adaptor for obd2 to a 97 diagnostics port?

[David b]

I have a check engine light and would like to diagnose myself. Cannot find an adapter to read with my scanner. Is there such an animal?

[Agent☣Orange]

No. You'll have to just count the light sequence. Welcome to MR...didn't find your intro thread BTW.

[RotorNutFD3S]

Wait... a '97 should have an OBDII port.

[Agent☣Orange]

Oh yeah! Started in '96.

Still a little bit lost on the question though. Can't find an adapter to use with his scanner? Wouldn't the scanner already have an OBD socket adapter?

[Martin]

I know my old OBDII scanner won't talk to my wife's 2008 Honda, but it would talk to my 1996 Miata. Would the inverse be true? I mean would a new scanner be backward-compatible to a 1997 Miata?

[kung fu jesus]

The same OBD2 scanner I have has worked with a pair of '99 Miatas, an '02 Lexus, and recently an '05 BMW.

[Agent☣Orange]

I know my old OBDII scanner won't talk to my wife's 2008 Honda, but it would talk to my 1996 Miata. Would the inverse be true? I mean would a new scanner be backward-compatible to a 1997 Miata?


It's possible because while the physical OBD connection is the same on most cars, there are several protocols nowadays depending upon manufacturer and region. The original protocol should be readable by every OBD adapter but as different protocols have been implemented, it's usually the more expensive adapters that can read them all.

[kung fu jesus]

Good points. There are a few price levels for scanners. The higher the pricing, the more features and abilities it has. IIRC, the one I have can "snap shot" readings when the CEL occurs after it has been cleared. I did that on my '02 Acura to see a coil dropped out.