Just bought a new Cen-Tech 60693 OBD2 Scanner from Harbor Freight. (Same as Autel 419)

I get a "Linking Failure" error when hooked up to my daughter's 06 Civic EX. it runs through all of the protocols but after a minute I get the link failure error. Car will crank but will not start. Scanner works fine on two other cars that I tried.

I am 90% sure that I have a destroyed Mass Air Flow sensor since i got the plug wet and failed to dry it before plugging it back in. Dumb dumb dumb. Is it possible that a bad MAF sensor could cause the linking failure on my new scanner? ( I THINK i may have read that some sensor problem could cause a scanner not to link)

My final question is.... has anyone ever tried to hook up a 06 to 08 Civic to a Harbor Freight (Autel) Scanner? OR do you know of a $100 or less OBD2 scanner that would be able to link and scan with an 06 CIVIC EX?

Thanks for any help you can offer

P.S. I read that some car manufacturers make it hard for certain models to be scanned so that car will be brought to dealer of qualified tech. Does Civic have this reputation?