Which OBD2 Protocol Is Supported By My Vehicle?

Truthfully, unless you’re replacing your car’s port or something, the OBD2 protocol that’s used by your vehicle doesn’t matter. Modern OBD-II scan tools can interface with vehicles with any implementation of the standard. As long as you’ve got an OBD2 scan tool and a car produced after 1996, you should be able to connect the two regardless of make, model, or specific protocol. This article will show you all the details about the OBD2 protocol that is supported by your vehicle.

Table of Contents

• 1 Which OBD2 Protocol Is Supported By My Vehicle?
• 2 How To Determine My Vehicle’s Protocol?
• 3 Where Is The Connector Located?

Which OBD2 Protocol Is Supported By My Vehicle?

The chart below shows the OBD2 protocols supported by vehicles so far (by examining connector pins).

SEARCH your OBD2 Protocols by Manufacturer below.

MakeOBDII ProtocolsAlfa Romeo2005 : KWP2000 Fast
2008-2009 : CAN


Aston Martin2005-2009 : CANAudi1996-2001 : ISO 9141
2002-2004 : ISO 9141 , KWP2000
2005-2006 : ISO 9141, KWP2000, CAN
2007 : ISO 9141, KWP2000 Slow, CAN
2008-2009 : CAN

Bentley1996-2003 : ISO 9141
2004 : ISO 9141 (50%), KWP2000 (50%)
2005 : ISO 9141 (35%), KWP2000 (65%)
2006 : ISO 9141 (20%), KWP2000 (80%)
2007-2009 : CANBMW1996-2001 : ISO 9141/2
2002-2006 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000
2007-2009 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000, CAN

Chrysler1996-1997 : ISO 9141-2
1998 : ISO 9141-2 (95%), J1850-10.4 (5%)
1999 : ISO 9141-2 (85%), J1850-10.4 (15%)
2000 : ISO 9141-2 (75%), J1850-10.4 (25%)
2001 : ISO 9141-2 (35%), J1850-10.4 (65%)
2002 : ISO 9141-2(15%), J1850-10.4 (85%)
2003 : ISO 9141-2 (5%), J1850-10.4 (95%)
2004 : CAN (5%), J1850-10.4 (95%)
2005 : CAN (15%), J1850-10.4 (85%)
2006 : CAN (35%), J1850-10.4 (65%)
2007 : CAN (85%), J1850-10.4 (15%)
2008-2009 : CAN
Corvette2006-2009 : CANFerrari2002-2003 : ISO 9141/2
2004-2005 : CAN, ISO 9141/2
2006-2008 : CANFiat2002-2006 : KWP2000 Fast
2007-2009 : CAN, KWP2000 FastFord2003 : J1850-41.6, CAN(5%)
2004 : J1850-41.6, CAN(50%)
2005 : J1850-41.6, CAN(85%)
2006 : J1850-41.6, CAN(90%)
2007-2009 : CAN
GM Group1996 : J8501 -10.4, ISO 9141
1997-2002 : J1850-10.4, ISO 9141, KWP2000
2003 : J1850-10.4, ISO 9141, KWP2000, CAN
2004 : J1850-10.4(80%), CAN(15%), KWP2000(5%)
2005 : J1850-10.4(55%), CAN(40%) , KWP2000(5%)
2006-2007 : J1850-10.4(25%), CAN(70%), KWP2000(5%)
2008-2009 : CAN

Honda/Acura1996-2001 : ISO 9141
2002 : ISO 9141/2
2003 : ISO 9141
2004 : ISO 9141/2
2005 : ISO 9141
2006 : ISO 9141(70%), CAN(30%)
2007 : ISO 9141/2(40%), CAN(60%)
2008-2009 : CAN
Hyundai1996-1998 : ISO 9141
1999 : KWP2000
2000-2007 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2008-2009 : CANJaguar1996-2006 : ISO 9141
2007-2009 : CAN
KIA1996-2000 : ISO 9141
2001-2005 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
Lancia2002-2006 : KWP2000 Fast
2007-2009 : CAN, KWP2000 Fast

Land Rover

1996-2001 : ISO 9141
2002-2004 : ISO 9141, CAN
2005-2009 : CAN

Lexus1997-1999 : J1850-10.4, ISO 9141
2000-2003 : ISO 9141
2004-2006 : ISO 9141, CAN
2007-2009 : CAN
Lotus1996-2000 : No OBDII
2001 : ISO 9141/1
2002 : ISO 9141/0
2003 : ISO 9141/1
2004-2005 : ISO 9141/2
2006-2007 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000 Fast
2008-2009 : CAN, KWP2000 Fast


Maserati2007-2009 : CANMazda1996-2002 : ISO 9141
2003 : IS0 9141(75%), CAN(25%)
2004-2005 : CAN(60%), ISO 9141(40%)
2006-2009 : CAN


Mercedes1996-1999 : ISO 9141
2000-2002 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2003-2004 : KWP2000
2005-2007 : KWP2000, CAN
2008-2009 : CANMini2003-2005 : ISO 9141/2
2006-2007 : ISO 9141/2, CAN
2008-2009 : CAN
Mitsubishi2000-2005 : ISO 9141
2006-2009 : CANOpel/Vauxhall2003-2006 : KWP2000 FastPorsche1996-2003 : ISO 9141
2004-2006 : ISO 9141/2
2007-2009 : ISO 9141/2, CANRenault2000 : ISO 9141/2
2008-2009 : CANRolls Royce1996-2003 : ISO 9141
2004-2006 : KWP 2000
2007 : CAN, KWP2000
2008-2009 : CANSaab2003-2009 : CANSeat2002-2003 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2004 : ISO 9141, KWP2000 Slow
2005-2007 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000 Slow, CAN
2008 : CAN, KWP2000 Slow
2009 : CAN

