Im having a hard time locating my OBD II connection........ MY is a 1999 F1 looked left and looked right.....no luck
Car needs to be running. Not sure what reader you have.....I need to hold erase button for a few seconds..
Running ? Mine says do not start engine, and I have read and cleared codes with the engine off. The key is on but engine not running.
That is strange, is the erase button working ? Do you have another tester you can borrow to see if you get the same result ? Post a picture of the reader screen, then I will have something to stare at to go with my confused mind
ha.........will do. Ill try and do it tonight.....heading out on business in the am My mechanic said to try shutting the battery switch off for a couple hrs. used to do this on my 95 but not sure it was ok on a 99
My bet is the reader he is using isn't making a solid connection. I have never heard of pulling/clearing codes with the engine running. Almost all code readers work with the engine on position ....not running. Diagnostic readers operate in one mode for reading codes and in the other (running) to monitor components. What type of code reader are you using?
Most actually work both ways. I can do either (running or just ignition on) on my BMW and it works fine.
I can confirm on my '98 that I've both pulled and cleared codes with the engine running. Using "Torque" with a bluetooth adapter (similar to this: Amazon.com: TUIREL® Super Mini ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner V1.5: Automotive) In fact, a passenger even pulled and cleared them while we were moving.
Allow me to re phrase: Almost all the cheap code readers have that as a disclaimer regarding erasing the codes with the engine running. Why? Think about rebooting your computer while something important is running. Erasing codes basically clears stored results and resets the real time values for over 30-50 sensors (depending on the car). Sure, it may work but personally I feel better doing that with the engine off. I use an Auto Enginuity Scan Tool. In regards to the problem at hand, I could not read the name of the Scan Tool he is using from the picture. That said, it looks like it supports real-time data so I would plug it in start the car and see if it sees any data from any sensor. If there is no data stream for example from the O2 sensors, the scan tool is not connected due to a wiring or pin problem. Sometimes the connector pins get bent or pushed out of the connector. If there is a data stream, that would point to something possibly being wrong with the ECU since no codes are stored. JD
I believe I found your code reader: http://innova.com/Content/Support/Manual/Innova/Manual_3100g_E.pdf If this is the one you have, it does not support live stream data. So, you may need to borrow another one just to confirm that the connector is ok. For those wondering about the not running versus running discussion, Page 34 has an answer for this device.
