Q. What is OBD II?
A. OBD stands for On Board Diagnostics. The “II” signifies the version of the OBD specification being used. OBD’s roots go all the way back to early 1970’s. In order to combat smog problems in LA, the EPA started requiring car manufacturers to provide emission control systems on the vehicles they manufactured. In 1988 a set of standards was developed by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) including a standard connector plug and set of diagnostic test signals. This was OBDI.
OBD II is a more sophisticated standard that was introduced in the mid-'90s. It monitors parts of the chassis, body and accessory devices, as well as the diagnostic control network of the car. On-Board Diagnostic systems are in all 1996 and newer cars and light trucks.
Q. Will AutoTap work on my vehicle?
A. AutoTap works on all model year 1996 and newer cars, light trucks and SUV’s sold in the US, including all domestic, Asian and European makes. AutoTap does not work on boats or motorcycles.
Q. Will AutoTap work on my PC?
A. AutoTap doesn’t require a high-end PC. Any PC running Windows 98, ME, 2000 or XP will run AutoTap software. At least 64 meg of RAM is recommended, and 50 meg of hard drive space is required. A CD drive is required to install the software and a USB port is needed to connect to the AutoTap hardware. AutoTap is not available for Mac.
Q. Will AutoTap work with my PDA?
A. AutoTap works many Palm® PDA’s. (Complete list) AutoTap is not available in PocketPC or SmartPhone versions. Note that a special Hotsync cable is required to connect AutoTap hardware to the Palm.
Q. Does AutoTap work on cars older than 1996?
A. No. AutoTap works only on 1996 and newer vehicles.
Q. What comes with my Autotap?
A. AutoTap comes with the vehicle and computer interface cable, the communication hardware, a software CD and a sturdy storage case. It does not include a PC or PDA. If you’re purchasing AutoTap for Palm, you’ll need one additional Palm interface cable to make the connection to your Palm.
Q. What is the difference between "generic" and "enhanced" parameters?
A. The OBDII specification requires manufacturers to provide real time data related to emissions. Generic parameters indicate the status of devices that monitor the vehicle's oxygen sensors, fuel system, heated catalyst, and evaporative system. Additionally, sensors report on engine speed, vehicle speed, mass air flow, and long and short term fuel trim. To view a complete list of generic parameters, click here http://www.autotap.com/generic_parameters.asp. To review a list of generic trouble codes, click here http://www.autotap.com/generic_trouble_codes.html.
When domestic manufacturers were required to make the generic parameters available through the OBDII system, they decided to make many other sensor reading available as well. These enhanced parameter readings report sensor data useful to repairing and tuning the vehicle. When viewing enhanced parameters, you'll see the generic parameters as well as information on cylinder injectors, knock retard, delivered torque, EGR, throttle position, and several different temperature reading. There are many more, but each manufacturer and vehicle type is different. You can view a list of available enhanced parameters by clicking here http://www.autotap.com/enhanced_parameters.asp. Remember, not all enhanced parameters are available on every vehicle.
Regardless of whether you have the generic or the enhanced AutoTap, you are able to read diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and turn off your check engine light. Upgrades can easily be purchased to add enhanced data to generic versions of AutoTap.
Q. Where is the connector? What does it look like?
A. The OBDII connector is most frequently located on the driver’s side at the bottom of the dash.
The pins are used in the following way:
Pin 2 - J1850 Bus+
Pin 4 - Chassis Ground
Pin 5 - Signal Ground
Pin 6 - CAN High (J-2284)
Pin 7 - ISO 9141-2 K Line and ISO/ DIS 14230-4
Pin 10 - J1850 Bus
Pin 14 - CAN Low (J-2284)
Pin 15 - ISO 9141-2 L Line and ISO/ DIS 14230-4
Pin 16 - Battery Power
If your connector has extra pins, don’t worry. Manufacturers can use them as they see fit.
Q. What happens the first time I connect a vehicle with AutoTap?
A. The first time you connect a vehicle to AutoTap, the software searches through thousands of parameters that may be supported on your vehicle. Once they're detected, they are stored as long as you save your configuration file. When you connect again, the software loads the last saved configuration file.
Q. Can AutoTap reprogram my car?
A. AutoTap is a diagnostic scantool and does not reprogram the factory settings of your vehicle.
Q. Can AutoTap communicate with the ABS or Airbag (SIR) systems?
A. No. AutoTap supports only the powertrain systems.
Q. Does AutoTap control relays and solenoids?
A. No. AutoTap does not perform this type of bi-directional operation.
Q. How do I power my laptop when it's in the car?
A. Many AutoTap enthusiasts use AutoTap on the road to log and analyze data. We recommend using the automotive power adapter from the laptop manufacturer to provide laptop power from your vehicle's cigarette lighter. There are also universal power adapters available. Be aware that not all universal power adapters provide proper grounding. The Universal DC to DC power adapter from Radio Shack is one model that will permanently damage your AutoTap hardware..
Q. Can I use the USB version of AutoTap with my Palm PDA?
A. No, AutoTap is a USB peripheral. The USB port on your Palm PDA can only communicate with a USB master (your PC's USB port). Palm users need to purchase the serial version of AutoTap. The serial version works on PC’s equipped with a serial port as well.
Q. What is CAN?
A. CAN is short for Controller Area Network. CAN is the newest addition to the OBDII standard and will be the required electrical interface for all vehicles beginning in the model year of 2008. AutoTap supports all OBDII interfaces including CAN. |
