FIXD Review

Total Rating: 4.5

Over-all Score:

90

Reliability 90%

Ease of Use 90%

Build and Design 90%

Value for Money 90%

Safety 100%

BOTTOM LINE: The FIXD diagnostic sensor shows you exactly what is wrong with your vehicle without needing to take it to a mechanic. It tells you why the check engine light is on and what you need to do next.

PROS: Suitable for use on any vehicle released in 1996 or later, the FIXD sensor comes with an app that lets you view multiple sensors at the same time. It also alerts you when you need to do general maintenance on your vehicle.

CONS: A few customers reported that the sensor detected no problems with their vehicles, even when lights came on their dashes. Others had problems connecting it to WiFi or with the sensor losing their information.

The information we provide you is free of charge and a result of extensive research by our product experts. We use affiliate links in our site that provide us with referral commissions. While this fact may not influence the information we provide, it may affect the positioning of this information.

Best Diagnostic Sensor Review: FIXD Diagnostic Sensor

There are few things more frustrating than seeing the check engine light come on in your vehicle. This typically indicates that you need to stop by the mechanic or the shop and get a full check done on your car. Thanks to FIXD, you now have an alternative to that shop visit. This diagnostic tool allows you to perform a quick scan on your car and see why that light is on. It takes a short period of time to do the scan, which will then tell you exactly what it found and what you need to replace or do to your vehicle.

A great benefit of choosing FIXD is that you can use different sensors with each of your vehicles and access each one with an app that you use on your phone. As long as those vehicles run on gas and came out in 1996 or later, you can use FIXD. Once plugged in, this sensor will continue to monitor your car and identify any issues that occur later. You can also use the sensor to set up reminders of when you need to do routine maintenance such as changing your oil. This tool works without any special tools or accessories.

What You Need to Do to Maintain Your Car

The check engine light on your dashboard will come on when there is a minor or a serious problem with your engine. This might serve as a warning of an electrical problem that can worsen over time. The majority of people who purchase FIXD will do so because they want to save some money in the long run. If you leave an engine problem untreated, it may cost thousands of dollars or more to fix it in the future. We highly recommend the FIXD diagnostic sensor for anyone who wants to keep a close eye on the maintenance of their cars. It’s also a good tool for anyone likes to have an interesting gadget that can save them some money down the line.

FIXD is also perfect for those who forget about the regular maintenance that their cars require. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, you may need an oil change every 3,000 to 6,000 miles or more. Even if you put reminders in your phone, you may still forget to change your oil as needed. This tool has an app that lets you set up your own reminders of when you need to do that maintenance. Anyone who wants to take care of their vehicles will benefit from this tool and app.

How Does FIXD Work?

When you buy this tool, you get both the diagnostic sensor that acts as a scanner and the FIXD app. Before you can run a scan on your car, you must plug the tool into your vehicle. If you ever used one of the boxes that insurers offer to help lower your rates, you’ll already know how this works. You will then need to open the app store and download the app.

As soon as you plug in the tool, open the FIXD app. You can use the Bluetooth on your phone to search for the sensor and form the connection that you need.

Once you form this connection, you will click on your screen and tell the app that you want to scan your vehicle. After the scan finishes, the app will show you everything it found. This lets you know what is wrong with your car and what you need to do or talk to your mechanic about later.

Should You Buy it?

With the amount we spend on our vehicles, it’s important to keep them in good shape. Something as simple as a loose wire in the motor can cause your check engine light to come on and stay on for weeks at a time.

There is no guarantee that the light came on because of something simple though, which is why it’s great to have a diagnostic scanning tool such as FIXD. FIXD comes with a sensor that you can plug in and set up in seconds as well as an app that works with that tool.

The FIXD sensor does not require charging or new batteries. The power from your engine provides all the power it needs. As long as you have a Bluetooth connection between the FIXD sensor and your phone, you get full access to the app. FIXD does require that you create an account once you download the app. If you upgrade to a better phone later, you can log in with your information and gain access to your account again. While this is a tool that we recommend and one we think you should buy, we wanted to show you some of the pros and cons of this model to help make sure the FIXD sensor right for you.

Pros

Large Range of Issues

The biggest reason why you’ll want to use FIXD is that of the large range of issues that it can find in your car. The company says that it can find and identify more than 6,000 issues that include both smaller things you can take care of home and major repairs that require professional help. It also claims that it will tell you outright whether you should have a mechanic do the job. The tool can tell you when your oxygen sensor died, if your oil temperature is at a critical level or if you need to tighten your gas cap. Once you find and fix the problem, the app will let you clear the dash light too.

