On Board Diagnostics (OBD)-II is a standardized diagnostic interface required on new vehicles sold in the United States on or after 1 January 1996. The OBDII system monitors a car's performance and alerts the driver of current problems, as well as potential problems. An OBDII reader has to be connected to the car in order to retrieve the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) generated by the OBDII.

Where is the Connector Located?

The OBDII connector must be located within three feet of the driver and must not require any tools to be revealed. Look under the dash and behind the ashtrays.

How to Connect an OBDII to Your Car?

1. Determine whether your car is OBDII compliant. A car that is OBDII 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 diagnostic connector.

2. Prepare the equipment you will need. Depending on the type of OBDII reader you will be using, you will need a personal OBDII code reader and a cable, or a computer with OBDII software, a converter and connectors. For your safety, your car engine must be off while you connect your OBDII reader.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Connect your OBDII code reader. Plug the end of the included cable with the 16-pin connector to the female 16-pin port, and then connect the other end of the cable to the OBDII reader.

6. Use your laptop computer as an OBDII code reader. You can connect your computer to your car with the use of a USB, RS-232C or Bluetooth connector. In additional to connectors, you will need the OBDII software to retrieve the information from your car and converters to modulate the voltage.

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