OBD Comm failure? fuse fixes it...

[dianebrat]

Guys, I need to see if I just got scammed on a vehicle inspection, it's only $25, but it's the principle.I just went for my yearly to a new inspection station, and they gave me some line about not being able to connect to the on-board diagnostics to read emissions, at first in trying to understand their broken english it sounded like it was THEIR computer that wasn't talking to my car. I told them "your computer isn't my problem, I need this inspection, and this is my only day off"Then they came back about 20 minutes later saying they replaced a fuse, and that the my on board diagnostics for emissions were now talking to theirs, and that I passed the specs.My issue is that shouldn't I have seen something? a CEL, etc, if there was a fuse issue? I saw the emissions sheet, their computer clearly wasn't talking to my car, but then I was in the waiting room, so I don't know if their computer issue was the one that popped MY fuse.Any thoughts?Diane

[joatmon]

There is a 7.5 A OBD fuse, and it makes sense that the OBD port would have a fuse. If you somehow short it out, you blow the fuse instead of damaging something more expensive. The only thing affected would be the OBD port. A blown OBD fuse would not cause a CEL, or any other noticeable symptom.$25 is a lot for a fuse, but perhaps it took some extra time to diagnosoe and find the thing. I don't think you got scammed, unless it was them being sloppy when they hooked up their test tool and they are the ones that blew the fuse in the first place. But there's really no way to prove that.

[dianebrat]

Thanks Joatmon, It's the kind of garage I don't like going to, so I can see them charging $25 for fixing the fuse they blew when they had a connector issue. They all but said their computer was the start of the issue and wanted me to come back next week, had it been my car that was a problem, they would have wanted the money to fix it right away.Just knowing the OBD fuse wouldn't have caused a CEL makes me feel better.Diane