Freeze Frame Data
Freeze frame data records the engine conditions (fuel system, calculated load, engine coolant temperature, fuel trim, engine speed, vehicle speed, etc.) when a malfunction is detection When troubleshooting, freeze frame data can help determine if the vehicle was running or stopped, if the engine was warmed up or not, if the air/fuel ratio was Lean or Rich, and other data from the time the malfunction occurred.
The hand-held tester records freeze frame data in five different instances: 1) 3 times before the DTC is set, 2) once when the DTC is set, and 3) once after the DTC is set. These data can be used to simulate the vehicle's condition around the time when the malfunction occurred. The data may help find the cause of the malfunction, or judge if the DTC is being caused by a temporary malfunction or not.