Vehicle diagnostic tool—providing information on the operating condition of a power plant utilizing PID data

A method of providing information on the operating condition of a power plant of a vehicle, the information provided by diagnostic instrumentation including a microprocessor, the power plant including an engine and a powertrain control module, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing the diagnostic instrumentation with at least one indicator which can indicate at least one condition;
• b. programming the microprocessor to extract parameter identification data (hereinafter “PID data”) from the powertrain control module;
• c. programming the microprocessor with at least one parameter against which PID data acquired from the powertrain control module can be compared;
• d. programming the microprocessor with one or more algorithms which (1) compare the at least one programmed parameter and acquired PID data, (2) analyze the compared programmed parameter and acquired PID data, and (3) activate the at least one indicator once the at least one programmed parameter has been both compared with acquired PID data and the comparison analyzed;
• e. acquiring PID data from the powertrain control module with the diagnostic instrumentation;
• f. comparing acquired PID data with the at least one programmed parameter;
• and
• g. activating the at least one indicator to indicate at least one condition based on a comparison of acquired PID data with the at least one programmed parameter and the associated analysis.