Cost Estimates

Have you ever been in a car accident and needed a repair? Your insurer probably suggested a few shops that you could use but also recommended that you get estimates from other shops too. This can take up a lot of time and leave you feeling frustrated about what those shops said. FIXD has a nice feature in its app that actually provides you with estimates based on your current zip code or location. Not only does the app tell you how much you might pay for the parts that you need, but it also lets you know the average cost of labor in your area for those jobs too.

Quick Scan

While there are a number of other diagnostic tools that you can use at home, FIXD operates much faster than some of those other tools do. It typically takes just a few minutes to do a full scan and view the results on the included app. FIXD also gives you the option of doing a scan when you’re at home or the go. You can open the app and start the scan while you’re sitting inside your car or standing on your driveway too. If you take your car to a shop, you might wait an hour or longer for a mechanic to hook up your car and perform a diagnostic scan.

Multiple Cars, One Account

If you ever used a diagnostic scanning tool and app before, you probably found that you could only use that tool in one car. While FIXD also requires that you use one sensor per car, it lets you use one account to monitor any other scanners that you use. Let’s say that you primarily drive one car but your spouse and teenager have vehicles of their own. You can buy and install scanning tools in each car and use the app on your phone to run scans on each one. That same app also lets you set up reminders about any future maintenance that those vehicles need.

Issues Found

One thing we really like about FIXD is just how clearly it shows any issues found. After doing a scan, the app will open a new window that shows you just how many issues it detected. It also tells you how serious those issues are, which will let you know whether you need to immediately take care of those problems or if you can put off the repairs for a few days. FIXED uses red, yellow and green to show you which issues are minor and which are more serious. You can do other scans after making those repairs also.

Affordable Prize

Many shops offer free diagnostic scans for shoppers today. The idea is that you’ll come in for your free scan and feel so grateful that you agree to pay for costly repairs on the spot. Some auto parts stores offer free scans too because they assume that you’ll buy the parts that you need from them. Free scans will often require that you wait in line and deal with pushy sales reps though. FIXD gives you the option of doing your own scans at home whenever you need. It offers its diagnostic combo for around $60 and has a bundle that comes with two scanners for just $100.

Clear the Light

When you see the check engine light come on, you’ll want to find out what’s wrong and fix it as soon as possible. If you find out that it’s something simple such as a cracked lid on your gas tank, you might not feel the need to get it repaired right away, or you can just buy a new lid and fix it yourself. When you do a scan but don’t have time to fix the problem on the spot, FIXD gives you the option of clearing the light. This will turn off the light on your dash and keep it from coming back on later, whilst retaining the information in the app.

Android and iOS Support

One problem that we found when looking at FIXD alternatives is that some of those products only work with one type of operating system. If you have an Android or an iPhone now but think you might want to change systems in the future, FIXD is a good choice for you because it is compatible with both operating systems. The manufacturer offers free apps that work with its tools, which you can download from the Google Play Store or the Apple Store. Once you create an account, you can log back into it when you change phones later too.

Maintenance Reminders

Though experts often claim that you need to change your oil every 3,000 miles, some makes and models can go for 8,000 to 10,000 miles before they need an oil change. FIXD is the only tool of its type that lets you set up maintenance reminders. The app will send you alerts when you need to change your oil and replace your fluids or check your tires and brake pads (don’t forget to take a portable air compressor if you’re going for a road-trip so you don’t get caught miles from a gas station with a flat). It shows you exactly how many miles you put on your vehicle and which types of maintenance you need to do in the near future. Those reminders can help you save thousands of dollars in future repairs.

Continuous Monitoring

Another feature that sets FIXED apart from the competition is that it offers continuous monitoring. Have you ever had your check engine light come on and then turn itself off when you went over a bump in the road? This often occurs because of a loose engine wire. Those bumps in the road can temporarily fix the problem until you encounter another bump. FIXD will do the scan that you need and will then keep monitoring your car until you unplug the tool. If it discovers any future problems, the app will immediately notify you of what it found.

