Compatibility Guide

Does Your Car Work
with OBDAssistant?

Short answer: almost certainly yes. We support 95%+ of vehicles from 2001 onward across all major OBD2 protocols. Here's the full breakdown.

Supported Adapters

OBDAssistant works with any ELM327-compatible Bluetooth OBD2 adapter. Here's our tested compatibility list.

Adapter Connection Price Range Speed Status
OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth Classic $89–$109 Fastest Recommended
OBDLink CX Bluetooth LE $49–$59 Fast Recommended
Vgate iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 LE $25–$35 Good Supported
Kiwi 3 Bluetooth Classic $89–$99 Fast Supported
BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth Classic $20–$25 Good Supported
ELM327 Generic (v2.1+) Bluetooth 4.0+ $10–$20 Basic Supported
ELM327 Generic (v1.5) Bluetooth 2.0 $5–$15 Slow Limited
WiFi Adapters WiFi Varies Varies Not Supported
Supported by Region & Year

OBD2 became mandatory at different times in different markets. Here's when your vehicle likely gained OBD2 support.

🇺🇸

United States

1996+

All gasoline vehicles from 1996 and diesel from 1997. Mandatory under EPA Clean Air Act.

🇪🇺

Europe (EU)

2001+

Gasoline from 2001 (EOBD). Diesel from 2003. All new vehicles since 2004.

🇯🇵

Japan

2001+

JOBD standard from 2001 for domestic market. Most exports use standard OBD2.

🇳🇿

NZ / Australia

2006+

Most vehicles from 2006 onward. Japanese imports typically compatible from 2001+.

Supported OBD2 Protocols

OBDAssistant auto-detects which protocol your vehicle uses. Here's what we support.

ISO 15765-4

CAN Bus

The modern standard used by 90%+ of vehicles since 2008. Fastest speeds and most comprehensive data access.

Most Common
ISO 9141-2

K-Line

Used by many European and Asian vehicles from 2000–2008. Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota commonly used this protocol.

Supported
ISO 14230-4

KWP2000

An evolution of K-Line, used by many European manufacturers through the 2000s including Audi, VW, and Hyundai.

Supported
SAE J1850 PWM

Ford Protocol

Pulse Width Modulated protocol primarily used by Ford vehicles manufactured before CAN adoption.

Supported
SAE J1850 VPW

GM Protocol

Variable Pulse Width protocol used by General Motors (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac) pre-CAN vehicles.

Supported
SAE J1939

Heavy Duty / Trucks

Standard for heavy-duty vehicles and commercial trucks. Partial support available with compatible adapters.

Partial
Compatibility FAQ

How do I know if my car has an OBD2 port?

Look under the dashboard on the driver's side, typically to the left of the steering column. It's a 16-pin trapezoidal connector. All cars sold in the US after 1996, EU after 2001, and Japan after 2001 are required to have one.

Will OBDAssistant damage my car?

No. OBDAssistant operates in read-only mode. It passively reads data from your vehicle's diagnostic system — it cannot write to your ECU or modify any vehicle settings.

Do I need to keep the adapter plugged in?

Only while using the app. Low-power BLE adapters like Vgate iCar Pro can safely be left plugged in without draining your battery. Higher-power Bluetooth Classic adapters should be unplugged when not in use.

Why doesn't OBDAssistant support WiFi adapters?

WiFi OBD2 adapters take over your phone's WiFI connection, preventing internet access. Bluetooth adapters work simultaneously with WiFi, giving you full connectivity while diagnosing.

Is OBDAssistant available on iOS?

Currently Android only. iOS support is planned for a future release. Follow our updates for launch announcements.

Compatible? Let's Go.

Download OBDAssistant and connect your vehicle in under 60 seconds.

Download Free on Google Play