How to physically inspect an OBD-II dongle

Document ID: 03312018

Purpose

This article describes how to physically inspect OBD-II devices for hardware-related issues.

Audience

The intended audience is carrier agents assisting customers who are having possible hardware-related issues with OBD-II devices.

Details

• Have the customer make sure the pins on the OBD-II device and on the OBD-II vehicle port are in good shape. Check for breaks, deformations, cracks, bent pins, etc.

                                                    

                                               

• Have the customer ensure that there is a firm connection between the dongle and the OBD-II port. The connection should be tight without wiggling. If the connection is not stable, consider using an extension cable (which will require the customer to order online if your organization does not provide them).

• Check the status of the device LEDs. Both power and signal LEDs should be green. If either are red, please refer to the table below for diagnosis.

LED Indicator	Status	Description
Power	Green blinking	Device being powered on by internal battery
Power	Green solid	Device being powered on by vehicle
Signal	Red solid	Device ON but not connected to cellular network
Signal	Green solid	Device connected to cellular network but no data is being transferred
Signal	Green blinking	Device connected to cellular network and data is being transmitted

• If either of the LEDs are red, please reset the device by inserting a push pin (or something similar) into the device's reset hole and holding it for three seconds or until the Power LED indicator turns red. (After it turns red, it should go back to solid green.)