

OBDII appeared in the mid-1990s with a universal port that allows one device to scan multiple models of cars. The first version appeared in the early 1980s, but it was limited to certain makes and models. OBD is short for “onboard diagnostics.” OBDII is the second version of this hardware. Types of OBDII scanners and how they work CAN (controller area network) is used in the majority of cars with 2004 and newer model years.

For the fastest performance from an OBDII scanner, look for one that is CAN-compatible.