Skoda2002-2003 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2004 : ISO 9141, KWP2000 Slow
2005 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000, CAN
2006-2007 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000 Slow, CAN
2008 : CAN, KWP2000 Slow
2009 : CAN

Subaru1996-2002 : ISO 9141
2003-2004 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2005 : KWP 2000
2006-2009 : CANSuzuki1996-2000 : ISO 9141
2001-2006 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2007-2009: CAN
Toyota1997-1999 : J1850-10.4, ISO9141
2000-2003 : ISO 9141
2004-2007 : ISO 9141, CAN
2008-2009 : CAN
Volkswagen1996-2001 : ISO 9141
2002-2003 : ISO 9141, KWP2000
2004 : ISO 9141, KWP2000 Slow
2005-2007 : ISO 9141/2, KWP2000 Slow, CAN
2008-2009 : CAN
Volvo1996-2003 : ISO 9141
2004 : ISO 9141(90%), CAN(10%)
2005 : ISO 9141(5%), CAN(95%)
2006-2009 : CAN

*Pin 15 is a must-have on vehicles that use protocols ISO 9141 or ISO 14230

Let’s find out more about the types of OBDII protocols!!

Think of protocols like the accent that your car has when it talks to your scan tool. Your scan tool can still understand cars with different accents, but how various cars “talk” might sound a little bit different. Below come the details of five OBD2 protocol types:

CAN (ISO 15765-4)

This protocol (also known as SAE J2480) is used in a variety of vehicles that aren’t subject to the OBD2 standard by law. Pins 6 and 14 should be there, while the metallic contacts should have pins 4, 5, and 14. This variant is used in most newer cars since newer car computers need the unique features this protocol offers to communicate effectively.

ISO 14230-4 (KWP2000) And ISO 9141-2

Pin 7 is a must. The connector must also have material contacts inside pins 4, 5, and 16. You sometimes find ISO 14230-4 protocol in some Asian cars, while ISO 9141-2 is used in Chrysler vehicles, European and Asian vehicles. (Please note that pin 15 is a must for old cars with ISO 14230 or ISO 9141.)

SAE J1850 PWM

If the connector has pin 2 and pin 10, the protocol is SAE J1850 PWM. The connector should also have metallic contacts inside pins 4, 5, and 16. Ford Motor Company usually uses this protocol.

SAE J1850 VPW

Pin 2 is a must. The connector must also have material contacts inside pins 4, 5, and 16. However, pin 10 should not be there. General Motors mostly uses this protocol.

How To Determine My Vehicle’s Protocol?

There are two typical ways to find what protocol is supported by a vehicle:

• (1) – Use the OBD2 protocols list suggested by manufacturers;
• (2) – Examine the OBD2 connector pins.

Let’s go and see how to do it!!

Examine The Connector Pins

The second way is to identify which protocol your vehicle is supported by having a look at the pin-out of the OBD2 connector. Each protocol uses a different pin to communicate with a scan tool. By carefully examining the inside of the “teeth” on the serial bus, you can figure out which pins are in use and which sockets are left empty. This enables you to figure out the protocol that your car uses. Again, though, your scan tool has a receptacle for every protocol. It does not matter what your vehicle uses unless you’re doing something complicated (like replacing your connector). All cars produced after 2008 have more advanced computers that require the CAN protocol and will have similar pin configurations (4, 5, 6, 15, 16). Cars produced before 1998 have a bit more variance with which pins are used.

While most scan tools can plug into both Type A and Type B connectors, there’s a slight physical difference between the two types of ports. Type A connectors have 16 “teeth” in two rows of 8 sandwiching a single “tongue,” while Type B connectors have the same 16 “teeth” sandwiching a “tongue” that’s split in two. Again, your scan tool can probably plug into both types of connectors without any problems.

Suppose we number the top 8 pins 1-8 from left to right and number the bottom 8 pins as 9-16 from left to right. Here’s what each pin is used for:

Top Pins:

• Pin 1: Reserved for OEM COMM
• Pin 2: This is where your J1850 Bus+ is
• Pin 3: OEM Reserved
• Pin 4: This is just a car chassis ground
• Pin 5: Similarly, this pin holds a sensor signal ground
• Pin 6: OEM COMM. Here’s your CAN high pin (J-2284). Most modern cars (2008+) will have this pin and a set of other pins, including pins 4, 5, 6, 15, and 16.
• Pin 7: This is your ISO 9141-2 K line
• Pin 8: OEM Reserved

Bottom Pins:

• Pin 9: OEM COMM
• Pin 10: Here’s your J1850 Bus- (negative) (note the location relative to pin 2)
• Pin 11, 12, 13, 14 OEM Reserved
• Pin 15: ISO 9141-2 L-line. This is right below the matching K_line.
• Pin 16: Unswitched Battery Power. This powers your scan tool.

Where Is The Connector Located?

OBD-II connectors have to be located on the driver’s side of the car or within a couple of feet of the car’s centerline. They have to be accessible from either the driver’s seat or the front passenger’s seat. They’re usually under the steering column. Less frequently, they’re sometimes under the glove compartment. If you can’t easily find the connector, you can use your favorite search engine to find out exactly where it’s located in your particular vehicle. Be sure to include the make, model, and year in your search. While there are a couple of subtypes of OBD2 systems, there’s no practical difference between where the connector is located. The standard has shifted slightly over time, but most connectors are still found below the steering column.