Autel MaxiCheck MX808S

The Autel MaxiCheck MX808S is a 7 inch Android tablet that connects to the car with a cable and goes online over Wi-Fi for updates. It reads and erases codes on the systems it can reach, shows live data, runs bi-directional active tests that command parts of the car, and offers a set of service functions such as oil reset, electric parking brake, battery registration, steering angle sensor relearn and diesel particulate filter regeneration. Autel’s product page also lists “Coding and Adaptations”, a phrase that needs careful reading, and the manual and store page add details that Amazon leaves out. This review compares all of them in plain terms.

The short version: the MX808S is a sensible tablet for a home mechanic or small shop that wants active tests and a long list of resets and is happy to plug in a cable. Amazon and Autel agree on the screen, the Android 11 platform, the 4 GB of memory, the 64 GB of storage, the 5000 mAh battery and the first free year of updates. They disagree on the number of makes and brands (80 or more per Autel, 150 or 200 or more per Amazon), on whether the tool can unlock the Chrysler gateway from 2017 or 2018, and on a few smaller figures. The bigger point is what the tablet does not list: Bluetooth, CAN FD, DoIP, advanced TPMS tools and anything the manual describes as module coding.

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What Is in the Box and What the Hardware Is

Autel’s store page lists the contents: the MX808S main unit, a USB power adapter, a USB cable for testing, a USB cable for charging, a quick reference guide, a printed user manual and a carrying case. The manual adds that the main cable connects the tablet to the car’s OBD port, that the mini USB cable together with the adapter powers the tablet and that the tablet draws power from the car when the main cable is connected. A videoscope camera, the MV108S, appears on the store page as a separate option, and Amazon says the tablet works with it.

The hardware numbers are consistent. The screen is a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen at 1024 by 600. The processor is a quad-core Cortex-A55 at 1.8 GHz, which Amazon names by its chip family, Rockchip RK3566. Memory is 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, and the tablet takes a memory card. Wi-Fi covers 2.4 and 5 GHz. The battery is a 3.7 V, 5000 mAh lithium-polymer cell, and Autel rates it at around seven hours of continuous use.

Several small numbers do not match from page to page. The product page gives the weight as 885 grams and the dimensions as 270.8 by 176.0 by 36.0 millimeters. The manual gives 788 grams and 237.8 by 148.6 by 35.5 millimeters. The product page and the store page give the charging input as 5 V at 1.5 A, while the manual gives 5 V at 2 A. The store page says the memory card can be up to 32 GB and the product page says 64 GB. None of these changes a buying decision, but they show why we read more than one Autel document. For charging, use the adapter that comes in the box.

The most important hardware fact is how the tablet reaches the car. Autel’s comparison table lists the vehicle connection of the MX808S as wired, and the manual describes a main cable from the tablet to the data link connector. There is no Bluetooth interface in the kit. Wi-Fi is used for software updates and online features, not for talking to the car. This is the plain meaning of the phrase “Wi-Fi only” that you will see in our comparisons. The picture below shows the tablet running bi-directional active tests on an engine and transmission.

What Amazon Says vs. What Autel Confirms

We compared the Amazon listing with Autel’s product page, Autel’s store page and the user manual. The table shows where the sources agree and where they do not.

The “3000+” figure appears on many Autel listings sold through Amazon. Autel’s manual describes active tests as vehicle-specific tests of subsystems and components, and says the tests available vary by vehicle. It explains the principle: the tablet sends commands to the ECU to activate the actuators, and the test checks the system by reading ECU data or by watching how the actuator responds. Such tests may include switching a solenoid, relay or switch between two states. That is a real and useful feature. A single number for it, however, comes from the seller. No Autel page that we read states a total.

The coverage numbers deserve the same caution. A title that says 200 or more brands, a description that says 150 or more makes and a manufacturer page that says 80 or more makes and models cannot all describe the same thing. They may count differently, for example brands against sub-brands, and the honest summary for a buyer is to plan on the smaller figure and confirm the exact car.

