This way, you will know what is going on with your vehicle and also save money on OBD 2 diagnostics, which would otherwise be included in your repair bill. After that, you can email the trouble codes to your dealership or a technician. For example, the OBDeleven device will scan your vehicle, find trouble codes that your car’s system will have, and display it with a short description. The only way is to connect to your car with OBD 2 diagnostics software and a scan tool. What’s wrong? What happened? What should I do now? These questions always come to mind first, but there is no straightforward explanation as to why one of the lights turns on.

Specific DTCs are not available in the generic code database and their value is defined and created by individual car manufacturers.Įveryone knows the frustration when one of the lights in the instrument cluster light-up. While standard DTCs are defined for general OBD 2 and appeal to all official car manufacturers. There are over 5000 OBD2 Trouble codes, so it’s almost impossible to remember them all, but with the OBDeleven device, you can check what a specific code means.ĭifference Between Generic & Manufacturer Specific code?Īs mentioned before, the second digit in the DTC code can be standard or specific by the manufacturer. The fourth & fifth characters show a specific problem in part and system.

The third character can be numbers from 1 to 9 or letters A, B, C. The second character can either be 0 or 1.Ġ stands for general OBD2 code. U (user network) Functions that are driven and managed by vehicle onboard computer. P (powertrain) Engine, transmission, the driveshaft, and other components that convert the engine power into movement.ī (body) Seats, windows, doors and, other elements in the passenger compartment area.Ĭ (chassis) Wheels, Brakes, suspension systems, axles, etc. The first character defines the primary affected area or function of the vehicle/ It will either be: This is why running OBD2 diagnostics and reading DTC codes will help you or the technician to better understand the genesis of the vehicle problem and decide what the next step should be while solving the issue.ĭiagnostic Trouble Code is a combination of 5 characters. But a single warning light can have various meanings, while DTCs can show more precisely which fault the vehicle is experiencing. You might also get a warning light on the dashboard/instrument panel which will notify you to take action.

They will appear if your vehicle is experiencing a malfunction or something is not working as expected. DTCs are the codes stored in a vehicle's onboard computer system. What is the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)?ĭiagnostic Trouble Codes a.k.a.

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