPDON tools on three different vehicles to illustrate a good cross-section of methods and options, using both the OBD mode and manufacturer-specific software.

While walking through the process on each tool’s screen, Light retrieves misfire data using a Phoenix NANO on a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta, the TopGuru app for Apple devices (TopScan for Android) on a 2022 Toyota Tacoma, and a Phoenix Max to retrieve OBD data on a 2013 Chevy Cruze. “On all the TOPDON Pro Series tools, the menus will look very much the same,” Light explains.

A wealth of information is available on most vehicles using the TOPDON diagnostic tools, such as live misfire readings on individual cylinders, and misfire history over time. This helps technicians troubleshoot, as well as provide in-depth data insights.