DougW

Brian Foster did pass the time by typing:
> That's pretty good. Are these code readers vehicle specific or will a code
> reader work on a Jeep, GMC, Ford, etc...?

OBDII is a standard on most all vehicles.

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/sear...xtSearch=OBDII
etc.

If my 93 had OBDII I'd probably be thinking about the datalogger and
the code reader. However, the model shown there will even work on
older OBDI/SCI systems.

Actually I may just order this for my ZJ since it will work on the
newer car as well.... there goes more money.

--
DougW

Jeff Strickland

"Brian Foster" <brianfoster@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:JNaGd.15355$Ta2.2508@fe2.texas.rr.com...
> That's pretty good. Are these code readers vehicle specific or will a code
> reader work on a Jeep, GMC, Ford, etc...?
>
> Thanks
>
>


No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would be
burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
built into the system.

There are more codes than some cars need, but they will simply not be able
to throw one of these. For example, let's say that Code P0440 meant that X
was not working right. Your car hasn't got the X Feature, so it wouold never
throw this code. But all cars that have the feature will throw the same code
when whatever X means isn't working right. (It just happens that P0440 is a
fault in the Evaporative Emissions System, so all cars have the ability to
throw this code.)

OBD II specifies that the connector to plug into is a certain type, and is
located in a specific place - this is under the dashboard in the vicinity of
your left leg (in a USA car, left hand drive). The connector is easy to
find, and there can be no requirement to remove any covers to gain access to
it. I gotta back track on the cover part, but the connector MUST be easy to
find after removing any cover that might exist in the area where your feet
belong while driving. The point is, the connector is readibly accessable and
easily identifiable.

If I was running a Service Department at a new car dealership, I would have
the Service Writer plug in the code reader to pull the codes, and enter that
information on the service ticket. If the code was one that could be caused
by the owner/operator (the P0440 code comes from leaving the gas cap loose
or off), I would have the service writer send the car home with the owner,
and not charge to pull or clear the code. There are several codes that can
come from operator error, and will not return once the error is corrected,
and no parts are needed to correct the error.

Jeff Strickland

"Brian Foster" <brianfoster@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:JNaGd.15355$Ta2.2508@fe2.texas.rr.com...
> That's pretty good. Are these code readers vehicle specific or will a code
> reader work on a Jeep, GMC, Ford, etc...?
>
> Thanks
>
>


No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would be
burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
built into the system.

There are more codes than some cars need, but they will simply not be able
to throw one of these. For example, let's say that Code P0440 meant that X
was not working right. Your car hasn't got the X Feature, so it wouold never
throw this code. But all cars that have the feature will throw the same code
when whatever X means isn't working right. (It just happens that P0440 is a
fault in the Evaporative Emissions System, so all cars have the ability to
throw this code.)

OBD II specifies that the connector to plug into is a certain type, and is
located in a specific place - this is under the dashboard in the vicinity of
your left leg (in a USA car, left hand drive). The connector is easy to
find, and there can be no requirement to remove any covers to gain access to
it. I gotta back track on the cover part, but the connector MUST be easy to
find after removing any cover that might exist in the area where your feet
belong while driving. The point is, the connector is readibly accessable and
easily identifiable.

If I was running a Service Department at a new car dealership, I would have
the Service Writer plug in the code reader to pull the codes, and enter that
information on the service ticket. If the code was one that could be caused
by the owner/operator (the P0440 code comes from leaving the gas cap loose
or off), I would have the service writer send the car home with the owner,
and not charge to pull or clear the code. There are several codes that can
come from operator error, and will not return once the error is corrected,
and no parts are needed to correct the error.

Jeff Strickland

"Brian Foster" <brianfoster@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:JNaGd.15355$Ta2.2508@fe2.texas.rr.com...
> That's pretty good. Are these code readers vehicle specific or will a code
> reader work on a Jeep, GMC, Ford, etc...?
>
> Thanks
>
>


No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would be
burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
built into the system.

There are more codes than some cars need, but they will simply not be able
to throw one of these. For example, let's say that Code P0440 meant that X
was not working right. Your car hasn't got the X Feature, so it wouold never
throw this code. But all cars that have the feature will throw the same code
when whatever X means isn't working right. (It just happens that P0440 is a
fault in the Evaporative Emissions System, so all cars have the ability to
throw this code.)

