OBDII scanner

JJMECHMAN

MEMBER
1996 SUBARU LEGACY
107,000 MILES

I have purchased an elm 327 scanner to try and help diagnose my problem with the engine not starting but I soon found out that with this being a 96 model it did not have the standard interface so I bought an adapter lead to connect the 15 pin scanner lead to the nine pin subaru connection but I have not been able to access the trouble codes it keeps saying unable to connect with ecu my question is do I have to connect any other wires because as well as the yellow nine pin subaru connection there are two green block wires and two black block wire connections (see attached photo)I could really use some advice on this because I need to get this car running ASAP and I cant afford a hefty garage bill !

Image (Click to make bigger)

4 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

First of all, look for the obd 2 connector as they have them after 95. It is there, you just have to find it.
Second, a code never identifies a bad part, just a failed system. You will still need a shop unless you guess and throw parts at it that may or may not work.

Roy

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Monday, December 19th, 2011 AT 3:00 PM

JJMECHMAN

MEMBER
9 POSTS

This car does not have an OBDII scanner port I have looked everywhere and the location were it is shown in manuals down by the bonnett realease lever hasnt even been cut out at the factory to provide the cover over the socket it is still one piece so I ask again do I need to connect any of the other wires in the picture to get the scanner to work?

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Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 AT 6:48 PM

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Yes, but you need a scan tool that a shop has, not any of the code readers. I would get a shop to read the codes for you and get back to us with the number so we can further help you

Roy

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Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 AT 5:20 PM

LIONEL DAVIES

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1 POST

Did u ever get ur ELM327 to work on ur impreza? After some research i'm starting to wonder if only american imprezas had obd2 since 96 and that we have a European one not required to have obd2 until 2001.

Wiki says:"1996: The OBD-II specification is made mandatory for all cars manufactured in the United States to be sold in the United States.
2001: The European Union makes EOBD mandatory for all gasoline (petrol) vehicles sold in the European Union, starting in MY2001 (see European emission standards Directive 98/69/EC[2])."

Everyone is telling me to buy one of those adapter cables as they are cheap.

Managed to find the wiring of these cables in some far corner on the internet and opened up my elm327 turned out most of the wires ended on underpopulated pins.

Than I hooked up all the different combinations for the 6 data lines the elm327 had to the (possibly) 2 data lines on the yellow plug (shown in this post).

Sadly no connection and no luck.

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Monday, December 1st, 2014 AT 10:11 AM