Suitable for Less Experienced Users

While you can buy a professional diagnostic tool from any auto shop, those tools are often difficult to use. Not only do you need to figure out exactly where to plug in the tool, but you’ll also need to view the complicated codes that pop up. Those codes require that you access a database and use the information provided to decide what to do next. FIXD takes the guesswork out of diagnosing and repairing your car. Once you do a scan, it shows you in clear and simple English what it found and what that means to your car. You can then get a repair done without dealing with a database.

Vehicle History

Depending on your age, you might remember your parents keeping a detailed log of how many miles they drove and other information. The older generation often kept those details in a small notebook that they stored in the glovebox. FIXD allows you to keep track of your vehicle’s history on your phone and in a log that you can easily read and access. Each time that you run a scan, it will create a report that shows everything it found. You can access each of those previous scans and view all the information that you need to know about the history of your car.

Secure Data

Any time that you use a wireless device, you might worry about your private data. This is especially common among those who shop online because of the data breaches experienced by Target and other major retailers. When you use FIXD though, you never need to worry about data breaches. Though the app and tool do work with Bluetooth, once you create a connection between the tool and your phone, no one else can access that same connection. This ensures that no one else can gain access to your diagnostic scans.

Money Back Guarantee

FIXD offers a guarantee that essentially states the company isn’t happy unless you are happy. When you buy this product online from Amazon or any other retailer, you have up to 30 days to try it out for yourself. If you decide that you aren’t happy, you can return it within that period for a full refund. This is a great way for you to make sure that the tool not only works with your make and model but that it will find the information that you need. You may find that you prefer a diagnostic tool capable of monitoring and scanning other.

When to Take Your Car to a Mechanic

If you don't feel confident in your repair skills
When you have no experience making the type of repair needed
If you don't have the time to do the repair yourself
When you want a guarantee that the repair will fix your car
If your vehicle is still under its original manufacturer's warranty

Cons

Not All Vehicles Covered

FIXD will only work with vehicles that have an OBD-II port, which is a feature only found on vehicles produced in the middle 1990s and later. Unless your car came out in at least 1996, you cannot use this diagnostic scanner. Though some claim that it will work on hybrid vehicles, the manufacturer itself claims that it will only work on gas vehicles. You can, however, use FIXD on any type of vehicle. It works just as well on vans and trucks as it does on SUVs and cars.

Check Engine Light Only

While you might think that FIXD can find any problem that is wrong with your car, it only looks for problems relating to your check engine light. It does not detect any problems with your airbags, lights or any other parts on your car. Though you may notice that your oil light comes on, you cannot use the FIXD app and the sensor to find out whether you need to change your oil or replace your filter. If you experience problems with other areas of your car, you’ll need to take it to a mechanic.

Customer Support

While the manufacturers of other diagnostic scanning tools offer a toll-free number that you can call for help, FIXD requires that you use a specific email address for help. This requires that you go online and search for the manufacturer’s website. You’ll then need to find the email address listed on that site and send a message. Some customers reported waiting days or even weeks before getting a response, and others found that the company never responded to their problems. This can include problems with the Bluetooth and with inputting a VIN number.

Bluetooth Error

Setting up a Bluetooth connection is as easy as turning on Bluetooth on your phone and looking for an object in the nearby area. Some of the customers who reviewed FIXD online claimed that they had errors and issues when creating this connection. Despite having Bluetooth turned on, their phones could not detect the scanning tool. You may need to stand much closer to the FIXD sensor than you expected to force this connection. A few customers also found that the app lost this connection after they turned it off and that they needed to set it up again more than once.

No Issues Found

It’s important that you understand how FIXD works and what it does before you buy it. One of the biggest complaints we saw online was from customers who said that the tool did not detect any issues with their vehicles. This included complaints from those who were on the side of the road with cars that no longer ran. FIXD is a simple tool that tells you why the check engine light is on and what possible repairs you might need. It cannot tell you everything that is wrong with your car or give you information about repairs and problems that do not relate to that light.

Why Does the Check Engine Light Come On?

FIXD Testing

There is nothing worse than a car that won’t start or seeing the check engine light staring at you when you slip behind the wheel unless it’s the expensive bill that your mechanic charges to fix the problem. The FIXD sensor is the ultimate solution to the car problems that you have today and those you might face in the future. You can leave it sitting in the garage until you run a diagnostic setting on a weekend day or take it with you to check out problems on the road. Before spending money at a repair shop, check out the tests that we put FIXD through.

FIXD is a convenient diagnostic tool that works on most vehicles.

