On-Board Diagnostics 2 Codes

On-Board Diagnostics II Codes

Codes, possibly one of the most prolific things in this Earth not counting the cockroaches. Bar codes, country codes, zip codes and a lot of other codes are perhaps the shortest and most convenient way of "tagging" and object or instance. Codes seem to be an impressive and daunting array of incomprehensible numbers but once you get the trick of knowing how to understand them, it all becomes as easy as pie. This kind of convenience has been in use in almost all modern technologies from consumer goods to computer errors. The On-Board Diagnostics 2 or OBD 2 systems are no exception, these systems also use codes called On-Board Diagnostics 2 Codes or OBD 2 Codes to express in short whatever vehicular problem and/or malfunction. The On-Board Diagnostics 2 systems are simply a monitoring device used in keeping track of your car's "health." The OBD 2 Codes are essentially the systems way of telling you what the problem is and is linked to a probable solution or solutions.

The OBD 2 Codes are technically referred to as OBD 2 PID's or "Parameter ID's," which is of course is just a fancy term for error codes or messages. These codes are used as a means of requesting and relaying data from the vehicle's brain which is the Engine Control Unit or ECU. The OBD 2 Codes are part of the standard 1979 OBD 2 interface which was required to be installed and standardized in all cars made in the United States of America. To make use of these codes a technician or the vehicle owner himself will connect a reader to the OBD 2 interface which will enable the owner and/or technician to know what's wrong with the vehicle.

OBD 2 Codes are usually expressed in hex followed by the specific error code. All PID's are preceded by a hex or a six-digit number and then the error code which can be alpha-numeric or just numbers; it depends on the situation and problem. However, even with the standardization of the OBD 2 systems there are still some manufacturer specific OBD 2 Codes; sometimes there are even model specific OBD 2 Codes. Having knowledge of OBD 2 Codes is still useless without a scanner or reader device for your OBD 2 System. These scanners let you, the user, know what the error code is and therefore let you know what to do in order to fix the problem. There are a wide variety of OBD 2 scanners and/or readers available on the market, these devices are a valuable tool in vehicle maintenance, upkeep, and repair. The OBD 2 scanner is a device which is attached to the OBD 2 interface and displays the current "health" of your vehicle. The OBD 2 reader is not very different from the scanner since some of their functions overlap, the difference only is that the OBD 2 readers provide you a "translation" of the different OBD 2 Codes that tell you what's wrong or what might go wrong with your vehicle.

Mike has been working on cars and trucks since he got his first Olds 442 in the early 70's. Since then he was worked on many vehicles and is deeply interested in electronics and the new computer controls of todays vehicles. While it might seem they are limiting the DIY'r he thinks just the opposite. With the right OBDII Code Reader [http://www.motorbookguy.com/Diagnostic_OBD_2_Tools_s/6.htm] and Haynes repair Manual [http://www.motorbookguy.com] you can do far more than the days of screwdrivers and timing lights.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_R_Hampton/559662

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4131500