Kingbolen S608 TESTED | Owner’s review

The Kingbolen S608 is marketed as a mid-tier diagnostic tool with bidirectional control, service resets, and 4-system diagnostics (Engine, Transmission, ABS, SRS). I spent several hours testing it on multiple cars — including a VW Touareg, BMW E46, and Nissan — to see how well those claims hold up.

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What the S608 Actually Is

Despite looking like tools from Mucar, ThinkCar, Dollarfix and others, the S608 is not a full-system scanner.

It is a 4-system diagnostic tool that can:

• scan Engine, ABS, Airbag and Transmission
• read & clear fault codes
• view live data with 4-PID graphs
• perform bidirectional tests in supported modules
• carry out 9 core service resets

Extra modules may sometimes show up on certain cars (example: Steering Angle Sensor on BMW E46), but this depends on the vehicle — not the scanner.

Real Test Results

Volkswagen Touareg (Automatic)

Battery voltage was extremely low during testing (around 10V), which caused:

• very slow scanning
• unstable communication
• random fan activation
• scanner showing only 3 out of 4 systems
• inability to read the transmission module

After updating the VW package:

• scanning became slightly better
• but still unstable due to weak car battery

Conclusion for VAG testing:
The S608 works on VW platforms, but low voltage heavily impacts module detection. Expect better results above 12.2V.

BMW E46 (Manual)

This car actually showed the strengths of the S608.

What worked:

✔ Auto-VIN detection
✔ Full system report for 4 modules
✔ Steering Angle Sensor detected as an extra module
✔ Bidirectional tests confirmed

Working bidirectional tests on BMW:

• Fuel pump activation
• Radiator fan activation

Service resets available:

• ABS bleeding
• Battery matching
• Brake pad reset
• DPF regeneration
• Throttle body adaptation
• Gear learning
• Injector coding
• Oil reset
• Steering angle reset

This confirms that S608 isn’t just a code reader — it has real actuation capability inside supported modules.

Nissan Micra K12

VIN detection failed — I had to select manually.
Scanning speed was quick (~30 seconds), but live data was limited and some values appeared as placeholders.

Bidirectional tests:

• Cooling fan actuation worked
• Power balance test triggered injector shutdown clicks (even without engine running)

Limitations:

• ABS module rejected bidirectional commands with “conditions not met”
• Scanner did not explain what conditions were required

This is one of the small weaknesses — the tool should tell you what parameters must be met.

Bidirectional Control: Confirmed

Inside supported modules the S608 can perform:

• actuator tests
• fuel pump activation
• fan activation
• and even power balance tests on Nissan

Test availability varies by car.
Some cars show only 1–2 tests, others more.

Live Data

Live data logging works as expected:

• select individual parameters
• multi-graph mode
• 4-PID graphing
• combined graphs

Note: Live data availability depends on the car.
On Nissan, many values had no labels or only placeholders.

Software & Updates

• Volkswagen software was not pre-installed
• Download required before first use
• Update improved stability
• Interface looks like Launch software

KingBolen claims lifetime free updates, but obviously that can only be verified long-term.

Hardware

✔ Touchscreen + physical buttons
✔ Wired connection (no Bluetooth instability)
✔ Charges directly from OBD port
✖ Can drain weak car batteries faster

Specs:

• 6.2″ screen (1024×600)
• Android 8.1
• 2GB RAM, 32GB storage
• 4150mAh internal battery
• CAN-FD support
• DOIP not supported
• No camera

The wired design is great if you hate charging your scanner often.
Just don’t use it on a borderline-dead battery car — it will pull power from the vehicle.

Service Reset List (Confirmed Inside Device)

1. ABS Bleeding
2. Battery Matching
3. Brake Pad Reset
4. DPF Regeneration
5. Throttle Body Adaptation
6. Gear Learning (for automatic only)
7. Injector Coding
8. Oil Reset
9. Steering Angle Reset

These cover most basic DIY needs.

Languages

However, translations are rarely 100% complete — some menus stay English.

1. German
2. Spanish
3. French
4. Italian
5. Japanese
6. Portuguese
7. Russian
8. Polish
9. Turkish
10. Hungarian
11. Chinese
12. Korean
13. Greek
14. Slovak
15. Romanian
16. Arabic
17. Croatian
18. Slovenian
19. Finnish
20. Czech
21. Swedish
22. Danish
23. Persian
24. Serbian
25. Vietnamese
26. Bulgarian

Who Should Buy the KingBolen S608?

Good fit for:

• Home DIY users
• People working mainly on older cars (with OBD2 port)
• Anyone who only needs engine, ABS, airbag, transmission
• Those who want bidirectional tests without spending much

Not recommended for:

• Professional workshops
• Modern cars with many modules
• Users who want coding or adaptations
• Anyone expecting full-system scanning

Final Rating

The S608 performs well in the category it was designed for:
simple diagnostics with bidirectional capability on four main systems.

But at its usual price, you can often find:

• full-system scanners
• smartphone scanners with more functionality
• tools with coding and more advanced resets

…for the same or less money.

So yes — it works, and I verified its bidirectional tests on multiple cars.
Just make sure it matches your needs before buying.

If you want:

• simple 4-system scans
• ABS bleeding
• oil reset
• injector coding
• steering angle reset
• and some actuator tests

it will do the job.

If you want full-system coverage, better go one step higher.

Quick Comparison: KingBolen S608 vs Other Scanners

Scanner / Tool	Scope / Systems	Service Resets & Features	When to Choose It
KingBolen S608	4 systems: Engine, Transmission, ABS, Airbag (SRS)	~9 service resets (oil reset, ABS bleeding, injector coding, etc.), bidirectional tests, live-data graphs, CAN-FD support	Good if you mostly work on older cars and only need core systems; ideal for basic diagnostics + occasional resets.
4-system scanners like ThinkScan 662 or Dollarfix DF65	Similar 4-system coverage; hardware/software from same family	Service resets & bidirectional testing, though resets list can be slightly shorter or different	Equivalent to S608 — choose based on price or availability. They’re mainly for basic system diagnostics, not full coverage.
Full-system tool Mucar 682	Full system coverage (all car modules)	20+ service resets, broader module support, more advanced functions	Recommended if you work on modern cars, need deep diagnostics, or want long-term investment. Slightly more expensive — but often worth it for coverage and flexibility.

? My Recommendation

• Use S608 (or ThinkScan / Dollarfix 4-system) if you mostly drive or service older vehicles, want basic diagnostics, fault-code reading, and occasional service resets. For occasional DIY or garage work with basic needs — it’s fine.
  
• However, if you foresee doing frequent diagnostics, maintenance, or working on newer/complex cars, it’s worth stretching to a full-system scanner like Mucar 682. The added coverage, extra service resets, module support and long-term flexibility often justifies the slightly higher price.