If your car/light truck is older than 1996 you will need to purchase an OBD-I scanner which are more vehicle specific and do not use the universal OBD-II coding system. [2] X Expert Source Ed BeeryAutomotive Specialist Expert Interview. 19 November 2021. This article concentrates on the OBD-II system. OBD-II constantly monitors the performance of your engine and Emissions Control System. It will turn on your Check Engine Light whenever a malfunction occurs that causes the vehicle produced emissions to be greater than or equal to 150% of the Federal EPA mandated limits.
If the screen stays blank and does not light up, jiggle the connector to achieve a better contact between the scanner and DLC connector pins. Older cars in particular may have poorer connections. If you still aren’t having any luck, be sure that your cigar lighter works. This is because the OBD-II system uses the cigar lighter circuit to provide voltage to the DLC. If the cigar lighter does not work, locate and check the appropriate fuse.
You can usually find your VIN number on the bottom-left hand side of the windshield. VIN numbers are typically stamped on every single part of newer cars. [4] X Expert Source Audra FordinCertified Automotive Technician Expert Interview. 13 January 2022.
Active codes are live codes or malfunctions that are keeping your Check Engine Light on. Just because your Check Engine Light is off doesn’t mean the code or malfunction disappeared, it just means that the code setting conditions haven’t occurred for two or more operations of the vehicle. Pending codes mean that the OBD-II monitoring system has failed the operation of an emission control system at least once and if it fails again the Check Engine Light will be turned on and the malfunction becomes an Active code.
P - Powertrain. This covers the engine, transmission, fuel system, ignition, emissions, and more. This is the largest set of codes. B - Body. This covers airbags, seat belts, power seating, and more. C - Chassis. These codes cover ABS, brake fluid, axles, and more. U - Undefined. These codes cover other aspects of the car.
The last two digits are the specific problem that the code refers to. Check a code chart online for details on each specific code.
The 01 indicates it’s a cylinder specific problem, in that there is a misfire condition in the number 1 cylinder. It could mean that the spark plug, plug wire or dedicated ignition coil are worn out or that there is a vacuum leak near the cylinder. A code does not tell you what component is defective; it only points to or indicates that a component, its circuit, or its wiring/vacuum control are malfunctioning. The code may be the symptom of a malfunction caused by a completely different system.
If you are unsure of what you are doing, take your car to an ASE Certified Master Technician with the L1 Advanced Engine Performance Diagnostic certification, or you could end up wasting a lot of time and money.
You can reset the Check Engine Light from the main menu of most scanners. It is also referred to as a CEL.