OBD II specifies that the connector to plug into is a certain type, and is
located in a specific place - this is under the dashboard in the vicinity of
your left leg (in a USA car, left hand drive). The connector is easy to
find, and there can be no requirement to remove any covers to gain access to
it. I gotta back track on the cover part, but the connector MUST be easy to
find after removing any cover that might exist in the area where your feet
belong while driving. The point is, the connector is readibly accessable and
easily identifiable.

If I was running a Service Department at a new car dealership, I would have
the Service Writer plug in the code reader to pull the codes, and enter that
information on the service ticket. If the code was one that could be caused
by the owner/operator (the P0440 code comes from leaving the gas cap loose
or off), I would have the service writer send the car home with the owner,
and not charge to pull or clear the code. There are several codes that can
come from operator error, and will not return once the error is corrected,
and no parts are needed to correct the error.

Dave Milne

However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes in
ODB II.
http://www.obddiagnostics.com/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...

> No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would
be
> burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> built into the system.

Dave Milne

However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes in
ODB II.
http://www.obddiagnostics.com/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...

> No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would
be
> burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> built into the system.

Dave Milne

However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes in
ODB II.
http://www.obddiagnostics.com/

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

"Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...

> No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic would
be
> burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> built into the system.

Jeff Strickland

"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:PnTGd.12405$GG1.4502@text.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
>
> However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes
in
> ODB II.
> http://www.obddiagnostics.com/
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ


That's true, but if your car won't produce them, it makes no difference.
Actually, even if you car does make them, the code number and a description
of the fault is available if you have the correct code reader.

The MFG specific codes are for unique features that one manufacturer might
have. If another manufacturer also employs a particular feature, then the
code is no longer unique. The link I posted with the codes assigned to date
shows some that are unique, and to whom they are assigned.

In any case, the same hardware is used to extract and reset the codes, only
the codes themselves are subject to a unique quality.






>
> "Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
> news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...
>
> > No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> > whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> > doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> > were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic
would
> be
> > burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> > current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> > after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> > pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> > built into the system.
>
>

Jeff Strickland

"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:PnTGd.12405$GG1.4502@text.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
>
> However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes
in
> ODB II.
> http://www.obddiagnostics.com/
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ


That's true, but if your car won't produce them, it makes no difference.
Actually, even if you car does make them, the code number and a description
of the fault is available if you have the correct code reader.

The MFG specific codes are for unique features that one manufacturer might
have. If another manufacturer also employs a particular feature, then the
code is no longer unique. The link I posted with the codes assigned to date
shows some that are unique, and to whom they are assigned.

In any case, the same hardware is used to extract and reset the codes, only
the codes themselves are subject to a unique quality.






>
> "Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
> news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...
>
> > No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> > whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> > doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> > were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic
would
> be
> > burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> > current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> > after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> > pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> > built into the system.
>
>

Jeff Strickland

"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:PnTGd.12405$GG1.4502@text.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
>
> However, there is still allowances for extra Manufacturer specific codes
in
> ODB II.
> http://www.obddiagnostics.com/
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ


That's true, but if your car won't produce them, it makes no difference.
Actually, even if you car does make them, the code number and a description
of the fault is available if you have the correct code reader.

The MFG specific codes are for unique features that one manufacturer might
have. If another manufacturer also employs a particular feature, then the
code is no longer unique. The link I posted with the codes assigned to date
shows some that are unique, and to whom they are assigned.

In any case, the same hardware is used to extract and reset the codes, only
the codes themselves are subject to a unique quality.






>
> "Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher@yahoo.net> wrote in message
> news:rJmdnV0hTszXnHHcRVn-rw@ez2.net...
>
> > No, they are not specific. That is the beauty of OBD II. When they -
> > whomever "they" are - came up with OBD, each maker had their own way of
> > doing it. It became clear that the consumer would be screwed if all cars
> > were not built to the same spec., it was also clear that a mechanic
would
> be
> > burdened with an unmanagable task of keep all of the codes and readers
> > current. So, OBD II was developed, and is required on all vehicles built
> > after 1996. Presumably, care before that have OBD I, and the means of
> > pulling codes on these years is dependent upon the scheme the car maker
> > built into the system.
>
>