Best Automotive Multimeters

Looking for the best Fluke multimeter for automotive work? Check out the Fluke 88 Automotive Kit! What’s in the kit, you ask? Besides the Fluke 88 Series V multimeter, you also get a carrying case filled with silicone test leads, alligator clips, test probes, an inductive RPM pick-up probe, a temperature probe, automotive backprobe pins, an insulation piercing probe, and a ToolPak magnetic meter hanging kit. Phew! Now, what can the Fluke 88 V do? Plenty! Measure AC/DC voltage up to 1,000V, current up to 10A, frequency up to 200 kHz, resistance up to 50 megaohm, capacitance, and temperature! You can also test continuity, duty cycles, and diodes, and check on fuel injectors with the millisecond pulse width measurement. The backlit LCD is easy to read even in dim environments. Basically, this kit and multimeter are another masterpiece from Fluke, and its design has been optimized for automotive work!

If you need the best digital multimeter with a crazy-low price, look no further! This pocket-sized multimeter can test diodes and transistors as well as measure hFE (transistor gains). It can be set to test DC voltage to 1000V, AC to 750V, DC current up to 10A, and resistance up to 200 ohm. For the occasional home appliance or automobile issue, this cheap multimeter should do the trick. It’s perfect to keep in a drawer or toolbox for those times you really need it or just to test batteries on a rainy weekend afternoon! If you’re doing extensive electrical work, whether it’s in your home or in your vehicle, a more advanced multimeter with more features would probably be better suited to your needs. But if you need a multimeter stored away “just in case” rather than for every-day use, this little number from Neiko is a perfect fit!

The Innova 3340 Automotive Multimeter comes with an inductive RPM clamp and carrying case, but that’s not all! It has a 10 megaohm impedance to help prevent damage to the ECU, automatic zero adjustment, overload protection, and reverse polarity protection. You can check on temperature and RPMS as well as test diodes, continuity, duty cycles, pulse width, and more. It measures up to 600V AC/DC, resistance to 40 megaohm, DC current to 15A and AC to 400 mA, and frequency to 2 MHz. Narrow down the type of data you’re collecting with the min/max and hold buttons. Rubber corner guards act as shock-absorbers for bumps and drops, while overload protection and reverse polarity protection absorb a different type of shock! This is one of the best cheap autoranging multimeters you can find and should work well for electrical troubleshooting around the house as well as in your garage.

The Actron Automotive Troubleshooter CP7677 is a digital multimeter and engine analyzer with an extra-large LCD screen and protective boot to handle accidental drops and bumps. It measures resistance up to 20 megaohm, DC volts up to 1000 mV, AC up to 750V, and DC amps up to 10A. It also includes dwell for four, six, and eight-cylinder points-type ignitions, tach for checking RPMs, and continuity testing with an audible alert. Other features include automatic zero adjustment for volts and amps, overload protection, and automatic reverse polarity indication. The dwell test option is a must-have if you’re maintaining vintage pre-1970s automobiles. This is one of the best multimeter options if you’re on a budget--manual range multimeters tend to be less expensive than auto ranging multimeters. You can do a ton of automotive problem-solving with this multimeter, including testing ignition and fuel delivery, plus starting and charging, and locating wiring issues and busted sensors.

The KKmoon Automotive Multimeter comes with test leads, a temperature probe, and alligator clips to get you started off right. It can measure AC/DC current to 20A, AC voltage to 700V, DC voltage to 1,000V, resistance to 200 megaohm, temperature, hFE (current gain), and capacitance to 200 uF. You can also use it for testing diodes, continuity, and duty cycles as well as dwell and tach (RPMs). Dwell is an important feature if you work on points-type ignition systems, which are most often found in pre-1970’s vehicles. You can use the tach setting to check RPMs on other vehicles as well. Note that this multimeter lacks auto ranging, so if you’re working on cars every day, you may prefer autoranging for taking measurements more quickly. For auto hobbyists and homeowners who need an inexpensive multimeter for troubleshooting, that shouldn’t be an issue. It’s a great automotive multimeter with an incredibly low price to boot!

