13/10/2026
WHAT IS BI-DIRECTIONAL CONTROL? π§
Youβll see Bi-Directional Control or Active Tests listed on many professional diagnostic tools β but what does it actually mean?
A standard diagnostic scanner can read information from the vehicle.
A bi-directional diagnostic tool can also send commands back to supported vehicle systems, allowing you to activate components directly from the scan tool.
Depending on the vehicle, this can include testing things such as:
β‘ Cooling fans
β½ Fuel pumps
π Injectors
π Door locks
π‘ Lights
πͺ Electric windows
π§ Solenoids & other actuators
This can make fault finding much faster. Instead of waiting for the vehicle to activate a component, you can command it yourself and see whether it responds correctly.
β οΈ Active-test availability varies between vehicles, models and systems, so always check specific vehicle coverage.
π³πΏ TOPDON NZ β Professional Automotive Diagnostics