A third source. Battery University, a reference site on battery technology, explains how lithium-ion batteries age. It says the worst case is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperature, and gives estimates that a battery stored for a year at 25 degrees Celsius recovers about 96 percent of its capacity if kept at 40 percent charge and about 80 percent if kept at 100 percent. It treats anything above 30 degrees as elevated. These are general estimates for lithium-ion cells, not figures from Autel. They matter here because the MX808S has a lithium-polymer cell and many owners leave a tablet like this on the charger in a hot truck or garage. If you only use the tool now and then, store it partly charged in a cool place and top it up before a job.

How we handle these differences. The feature table at the bottom of this page, the Scanner Finder and our comparisons follow the Amazon listing, because Amazon is where you buy. In the text we name every point where Autel says something different or adds detail, so that you can decide for yourself.

What “Coding and Adaptations” Really Means Here

Autel’s product page and store page both list “Coding and Adaptations” among the functions of the MX808S. Many buyers read that as ECU coding, the kind that changes how a module is configured on a car. Our earlier version of this review treated it as unconfirmed. After reading the V1.4 manual, we can say more.

The manual does not have a chapter on coding. It defines Special Functions as functions that “perform various component adaptations, including the recalibration or configuration of certain components after repairs or replacements have been completed.” Those are the relearns and calibrations you do after a repair: a throttle relearn, a steering angle calibration, a battery registration and similar jobs. The word “configuration” appears, but the manual gives no list of modules that can be configured and no walk-through of changing a module option such as turning a chime on or off.

The practical reading is therefore a cautious one. The MX808S has adaptations, and some of them may include configuration steps on certain cars. It is not described as a coding tablet. If coding a specific module on a specific car is why you are buying, ask before ordering, and use a tool whose maker names the brands and functions it codes.

Basic TPMS, and What the Manual Adds

An earlier version of this review said that Autel’s page mentions no TPMS function for this model. That was too strong. Autel’s product page lists basic TPMS support for the MX808S, and its comparison table shows that the MX808S-TS adds advanced TPMS diagnostics, activation of 98 percent of known sensors, programming of Autel’s own sensors, comprehensive OBD relearn coverage, on-screen relearn procedures and battery analysis. The manual has a short chapter on TPMS service. It says the function lets you look up the tire sensor IDs from the car’s ECU and run replacement and reset procedures after sensors are replaced.

In practice this means the tablet can tell you which sensor IDs the car has stored, and walk you through a reset after a sensor swap. It does not activate sensors from outside the car, and it does not program new ones. If you change tires or wheels often, or you work on many different makes of sensor, the MX808S-TS is the model Autel built for that. Our MX808S-TS review covers it.

The picture below shows the tablet on a vehicle diagnostics screen with only limited TPMS support, a fair summary of the situation.

What the Tablet Does During a Scan

The diagnostic menu follows the order you would expect. After the tablet identifies the car, which it can do automatically by AutoVIN or by manual entry, it offers a function menu. The options vary slightly by vehicle.

• ECU Information shows what the module reports about itself.
• Trouble Codes reads and erases codes, with freeze frame data where the module stores it.
• Live Data shows parameters from the ECU as text and graphs, and lets you freeze and resume the display.
• Active Test opens the vehicle-specific tests described above.
• Special Function opens the adaptations and relearns.

The manual also describes generic OBD II operations, a data manager for saving reports and customer information, cloud reports, a remote desktop function for support and a built-in help system. Autel’s product page adds multilingual support, historical test records and printing through a Windows PC. For a home mechanic, the daily tools are reading codes, watching live data on a graph and running an active test before replacing a part.

The Service Functions: What the Manual Describes

Autel says “28+”. The product page names seven: oil service reset, service mileage and interval reset, electric parking brake pad relearn, steering angle sensor relearn, battery registration and reset, diesel particulate filter regeneration and injector reset. The manual describes six service chapters in detail and says other functions sit inside the vehicle menus.

