On-Board Diagnostics

All about On-Board Diagnostics

On-board diagnostics are here to stay and any amount of wishing will not make them go away. Virtually every  car on the road today is fitted with one. The main objective behind having on-board equipment installed in automobiles is to control and  limit the level of harmful emissions emitted by these cars. Eco friendly motoring is the new way of keep the global carbon footprint to a minimum. Every motorist is responsible for their own. So when the check engine turns on, the on-board diagnostic equipment is trying to tell you that your car is failing its emission test and that it should be repaired before its going to drive properly again.

best obd scanner - There is no such thing as the best OBD scanner. But there is the best OBD scanner for a specific brand of car. For example VCDS is the best for Volkswagen (VAG) whereas  iCarsoft i980 is better suited for Mercedes Benz and BMW Scanner v1.4.0 OBD2 / OBDII Diagnostic Interface is best for BMW. LAUNCH, VAS 5054A ODIS,  AutoBoss, TOAD, MaxiDas, etc, are multi car diagnostic systems and are more suited for workshop use than DIY. There are plenty of DIY scanners among which are Autel MaxiScan MS509, Innova 3100,  Konnwei KW820, PowerLead Cadt PL-OM580, AutoPhix OB123, Acton CP9575, and hundreds of others, any one of which would probably the best scanner for a car owner. 

bluetooth obd - most likely refers to ELM 327 Bluetooth OBD2 / OBDII for Android that works pretty well with downloadable apps like OBD Auto Doctor, OBDeleven, OBD eZWay, OBD Car Tracker, OBD Fusion and OBDLink etc. This turns your cellphone or tablet a niffty diagnostic device.

car obd - refers to the on-board diagnostic system all car makers are obligated to install in vehicles manufactured after  1996 and beyond.

car obd reader - refers to an app or a hardware device that connects to a car via an interface cable or via bluetooth or WiFi

obd - is an automotive term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting ability.  

obd adapter - is normally a cordless bluetooth enabled adaptor that plugs into the car's 16 Pin DLC much like the ELM327 does. There are severa dozen manufactures who make them, amongs which are the Ozzy Gear OBD2 Scanner Bluetooth, Hikeren OBD2 Bluetooth Module, iAutomobil OBD2 Bluetooth Module, Foseal Mini OBD Bluetooth Scanner Adapter, Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 Scan Adapter, BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool.

obd android - there several OBD android devices. Vgate Bluetooth 4.0 OBDII is a Code Reader for both IOS & Android,  Hikeren Mini Bluetooth OBD2 is another  Car Scan Tool for android and HH OBD Advanced ELM327 OBDII V1.5 is yet another android Bluetooth Diagnostic Tool.

obd bluetooth - is the bluetooth enabled version of the scanner described above which is commonly used with a cell phone / tablet apps, and can also work with a bluetooth enabled laptop.

obd bluetooth adapter - is just another term use to refer to an OBD android / bluetooth adapter or  obd bluetooth android adapter.

obd cable - is a physical interface that plugs into the car's DLC. For example, VAG-COM V409.1 OBD OBD2 USB Cable is an OBD cable and so is KKL OBD2 USB Diagnostic Cable  both used specifically for Audi, VW, SEAT and SKODA.

obd car - Any car with either and OBD-I or OBD-II system installed. There are older cars that are completely devoid of diagnostics.

obd codes -  Are On-Board Diagnostic Codes, sometimes referred to as fault codes

obd code reader - is a handheld DIY device that purely extracts data from the ECU bus but can alter the data nor write it back to the ECU.

obd connector - refers to the DLC fitted under the dashboard close to the drivers seat. It can easily be identified by its light purple colour in VW's.

obd device - BMW motorcycle combo - OptiMATE  canbus connector is an OBD device and so are most of the adapter, cables and bluetooth connectors mentioned above.

obd diagnostics

obd reader - normally a hand held deice capable of reading OBD data from the car's ECU but not able to write back to it.

obd system - is a standardized microcontroller based system installed in cars that continually monitor its emission control systems, by using engine mounted electronic sensors and feed back from the catalytic converter 

obd diagnostic interface - refers to the USB to 16 pin DLC cable, that connects between the car and the laptop computer used to interrogate the ODB system.

obd interface - as above


obd i scanner - OBD I scanners are used on pre 1996 cars. It's been succeded  by OBD II.

obd ll - sometimes called OBD eleven, but its just a play on OBD-ii in upcase Ls. There is a bluetooth android device named ODB eleven.

obd ii - Is sometimes written as OBD 2 and is the current version of automotive vehicle On-board Diagnostics introduced in 1996 which superceded OBD 1 used in cars prior to that.

obd ii scanner  - refers to any an all devices capable of interfacing with the On-Board diagnostic system of a car used to read error codes.

obd port - The connector  fitted under the dashboard or behind the ashtray inside the car where the bluetooth adapter or the OBD inerface cable plugs into.

obd scanner - can either be a handheld  hardware device or a laptop based software /software device that interfaces with  the car's DLC, capable of reading the ECU, displaying DTCs, etc, and can either be OBD1 or OBD II.

obd scan tool - see obd scanner above.

obd tester - is an OBD scanner, that can take the form of a dedicated handheld device, or a computer based scanner or cellphone or tablet based scanner.

obd tools - refers to a collection of either diagnostic software or 

obd wifi - a codless device much like a bluetooth ELM 327 but that is rather WiFi enabled.

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— Naseeb Singh (@kvnnaseebsingh) June 22, 2017