Build Quality, Durability, and Feel

FIXD consists of two different things that diagnose your car problem. The first part is the tool that serves as your diagnostic scanner. This scanner works on all makes and models made after 1996 that have an OBD2 port, which you will find under your steering wheel and close to the dash. You need to plug the tool into the port and start your engine while keeping your phone handy. As long as you have the FIXD app saved on your phone, you can open it and scan your vehicle. This app is compatible with most phones.

We liked that the FIXD tool weighs less than similar diagnostic scanners and that it didn’t have a bunch of cords or wires that we needed to plug into our cars and engines. It comes in a small plastic case that keeps it safe and makes it easy to store. Though we recommend tucking it into your glovebox when you spend a lot of time in your car, you can just as easily leave it at home. The box also comes with detailed instructions on how to both use the diagnostic scanner and download the FIXD app.

FIXD works on vans and cars as well as trucks and SUVs.

What It's Like to Use

FIXD is much easier to set up than similar scanners are. We quickly noticed that it told us what was wrong with the first car we tried it on instead of just giving us a code that we needed to look up on the web. As soon as it arrived, we opened the box and went through the instructions. The makers included helpful links to download the app. Not only did we download it to an iPhone, but we also added a copy to an Android phone and found that it worked well on both.

The only issue we found was simply finding the OBD2 port. While it was easy to find on a 2002 Toyota, it took a little longer to locate it on a 2019 Ford. After inserting the tool, we started the car and let the motor run for a few minutes before opening the app. It took mere seconds for the app to sync to the tool and bring up our owner information. We then clicked on a button within the app to bring up a diagnostic report. This showed that the car had a loose gas cap and needed an oil change. When we tested in on an older car that needed an oxygen sensor, we got a warning that we needed to take the car to a mechanic for servicing.

FIXD provides easy-to-understand information and is a tool that anyone can use. You don’t need to be an expert computer user or have the newest phone on the market to use it. While we found that it ran a little slower on older phones than it did newer phones, it still gave us all of the data that we wanted. You can also download the app to a tablet with an Android OS or iOS and get all the information that you need.

Another nice feature is that the FIXD app works with multiple scanners. If you buy different scanners, you can connect them to the app through FIXD premium. When you open the app, you simply click on the vehicle that you want to view information about and see everything the tool found.

You don't need mechanic experience to use FIXD.

Performance

Though you can sign up for roadside assistance through your insurer or a company like AAA, FIXD can help you avoid finding yourself stranded on the side of the road. This handy tool skips the main problem with similar tools, which is that they give you a code that you need to look up to diagnose your car problem. FIXD takes that code and puts it in English to show you what you need to do right away and what you can put off until tomorrow or later. It usually takes a few minutes to run a scan, but it can take slightly longer when used on vehicles with more issues. FIXD can even tell you which issues have more of an impact on your driving, which can help you decide when to talk to a mechanic. You can set up maintenance alerts, too. FIXD will then send you regular reminders when you need to change your oil, rotate your tires and do other things.

As FIXD comes with a detailed guide to getting started, anyone can use it while at home or on the go.

Testing Methodology

To text FIXD, we devoted a few weeks to both the app and the scanner. One thing we didn’t like was that the guide told us where and how to download the app but that we still needed to find it. You can search for the FIXD app through the iTunes or Google Play Store. We downloaded the app before the scanner arrived, which gave us time to play with it and try it out ahead of time.

As we said before, finding the OBD2 port wasn’t always as easy as we expected. Once we plugged in the tool, we noticed that it sometimes took longer for the app to find it. This happened both when it was cloudy or raining outside and when we didn’t use data on our phones. It took much longer to run some scans than we expected, too. Older cars took almost twice as long to get the information that we wanted.

We also had a few issues with Trip Mode. Though the makers claim that this mode will keep track of fuel levels and our direction along with how long we drove and our speed, it wasn’t always accurate. It occasionally showed us driving faster or slower than we were and stated that we used more gas than we did.

FIXD can withstand almost anything and performed well in our tests. One of our team members kept the tool in his trunk and found that it still worked perfectly at the end of the week as the one that a member kept safely stored in his glovebox. As a bonus, the FIXD app worked well on both the older and newer tablets and phones that our team had.

In our tests, FIXD was compatible with multiple phones and tablets.

What Comes in the Package?

