What is an OBD Port?

Author: tekniaXP
Posted: November 10, 2006

OBD is an acronym for: On-Board Diagnostics

Some GPS Electronics Equipment manufacturers are adding a connector for the OBD port as a simple way for people to attach devices. It saves us the hassle of climbing under the dash and hood to make the necessary connections to switch and power devices.

Link: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

On Board Diagnostics - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On-Board Diagnostics, or OBD, in an automotive context, is a generic term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capability. OBD systems give the vehicle owner or a repair technician access to state of health information for various vehicle sub-systems. The amount of diagnostic information available via OBD has varied widely since the introduction in the early 1980's of on-board vehicle computers, which made OBD possible. Early instances of OBD would simply illuminate a malfunction indicator light, or MIL, if a problem were detected—but would not provide any information as to the nature of the problem. Modern OBD implementations use a standardized fast digital communications port to provide myriad realtime data in addition to a standardized series of diagnostic trouble codes, or DTCs, which allow one to rapidly identify and remedy malfunctions within the vehicle.