In article ,
Wes wrote:

"catguy" wrote:

Autoparts stores in Kalifornia are no longer allowed to "loan" readers. As a
result Kragen had a
blowout sale on OBD II readers for less than $25 in Jan.

Details please on why ODBII readers can't be loaned. California always
amuses me.

Wes

In basic language, California requires that emissions repairs be
performed by persons who have met the state certifications for emissions
repairs.

The law was brought about because codes and freeze frame data were being
erased under the tool loan deal. The erased data made legitimate
attempts to repair the emissions failure much more difficult and,
motorists were having the codes and freeze frames erased and then going
in for their smog tests but because the codes had just been erased, the
OBD system monitors were not completed resulting in an automatic fail.

It's a good law actually, based upon some common sense from the
perspective of those who perform (and are scored on) these types of
repairs for a living and have to work within the BS of the California
IM program.