In this article, we are making a review of one more very practical and handy diagnostic tool, and that is the Xtool A30 M wireless diagnostic module, aka OBD tool.
These wireless types of diagnostic tools are very popular, mainly because of their practicality, and Xtool has a product of its own for this range.
Before we start, we just like to remind you that Xtool has a wide variety of car diagnostic tools, as well as TPMS tools, programming tools, diagnostic scanners for trucks, and more.
If you haven’t checked out their product line, visit their website. I think it’s well worth the time; the product line is very impressive.
The link for the official XTool website: https://en.xtooltech.com/
We also have a YouTube review:
Also, in one of our previous videos, we reviewed the Xtool D5S diagnostic tool.
Also, a very good OBD tool, lots of options, and very good quality. It’s excellent not only for DIYers and car enthusiasts but also for professional mechanics and car technicians.
Besides this website, you can also watch videos on our YouTube channel, where we have many car-related videos that may help with maintenance, driving, etc.
A30 M WIRELESS OBD SCANNER REVIEW
UNBOXING
The Xtool A30 M comes in a nicely made black box with an illustration on the front side.
The box we got is a bit beaten up from the travel, hope you don’t mind.
On the rear side, you have the general information about the manufacturer, the barcode, and that it’s CE, FC, UKCA, and ROHS compliant.
On the side of the package, you have QR codes for downloading the app.
Know that the A30 m app can be downloaded for both Android and iOS systems.
Inside, you’ll find the A30 M lodged in a well-made plastic holder that can be used for later storage.
Once you get your hands on the tool, you’ll immediately notice that the plastic and the rubber holders on the sides give an impression of a quality product.
On the front side, you have a display, and on the back side, you have more product information. On the bottom, you have small signal lights that show the tool is working and that it’s connected.
But what’s interesting and a very convenient and useful feature is that there is a small built-in flashlight that is activated by pressing either side of the tool. The light helps find the OBD port during nighttime or in poor visibility. In our opinion, it can also be used as a mini flashlight if needed.
ACTIVATION
The XTool A30 M has essentially two working parts. The hardware, which is the dongle that’s connected to the car, and the app on your phone or tablet.
For it to function, you have to activate the A30 M. This is very simple to do.
First, download the Xtool app. You can find it on the Google Play Store or scan the mentioned QR code on the packaging.
You can install it on your phone, which is very convenient for making a scan at a moment’s notice, or on a tablet, where reading all the data and using the tool is perhaps easier and more readable.
In this part, we would like to mention that the A30 M includes free lifetime software updates for all app service functions.
Once you’ve installed and started the app, you have to fill out the information to activate the tool. The activation code and serial number are found either on the Quality certificate that you get inside the box or on the backside of the dongle.
Once you’ve done this, wait for the app to download and install. Then start the app.
After this, you’ll encounter the main menu, which consists of special functions, reports, auto scan, diagnostics, updates, and settings.
We’ll go into every menu in detail in the next part of the article.
What we would recommend on this part is to do the updates right away in order to gain access to all of the functions and diagnostic programs.
Know that if you have a weaker internet connection, the update may take some time. But the good part in this situation is that you don’t have to download all of the functions and diagnostic programs right away; you can download only the ones you need. This is a big time saver.
THE MENUS
The first section of the menu is for the special functions. Here you have 26 different functions and resets that you can use on almost all modern cars.
Besides the classic options like for headlights, oil reset, throttle adaptation, air bag reset, a/c relearn, and others, you also have gearbox adaptation, seat calibration, and sunroof initialization. DPF filter regen, but also GPF regen, which stands for gasoline particulate filter.
Next, you have various reports, and we will show these later when we do an actual scan on the car.
Then you have the auto scan and diagnostic section, which is for scanning the car. When you click on the diagnostic button, you get tabs where vehicle brands are divided by regions. Europe, America, Australia, Asia.
Know that the A30 M is compatible with over 85 car brands, which is really impressive. When you do all the updates, all of the available manufacturers appear in this menu.
After this, you have the updates section, where you get a notification every time there is a new update. Updates are done by clicking the arrow on the side of each file.
Finally, there is the settings button, which contains language settings: the XTool A30 M supports 22 languages. There is also a setting to change the units (there are metric, imperial, and US units).
Then you have Bluetooth, workshop, firmware information, and the about section.
All in all, in our opinion, the menu is simple and intuitive, but more importantly, the learning process is quick and easy.
SCANNING AND USING THE A30 M
-
Connecting
When connecting the XTool A30 M, first connect the dongle to the OBD port in your car.
When properly connected, you’ll hear a sound and a red signal light on the bottom of the dongle.
Also, you can see the car battery voltage on the mini display. This is very useful for knowing if you have a bad battery.
After the connection, start the app. On this part, it is very important to turn on the Bluetooth connection on your phone or tablet; otherwise, it will not work.
If you’re using the A30 M for the first time, be sure to first pair the dongle to the app in the Bluetooth section; otherwise, the OBD tool will not function.
When connected via Bluetooth, you’ll see a blue light shine up on the dongle, and you can continue.
Be sure to turn on the ignition of the car before you begin.
-
Scanning
Now, start the scan. In the menu, as mentioned, you have two options. The auto scan and diagnostic section.
The autoscan option is more direct, but you have to input the car’s VIN number directly so the tool can recognize the car.
After this, you get three different options for scanning. We chose automatic scan, and after this, you get a system scan with a list of all the systems that’ve been scanned and the DTC codes.
In the list, you have submenus with an explanation for the fault. At the bottom, you have a DTC report and a DTC list, and you can clear the codes if you want to.
Next, you have the diagnostic section. Here, at the beginning, you have the option of choosing your car manufacturer. First choose the region and then the manufacturer.
After this, you have more detailed options for finding your car model and the system you want to scan.
We chose automatic detection, and after this, you enter the scan menu.
Again, we chose automatic scan, and you once more get a thorough, detailed scan of the car’s vital system.
In our opinion, the scanning is pretty fast, and you will not wait long for the results.
When the scan is over, you will once more get a list of all the systems that were scanned and any DTC codes.
In this section, you also get a report, a DTC list, and the option to clear the DTC codes.
There is also a “diagnostic” submenu in each tab that allows you to go into more details about the problem.
From both scan options, you get a report with the date and time, which is stored in the reports section. From there, you can always access it. You can read it, print it, or even mail it if you want.
The A30 M can be used, of course, for erasing the DTC codes. It is very simple, you make a scan and just click clear all DTC codes.
Very convenient if you want to quickly erase a check engine light, for instance.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY THE A30 M?
If you decide to buy the XTool A30 M, we would recommend visiting the XTool official store, where you have the whole product range with thorough explanations and other very useful information.
The link for the official store: https://www.xtoolglobal.com/
Also, at least from what we’ve seen, the best offers for buying are there.
Of course, you can also visit Amazon or other websites; the Xtool product range is widely available.
CONCLUSION
In the end, if you want to buy yourself a good and quality-made OBD wireless scan tool, the A30 M from Xtool is a good choice.
With it, you can make a thorough scan of your car’s systems, you can do various resets, and you have a lot of special functions.
All of this without wielding a cumbersome OBD tool and the cable that comes with it.
You can carry the dongle wherever you like and have the app on your phone, enabling you to make a quick scan even on the road if needed.
Also, you get all of this for a very reasonable price.
Written by: Sibin Spasojevic
Former car technician, life-long car and DIY enthusiast, author for Despairrepair.com