The manual’s safety notes are worth reading before any of these. They tell you to work only when the vehicle is stationary and on level ground, to make sure the vehicle battery is fully charged and the connection to the data link connector is clean and secure, and to avoid connecting or disconnecting test equipment while the ignition is on or the engine is running. They also warn not to drive the car and operate the tablet at the same time. The picture below shows the tablet connected by cable and running service functions on a car.

Is the MX808S Enough for You?

For owners of cars built from the late 1990s to the middle of the last decade, the top half of the table covers most weekend work. The bottom half is where a different model may fit better.

Will It Work on Your Car?

Autel says 1996 and newer, and Amazon says compatible with over 95 percent of OBD II and EOBD cars. For reading codes and live data on an ordinary car, that is a fair expectation. For active tests, resets and adaptations the answer depends on the car, and Amazon’s own listing asks buyers to confirm compatibility with the seller before ordering and to ask about cars built before 2000. Our Scanner Finder gives a recommendation for your exact year, make and model.

Your First Hour With the MX808S

This section follows the user manual.

1. Charge the tablet with the supplied adapter and the mini USB cable before the first start.
2. Press and hold the power button until the green LED lights, then slide the lock icon up to unlock the screen.
3. Connect to Wi-Fi, register and update. Registration happens in the user account screens, which also show the registration date, the expiry date and the warranty period.
4. Plug the main cable into the car’s data link connector. The tablet takes power from the car once connected.
5. Identify the car by AutoVIN or by hand.
6. Run an all-systems scan, save the report, then open Active Test or Special Function for the job you came to do.

Keep the vehicle battery fully charged during longer jobs. The manual warns that a low battery or a poor connection can damage the equipment or give false data.

Care, Storage and the Warranty

The manual’s maintenance chapter recommends a soft cloth and alcohol or a mild window cleaner for the screen, dry hands when using the touchscreen, a dry environment and normal operating temperatures. Check the housing, cable and connectors for dirt and damage before and after each use, and use only authorized chargers. The warranty is a limited one year warranty for the original retail purchaser against defects in material or workmanship, with proof of purchase. It does not cover abnormal use, accidents, unauthorized changes, damaged or removed serial numbers, extreme temperatures, cosmetic damage or damage from unapproved accessories. Back up your saved reports before sending a tablet in for repair, because repair can erase the contents.

Living With a Wired Tablet

A cable is not a flaw, but it changes how you work, and it is worth picturing before you buy. The main cable runs from the data link connector, which on most cars sits under the dashboard near the driver’s knees, to the tablet. For a scan, a code clear or a reset that you do while sitting in the driver’s seat, that is no problem at all. The tablet sits on your lap, on the seat or on its collapsible stand, and the car powers it.

The cable matters more for jobs where you need to be away from the driver’s seat. A cooling fan test or an injector buzz test is easiest when you can stand at the front of the car and watch the part move. A window or door lock test needs you to see and hear the result from outside. With a wired tablet you either lean in through the open door, ask a helper to press the buttons, or move the tablet to the hood on its stand with the cable stretched across the cabin. Many home mechanics manage with the first two. If you do these tests every day, a model with a wireless interface is easier on your back and your patience, and the MK808BT Pro and MX808S-TS in Autel’s lineup were built for that.

A few habits make a wired tablet more pleasant. Route the cable so that it cannot catch on the pedals or the seat rail. Keep the cable and connectors clean and check them for damage, as the manual advises. Never disconnect the cable while the ignition is on or the engine is running, because the manual warns against it. And keep the tablet charged before you start, so that a long job does not depend on the car’s power alone.

Common Mistakes and Three Simple Plans

1. Expecting wireless. The tablet is wired to the car; Wi-Fi is for updates.
2. Reading “Coding and Adaptations” as full coding. The manual describes adaptations and relearns.
3. Counting on the seller’s test number. The tests you get depend on the car.
4. Buying it for tire sensor work. Only basic TPMS is listed; look at the MX808S-TS.
5. Letting the free year lapse without a plan. The tool keeps working, but new coverage depends on updates.

