All cars in the USA are needed to equip with an OBD2 system, which is the second-generation display tool that plugs into the OBD port of every car produced since 1996. The tool can read diagnostic trouble codes generated when the onboard computer detects a problem in the engine, you can connect to the OBD2 Cables. One use for the OBD-II is to read trouble codes in a shop environment as a diagnostic tool. The readout also mounts permanently in the vehicle to monitor its performance for a single user, if desired. In either case, the OBD-II only takes a matter of seconds to connect. An OBD2 reader must connect to the car in order to retrieve the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) generated by it.
Here are some ways to connect the OBD-II below:
Check your car knows whether your car is OBD2 compliant. A car that is OBD2 compliant will have a female 16-pin connector on the driver's side near the center console. Petrol vehicles manufactured as of 2001 and diesel vehicles manufactured as of 2004 should have this connector.- Prepare the facility you will need. Depending on the type of OBD2 reader you will be using, you will need a personal OBD2 code reader and a can obd2 cables, or a computer with OBD2 software, a converter and connectors (see Resources below). For your safety, your car engine must be off while you connect your OBD2 reader.
- Locate the 16-pin connector. This connector is not always easy to find but it will be inside the car and not under the hood. Some places where car manufacturers install this connector include: under the steering wheel, the driver's foot well, the area between the driver and passenger seat, behind the ash tray, under the passenger seat, and over the passenger door.
- Check the connector for the available pins. The connector must have pins 4 and 5 for grounding and pin 16 for power supply from the battery. The other pins are present for the various protocols required for different vehicle brands, including SAE J1850, ISO 9141-2, ISO 14230 and CAN bus.
- Connecting the OBD2 code reader. Plug the end of the included usb obd2 cable with the 16-pin connector to the female 16-pin port, and then connect the other end of the OBD-II Cable to the OBD2 reader.
- You can use your laptop as the OBD2 code reader. Connecting the computer to your car with the use of a USB, RS-232C or Bluetooth connector. Besides to connectors, you will need the OBD2 software to retrieve the information from your car and converters to modulate the voltage to complete the connection of the OBD-II.