OBD not connecting

Discuss any problems, warranty, repair, or replacement issues you are having with your Vibe & Matrix
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chmc
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:51 pm

OBD not connecting

Post by chmc »

Hi - I got a Scan Gauge II a couple weeks ago and LOVE it! The car i've been using it with is an '05 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix clone). I used it to great benefit on an 800-mile trip, then around town for 2 weeks. All of the sudden one morning, after 2 very short trips (1/2 mile each), I parked the car for about 6 hours, jumped back in, and the Scangauge showed the last data until it just shut off. I pressed the HOME button, and it just said "Connecting..." Reset computer by disconnecting the battery over night - same thing ... reconnecting, forcing the proper mode (ISO), all the same thing ("Connecting..." until it shuts off). I connected it to my other car (a Honda) and it works fine. Any ideas on getting the communication going again? My thought is that this is a problem with the computer or connector since the device connects to the other car.Thanks!Mike
Raven
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Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:58 am
Location: Lac Ste. Marie, Quebec

Re: OBD not connecting (chmc)

Post by Raven »

Check the fuses. Often the OBD II port is on the same fuse as the lighter, I'm not sure about the Vibe.
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ColonelPanic
Posts: 8436
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:48 am
Location: South Central Indiana

Re: OBD not connecting (chmc)

Post by ColonelPanic »

Welcome, by the way. You may just want to plug it in and start the engine, it should connect. They say you can make the SG connect by plugging it in and just turning the ignition to run (with the engine off) but that never worked on either my Vibe or the Hyundai it's plugged into now. It eventually turns itself off after trying to connect for so long. Firing up the engine fixes it in no time.My 1st gen ScanGauge freaks out and loses connection too - totally random and for no apparent reason. It's done this in the Vibe and the Hyundai, so it isn't the car... Sometimes I come back out to the car and turn on the ignition to see 'CONNECTING...' on the display. I just fire up the engine and within a couple seconds it is registering. Doesn't seem to have any ill effects when it loses and regains connection.If you can't get it to connect, see if you can get in touch with Linear Logic, maybe yours needs an update? It *should* work in the Vibe, several here have had both the first and second gen SG's in theirs work fine.
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey. :lol:

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joatmon
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Re: OBD not connecting (chmc)

Post by joatmon »

Checj the 7.5 amp OBD fuse in the under dash fuse block.You could also stop by anauto parts store like autozone where they will read CEL codes for free, see if their tool will connect to the OBD, that would tell you if it was the OBD or the scangauge
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chmc
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:51 pm

Post by chmc »

Thanks for the ideas... I checked the fuse, it was good. I actually took off the gas cap and drove my usual drive for a day and the CEL did not come on - it has before when someone (not naming names, now) left the cap off. That led me to believe the OBD was the culprit. Well, I put the SG2 in my Honda, it worked great. Then back to the Vibe, same story... no connecting. I switched the fuel type to hybrid and it started to work. It did just fine on some errands this afternoon, we'll see how it goes on the weekend. It seems to be updating a little slower, but I'll keep playing with it. It is very strange that it worked great for a couple of weeks and over a thousand miles before it got flaky.
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