Unlike other auto parts and tools that you bought online in the past, FIXD ships quickly and comes with almost everything you need inside the box. The packaging is robust and will protect the device during transit. You’ll find a cardboard box on the outside that you can open to access the FIXD box inside. This box has a flap that you can lift to slide the scanning tool out. The tool itself is inside a soft box that protects it during shipping. You’ll need to remove the top of this box and then pull the tool out.

While the FIXD sensor is the main thing that comes in the box, you’ll also get instructions that tell you how to install the tool in your car. The instructions also include information on how you can download and install the app on your phone. If you want to use the app on a tablet or another device, you can. You’ll need internet access to download the app, but it will then work on your device via a Bluetooth connection. FIXD also includes information about its money back guarantee and for those who want to contact its customer service department.

The Competition

Though FIXD is a popular diagnostic tool for do-it-yourself enthusiasts, it is not the only tool of its type on the market. These tools are great for those who want to save money. A local shop might charge $100 or more to do a scan and then hundreds more dollars for the repairs that you need too. You can get a diagnostic scanning tool for less than $100 to do some of the work yourself.

One alternative to FIXD is the BlueDriver tool. Not only does it come with both a plug-in sensor and app, but it also gives you 24/7 customer support. If you have any problems with the tool, you can call a toll-free number and get help instantly. To help you get in touch with customer service, the manufacturer puts its number right on the sensor.

BlueDriver is a little different from FIXD though in terms of what it tells you. Instead of stating exactly what is wrong with your car, it will give you a code. You will then need to use the app to find that code and see the description of what is wrong. It does provide you with Repair Reports though and access to a database to see what each code means.

BAFX Products offers a Bluetooth Diagnostic Reader/Scanner that is similar to the BlueDriver model. Once you plug it in, you’ll notice a series of lights on the side that come on, which let you know when it begins and finishes scanning. The included app then shows you all the information that it found about your car. One issue with this tool is that it’s only compatible with Android phones. FIXD will work with both Android phones and iPhones.

Some car guys and gals also like the FOXWELL Scanner, which is exactly like those that mechanics use. This is more suitable for those with a lot of car repair experience than those who just want to do a quick scan. It comes with a scanning tool that you plug in and a tool that you hold in your hand. This tool features a number of buttons and a small screen. You’ll use those buttons to do your scans and check on your car.

One nice feature about this scanner is that it has a touchscreen that helps you quickly view information about your car and search through different databases to see what is wrong. As with the BAFX Products scanner, this one gives you a code that you’ll need to find in the database to see what it learned about your car.

As this model does not use an app, you can plug it into any car and do a scan. It has a print data option that allows you to connect the scanner to your home or work printer and print off data about your most recent scan. You can take those pages to your mechanic and let the shop know what you found. With a retail price of around $100 though, this FOXWELL scanner is the most expensive alternative to the FIXD.

Final Verdict on the FIXD Sensor

When it comes right down to it, the FIXD diagnostic scanner is a great tool for people who want to take care of their vehicles and do simple repairs at home. Your check engine light might come on because you need to tighten your gas cap or replace a few spark plugs, which are easy repairs that you can do on your own. FIXD will do a full scan and tell you what you need to do, which lets you know whether to take your car to a shop. It’s easy enough for beginners to use at home to diagnose their engine troubles.

Some of the top features that we like about this product include how easily you can use it and how many problems it can identify. It takes just seconds to plug in the scanner and a few extra minutes to download and set up the app. You can do a scan while standing right next to your car or while sitting inside your home. As long as you have a connection between the app and the tool, you can perform a scan. If you are tired of seeing that check engine light on your dash shining or blinking at you every time you get behind the wheel, you’ll love FIXD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need to Unplug the Scanner When You're Done?

A: One of the best benefits of FIXD is that you can plug it in and leave it plugged in all day and every day. It will not drain your battery or cause any other problems. As long as you keep it attached to your car, you can open your app and do a quick scan whenever you want.

What Does Generation Mean?

A: When you search for this tool online, you might see sellers offering the first generation model and others offering the second generation model. Generation refers to the included app and not the tool itself. All combos come with the same diagnostic scanning tool. FIXD released a second generation app that shoppers think performs a little better. You may have the option of upgrading your own app to this better version.

Will FIXD Work with Foreign Cars?

A: Before spending money on FIXD, you should keep in mind that it only works on domestic vehicles such as those produced by Ford and Chevrolet. If you have a foreign car, it may not give you all the information that you need. FIXD is only suitable for use on cars in North America.

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