Plan A: A weekend brake job

1. Connect and scan all systems.
2. Run the parking brake service before and after the pads.
3. Clear codes and scan again.

Plan B: A new battery

1. Match the type and capacity to the original.
2. Run the battery registration service.
3. Confirm there are no leftover codes.

Plan C: A part you suspect

1. Read codes and freeze frame data.
2. Watch live data on a graph while the symptom happens.
3. Run an active test on the suspect part before you buy a replacement.

How the MX808S Compares With Its Neighbors

Our Autel MaxiCheck MX808S-TS review covers the tablet with the advanced TPMS tools. Our MK808Z review covers the closest sibling, and our MK900-BT review covers the larger tablet with newer protocol support. The head-to-head page is MX808S vs MX900-TS.

Who This Scanner Actually Fits

The MX808S fits a home mechanic with several cars and a shop that wants a rugged tablet with active tests and a long reset list, and that does not need a wireless link or advanced tire sensor tools. It also fits a buyer who already likes the Autel menus. It does not fit someone who needs coding, programming or CAN FD and DoIP on the newest cars, or someone who expects free updates for life.

Important Limitations of the Autel MaxiCheck MX808S

• The link to the car is a cable. There is no Bluetooth interface in the kit.
• Coding is not described. The manual covers adaptations and relearns.
• TPMS is basic. It looks up sensor IDs and resets; it does not activate or program sensors.
• CAN FD and DoIP are not listed.
• Updates are free for the first year only, and Autel does not state the terms after that on the pages we read.
• The seller’s numbers for tests, makes and brands are higher than Autel’s.

Who Should Choose It, and What to Consider Instead

Choose the MX808S if you want a wired 7 inch tablet with active tests, a good reset list and a first free year of updates, and your cars do not depend on the newest protocols.

Consider the Autel MaxiCheck MX808S-TS instead if tire sensors are a big part of your work.

Consider the Autel MaxiCOM MK808Z instead if you want the closest sibling and are willing to compare listings.

Consider the Autel MaxiCOM MK900-BT instead if you need newer protocols and a larger screen.

Methodology: How SCG Evaluates OBD2 Scanners.

Our Verdict on the Autel MaxiCheck MX808S

The MX808S does what Autel’s pages and manual say: active tests, live data, a good list of services and basic TPMS on a wired tablet with a first free year of updates. It does not do what some listings imply, which is to act like a wireless, coding and TPMS specialist. If you want a straightforward tablet for weekend and small shop work, it is a sound choice. If you need any of the missing pieces, choose a sibling that lists them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the MX808S support ECU coding?

Autel’s product page lists “Coding and Adaptations”, but the manual describes component adaptations and relearns, not module coding. Ask before you rely on coding for a specific car.

Does the MX808S have TPMS functions?

Basic ones. The manual describes sensor ID lookup and reset procedures. Advanced tools are listed only for the MX808S-TS.

Is the MX808S wireless?

No. It connects to the car with a cable and uses Wi-Fi only for updates and online features.

Is it the same as the MK808Z?

The platform numbers on both Autel pages are the same, and Amazon calls the MX808S a US version of the MK808 family. Autel does not state the equivalence, so compare the listings you see.

Does it unlock the Chrysler gateway?

Autel’s store page lists AutoAuth for FCA. Amazon says 2018 and newer. Check your car and set up the account.

Do I have to pay for updates?

The first year of updates is included. Autel does not state the terms after that on the pages we read.

How should I store the tablet?

Keep it dry and in a cool place, partly charged if it will sit for months, and avoid leaving it fully charged in a hot vehicle.

Is the MX808S compatible with my vehicle?

Autel lists 80 or more makes and models from 1996 onward, but system and service coverage varies. Run your year, make and model through the Finder before buying.