The On-Board Diagnostic system is designed to ensure that your vehicle meets emissions standards that were set by the Environmental Protection Agency in the 1970′s. While the On-Board systems of the time were able to meet the past standards, newer systems have been developed to keep up with newer standards that were passed in the 1990′s. Find out what an OBD II Scanner is, whether or not your car has one, and why you need this type of on-board system by reading on.
What is an OBD-II Scanner?
OBD stands for on-board diagnostic. The OBD-II is a more sophisticated on-board diagnostic system that will monitor and control an engine’s functions. This new standard was introduced in the 1990′s and offers complete control over the engine and even monitors the accessories in the vehicle, the chassis of the vehicle, and the body of the vehicle. The OBD II Scanner was designed to fight the smog problem that was most commonly seen in LA and other basins throughout the nation. This vehicle component has been adapted to meet most of the emissions standards that were adopted by the EPA and set in force in 1996.
Does My Car Have an OBD II?
Not all vehicles have an OBD-II Scanner. If your vehicle was built after January 1, 1996, it has an OBD-II system. Some manufacturers started using this system as early as 1994. Vehicle models between 1994 and 1996 may have a scanner that is not fully compliant with emissions standards. You need to review the type of protocol that the manufacturer uses to learn about the variations in your scanner. Your vehicle may have the OBD II standard, but the protocol it has may not be as effective as others. CAN is the newest protocol and it is found in 2008 vehicles and newer.
Why You Need an OBD II Scanner
Aside from having a scanner to monitor the emissions of your vehicle, there are other reasons why you need this scanner. When you have a scanner repair shops can attach diagnostic equipment to the scanner to read error signals that are sent out by the system. You can have problems diagnosed by technicians with these scanning systems in a cost-efficient manner. Now, technicians can use software to access OBD-II information without even using expensive equipment. When your check engine light comes on, the abs code reader can help you figure out why.
Now that you know why vehicle’s have the OBD II scanner and what started the trend of the new standard, you need to figure out if your vehicle has this component. If you have an older vehicle and it does not have this component the cost of diagnosing problems may be very high. Identify where the problems in your car are located and be glad you know about the OBD-II Scanner.