What is OBD?
OBD I was the first generation of On Board Diagnostic. This was developed by the California Resource Board in 1988 to better monitor the emissions coming from your vehicle.
Due to technology and the desire to expand diagnostic capability, the second version of OBD II was developed. The OBD computer monitors the performance of the engine and its emission systems. If a problem is detected, the system will illuminate the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) and store the important information. The stored information can then be retrieved by an OBD II scanner. Please click here for more information.
What is EOBD?
EOBD is an abbreviation of European On-Board Diagnostics. This is European’s version of the OBDII system.
All petrol cars sold within Europe since 1 Jan 2001, and diesel cars manufactured from 2003, must have on-board diagnostic systems to monitor engine emissions.
What is CAN?
Controller Area Network (CAN) is the latest communication protocol that is being used by most of the major vehicle manufacturers since 2006, some as early as 2003. Starating in 2008, this communication protocol will be mandatory from all vehicle manufacturers.
CAN protocol runs much faster than earlier OBD II protocols - around fifty times the speed. The speed improvements, coupled with the addition of new diagnostic parameters, will give technicians the ability to see more information faster.
If you are looking for an OBD II Code Reader / Scan Tool that that will work on late model vehicles, and future vehicles, then we recommend purchasing an OBD II CAN enabled code reader.
For a list of known CAN vehicles (not all inclusive list): Can Vehicles
Does My Vehicle have OBDII or EOBD?
All cars, light trucks, SUVs and minivans, built and sold in the United States after January 1, 1996, were required to be OBD II equipped.
All petrol cars sold within Europe, since Jan 2001, and diesel cars, manufactured from 2003, must have on-board diagnostic systems to monitor engine emissions.
Where is the connector located?
The connector must be located within three feet of the driver. Most connectors can be found under the driver's side dashboard, but some are located behind the ashtray. To help you find the connector for you vehicle, then please click here.
My vehicles's ECU is displaying trouble code P0000. What part should I replace?
The code description is just a guide to help you narrow down the issue and may or may not be a direct indication on what to replace. Any codes above P1000 will be defined differently by each manufacturer and is not part of the generic code system. If you receive one of these codes, then you should contact your local dealer, internet forum, or vehicle manual for help.
My Check Engine Light keeps coming back on after being cleared.
Even though the dtc code has been cleared, the vehicle still has an issue that needs to be resolved. If this happens repeatedly, then the issue must be fixed or the light will continue to come back on until resolved.
What is Live Data?
Live Data or PIDs (Parameter Identification Data) reads certain engine sensors in real time. This valuable feature helps you narrow or identify the root cause of an issue.
What Protocols does my car have?
Here is a rough guide for communication protocol for each of the manufacturers (see diagram above for pin locations):
Fords – J1850 PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
GM – J1850 VPW (Variable Pulse Width Modulation)
Chrysler, European, and Asian Imports – ISO 9141
…or just compare the populated pins on your OBDII connector with diagram 1
Other Pins maybe populated, but the locations for the above protocols are required.
