Obd2 Or Eobd? Cheap Reader Or Duff Port?

[Matthew C]

There is an intermittent Engine management light on my wife's 2003 Focus.

Many sources say that European legislation means that all petrol cars from 2001 on would be OBD2 compliant, so I bought a cheap (£5.40) OBD2 bluetooth reader, from a seller with a suitable returns policy.

It didn't work. The software connected with the reader, but the reader didn't connect with the Focus at all. I tried the reader in my 2003 Skoda Fabia and it did more than I would have imagined.

So I sent it back and bought the cheapest (£12.50) USB reader that was explicit in saying it suited a Ford Focus of this year.

It didn't work, but worked with the Skoda. At the seller's suggestion I tried another software version, that didn't work. I downloaded a trial of Forscan, it too connected with the reader, but the reader didn't connect with the car.

There is a fuse listed in the Haynes manual, that says it is for the diagnostic port - I checked it and it's fine.

How can I know what the protocol for the Ford Focus is? Did Ford comply with the EU regulations?

How can I tell if the port on my car actually works?

What readers have any of you actually got to work on your early Focuses?

I saw a post on this forum where someone took his car to a Ford garage and they scanned for fault codes and updated his software for £70. Is updating software a common thing to do? What would a normal scan and tell me the codes cost?

Or if anyone with a proven reader or a 2003 Focus, between Manchester (Home) - Stockport - High Peak (Work) can spare me 5 minutes one evening I'd be grateful for the chance to try my reader in their car (before I send it back) or their reader in mine.

I could be wrong, but I think the car doesn't run as well as it used to, and there's a foreign trip coming this summer, so I'd like to get it sorted soon. All advice gratefully received.

Matthew

[jeebowhite]

it could be a case that the port isnt connected or the software cannot talk to the ECU, which often happens with Fords and cheap OBD readers.

Plug the bluetooth unit in, and it should light up at least the standby / power light. if not its probably not connected behind the dash.