Ah, Fluke: the top dog of digital multimeters. The Fluke 115 is a part of the Fluke family of awesome multimeters and has a ton of solid features for automotive troubleshooting as well as working with other electronics and around the house. It has a backlit LED screen for working in low-light areas and a rugged design that can handle drops, shocks, and even more abuse! It measures AC/DC up to 600V and current up to 10A (up to 20A 30 seconds momentary). You also get resistance measures up to 40 megaohm, frequency, capacitance, and continuity and diode testing. The multimeter can be set to display the minimum, maximum, or average measure it receives depending on what you’re looking for. Fluke multimeters are designed for commercial use--AKA, hard work! So they’re perfect for the serious electrical enthusiast who wants the best of the best!

The OTC 100-Series 3505A multimeter is an autoranging multimeter designed for use on automobiles. For instance, the Millisecond Pulse Width and Peak Volts measures are specifically used for fuel injectors. It can also measure resistance, continuity, frequency to 10 mHz, capacitance, dwell, RPMs, temperature, and test diodes. Dwell measurements are crucial for maintaining old vintage vehicles with points-type ignitions. It can also check O2 cross counts and record or hold data at the push of a button. Use the Relative Measurement setting to pull test lead resistance out of a low-resistance measurement. If you’re a hardcore hobbyist or perform testing and repairs on vehicles on a regular basis, this multimeter has everything you need to pinpoint problems and fix them! From vintage cars to your loyal used sedan, the OTC 3505A can help diagnose them all. It comes with test leads with removable alligator clip ends, an inductive RPM clamp, and a temperature probe.

If you have a vintage pre-1970s vehicle, chances are it has a points-type ignition system that needs to have the dwell angle checked periodically. If that’s the case, this multimeter from HONGDA allows you to do so! For “younger” vehicles you can use the tach feature to get RPMs as well. It also measures AC/DC currents to 20A, AC voltage to 700V, DC to 1000V, temperature, and capacitance to 200 uF. Note that this multimeter lacks a frequency testing option, which can come in handy when you’re dealing with some types of sensors and signals, such as speed sensors and fuel injector control signals. Alligator clips are included as well as basic leads to get you started! A multimeter that can help you check the dwell angle is crucial to maintaining vintage automobiles. You can also test diodes and check continuity with this multimeter, so it has a lot of applications!

The Tacklife Advanced Multimeter takes your electrical work to the next level by making it easier to take various measurements. This clamp-style multimeter can measure AC/DC current from the outside of a conductor--no need to expose wiring to take a measurement! It also has Non-Contact Voltage (NCV) detection and a live line test with buzzing alerts and flashes to let you know when you’ve got a live one (any AC voltage between 90-1000V). It has a backlight and flashlight option as well for better visibility in any environment. It measures AC/DC voltage to 600V, current to 400A, resistance up to 40 megaohm, and capacitance up to 100uf. The continuity test sounds a buzzer if it measures resistance under 50. This is a strong contender for the best multimeter for cars and home use thanks to the NCV and clamp features on top of its other measurement abilities.

The DKMHA Digital Multimeter can be set to auto or manual ranging to make taking measurements faster. It can be used to test resistance up to 60 megaohm, DC voltage to 600V and AC to 700V, AC/DC current to 20A, diode testing, and continuity testing with an alert buzzer. You can also use it to take temperatures, like if you’re worried your new sound system is getting too hot! The LCD display has a backlight you can toggle for low-light conditions in your dim garage, and it has a reinforced plastic shell for protection against accidental drops and grease. The multimeter comes with test leads and a thermocouple that will come in handy if you ever need to test your car’s heating and cooling systems. You can store readings to look back on them and easily compare, and a low battery indicator lets you know the status of the two AA batteries. This multimeter is a great option for helping you troubleshoot and maintain your vehicle.