Looking for an inexpensive bi-directional OBD-II scanner to use for home use, any suggestions?

 

bi directional scan tools usually require a license and subscription. FORScan is a good option, but requires a windows laptop and the correct adapter to make it work and its only works on Ford Vehicles.
https://forscan.org/home.html

Bluedriver is another good option, but the bi-directional features are very limited. it is affordable, works on most vehicles and works well on a smart phone or tablet. I run it on my iPad pro. The app is free and updates regularly, you can buy the blue tooth dongle from amazon or walmart.com
https://us.bluedriver.com/pages/bluedriver

 

For the model year Ford in your signature, the New Generation Star (NGS) tester is about the best bi-directional scan tool there is, and does NOT require any license, nor subscription.

Out of production since 2009, they can still be found used on eBay.

The NGS was the official Ford OEM bi-directional scan tool used by dealerships and referenced in Ford factory service manuals for a quarter of a century, from 1984 through 2009. The 25 years of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Mazda coverage is spread over 8 different PCMCIA cards that are color coded.

Since your 2006 has CanBus, you will want the Brown color PCMCIA Card for Diagnostics, which includes Ford proprietary modules and DTC that are not federally mandated to be open source like OBD II emissions related DTCs. This means that you can also diagnose body control module trouble codes, HVAC issues, transfer case issues, and any other possible module that can set a DTC, which is not something that generic OBD II scan tools can do.

For bi-directional test functions, including ABS brake bleed, switch functionality testing, programmable module installation, PATS functions, EVAP leak testing, and other procedures referenced in the factory service manual for dealers, you will also want to get the Gray color PCMCIA card for Service Bay Functions.

Also, my NGS shown below is all beige, which is the original color scheme. However, once Ford adopted CANBUS in vehicles (beginning in 2005 for the Super Duty), Hickok Instruments & Rotunda had to make a second Vehicle Interface Module (VIM), which is the lower half of the T shaped scan tool. To differentiate between the new CanBus VIM and the NON-CanBus VIM, they made the lower half of the NGS black, and put a blue label on the CanBus VIM and a red label on the NON-CanBus VIM.

So when looking on eBay for a used NGS, you'll want to look for a black lower half with a blue label that has yellow writing that says NGS-XL, along with the Brown Card and the Gray card. If you are successful and finding this ensemble, you will have dealership level diagnostics ability, that is set and secure because the software is not obtained online, is not bootlegged by Russian hackers, and does not require any activation or license to use.