The name, Autodiagnos, should be familiar to regular readers, as we’ve featured the Autodiagnos Multi-Tester plus and Autodiagnos Breakout Box in previous issues of Import Service. The latest addition to the Swedish-made Autodiagnos line of diagnostic equipment is the Multi-Tester pro.

At first glance, the Multi-Tester pro looks like an oversized version of the Multi-Tester plus. The screen size has increased dramatically, and some convenient grab handles have been added to the outside of the case. The pro keyboard design also carries a strong familial resemblance to the plus.

The Multi-Tester plus was originally designed for a parallel interface with the vehicle’s engine management system. A variety of adapters allowed the user to tap into the major European engine management systems, between the PCM and the vehicle wiring harness. The Multi-Tester plus saw the same input information the PCM saw. Toward the end of its development cycle, a Volvo-only module and harness were made available to the aftermarket repair industry. This gave the Multi-Tester plus serial communications ability on selected Volvo models.

All of the parallel interface wiring harness adapters and memory cartridges, as well as the Volvo serial interface equipment originally designed for the Multi-Tester plus, will also work with the Multi-Tester pro. So what’s the justification for upgrading from a plus to a pro? The larger pro display is certainly an advantage, as more lines of data can be displayed simultaneously, along with function-specific HELP. Additionally, the pro model was designed with serial data capability built-in, rather than added on, as it was on the plus. This allows Autodiagnos to offer memory cartridges and harness connectors that tap into the extensive self-diagnostic capabilities of more recent engine management, as well as other vehicle systems.

In addition to the Volvo serial interface capability, serial Volkswagen-Audi and OBD-II memory cartridges and harness connectors are available for the Multi-Tester pro. Cartridges and harness connectors for other major European brands (BMW, Mercedes-Benz) are also currently in development.

According to Autodiagnos, the Volkswagen-Audi cartridge gives the Multi-Tester pro ‘factory-grade’ diagnostic capabilities, while the OBD-II cartridge and harness connector provide the standardized OBD-II interface, data display and communications format. The four major OBD-II interface protocols (ISO 9141, J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW, KWP 2000) are supported by the Multi-Tester pro. The Multi-Tester pro automatically determines which OBD-II inter-face protocol the vehicle uses.

We connected the Multi-Tester pro to several late model Audi and Volkswagen models to produce most of the photos that follow. We also connected it to a domestic vehicle to see how it would handle the OBD-II handshake on a non-European vehicle.

As always, the value of any diagnostic equipment is derived from its ability to give easy access to otherwise inaccessible information. In capable hands, the Volkswagen-Audi and OBD-II memory cartridges for the Multi-Tester pro provide that information in spades. If you would like to receive additional information about the Autodiagnos Multi-Tester pro, Circle Number 115 on the Reader Service Card.