DIAGNOSTICS
OBD-II — rd Diagnostics II
Definition
The standardised diagnostic interface mandated on US vehicles since 1996 and EU vehicles (as EOBD) since 2001 (petrol) / 2004 (diesel). Defines the 16-pin J1962 connector, communication protocols (KWP2000, J1850, CAN ISO 15765-4), and standard PIDs.
Why workshops care
OBD-II is the standardised entry point for both diagnostics and tuning. Most OBD flashers (KESS3, AutoTuner OBD mode, MPPS) use the OBD port to read and write the ECU calibration. Bench-mode ECUs (MD1/MG1) bypass OBD entirely.