Diagnostics.

[Winniebongo]

I have been given a cable which plugs into the OBD socket in the Bongo. The other end, I believe plugs into a Laptop and then you need to log into a website to get the results. Trouble is I don't know what site, by the way the cable was free, so if I can do this, that's great but if not, nothing lost

[sotal]

Post a picture of the cable but generally for an OBD2 cable, they just plug into a laptop and you have a piece of software that then reads codes. Unfortunately as far as I know all the bongos (I might be wrong for the very late ones) weren't OBD2 compliant, so you can't use such cables.

They instead had a proprietary diagnostics port. All the details for this are already on the forum. What it effectively gives is that when you have an error light in the dash you can bridge pins in the socket which cause the light too flash which gives you the code.

My guess is that you won't be able to use the given cable but as I say post a picture and members might be able to let you know what you have and you might be able to use it with other vehicles.

[Winniebongo]

Thanks for the reply Sotal, I did a bit of a search myself, I think some of the software may have been available in the US taking advantage I think of the Mazda/Ford link but I don't see it available here, one was Toad and the other Forscan (unfortunate name). The cable does connect in at the vehicle side although it looks unlikely until you try, other side I am not so sure I would know where to put in, not this Laptop anyway. hoping now to post some pics, hope that works and if anyone has any ideas, that will be helpful, thanks in advance.

[Winniebongo]

I don't think the other 2 have worked so will try again here;

[g8dhe]

The connecter cable merely changes the plug/socket style, unless it has a built in module (computer) the ECU in a Bongo does NOT output the OBDII protocol so the straight conversion plug will do nothing to help. There are suitable readers but your normally talking commercial types costing several hundred to thousands of pounds.

See here for more info https://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum ... 76#p709676

[Winniebongo]

I have a hand held scanner but I doubt it would connect to the cable either. It came from E.Bay it's pretty basic but it does scan and read codes on a few cars I have tried, mainly Renaults, I was told it would also do Japanese when I bought it and I had a Subaru at the time but it didn't work on it. The guy who had the cable claimed it have used it before on a Bongo but he said he no longer had access to the Internet site he used it through. He is a mechanic but I have found him to have a limited grasp of truth

[sotal]

As said above, that is just a dumb adapter cable.

Forscan cables are just standard elm327 cables with a switch to flip a couple of the pins over. They plug into USB and then into the OBD2 sockets (the other end of your cable).

[Winniebongo]

So the cable is no good for anything?
Does Forescan work, is it worth considering? available in the UK?
I did try to do the diagnostics before using the details form the Phil MacFadden website but nothing matched up to my vehicle and it was a waste of time, assuming above doesn't pan out is there anywhere else to get information about doing it with the light?

[sotal]

Forscan is designed for ford vehicles. It works fine in this country and gives much greater detail than plain OBD2 but only on compatible Ford vehicles. It won't work on the bongo.

I don't think the adapter cable will be of any use to you, the car simply doesn't have the computer to communicate with anything else.

I heard a rumour that very late models had OBD2 functionality but never actually heard of anyone having it.

I've used the built in diagnostics multiple times now and had no problems. It led me to an ABS sensor which needed replacing.

Use the site you mentioned as a starting point but video the light flashing on the dash and I'm sure someone on here will help you to figure out what they mean.

[Winniebongo]

Mine is a 1996 2.5TD 4x4 and it wasn't that I couldn't understand the flashes, the actual wiring didn't match mine and so I couldn't actually connect as it said. I am not aware of any issues at present and if anything were to come up I was going to get the mechanic who gave me the cable to have a look at it, didn't really expect him to say "tell you what I will just give you the cable"

[g8dhe]

Yes OBDII was introduced after 2002 sometime there is a proper OBDII socket under the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel

I'm not clear if the original socket is also in position I suspect it is, possibly the cable might work on those versions but I would suggest using the OBDII socket is a better choice!

[sotal]

Mine is a 1996 2.5TD 4x4 and it wasn't that I couldn't understand the flashes, the actual wiring didn't match mine and so I couldn't actually connect as it said. I am not aware of any issues at present and if anything were to come up I was going to get the mechanic who gave me the cable to have a look at it, didn't really expect him to say "tell you what I will just give you the cable"

From memory I seem to recall it was difficult to get the orientation correct, I think the socket in mind was upside down compared to the images in the site that you linked but once you get it sorted, all the wires match up.

[Winniebongo]

Yes I remember the upside down thing but I couldn't get it to work either way. What I read was when manufacturers talked about OBD1, some manufacturers started to fit it even though it wasn't finalised. It sounded to me that this may have been what happened with Bongos as the time was about right. What happened then was by the time it was all decided what was put in most cars was OBD2, which was similar but not the same. OBD2 scanners should be able to read some of the OBD2 codes but probably not all, so I hoped it might have been the case with Bongos. The Mazda/Ford link as well made me hopeful, mine is actually a Ford Freda, so maybe something designed for early Fords might have been of use but I guess you guys have tried it all before and you know the vehicles better than me, so maybe it's flogging a dead horse (shame). I also know 1990s Audis had diagnostic capability, don't know what exactly but cars form about mid 90s anyway had it. Cheers for all the replies and information anyway

[g8dhe]

Some of the ECU's don't have all the pins fitted in which case;
FEN & TEN pins are for MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FAT & TAT pins are for the AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
So check if you have both sets or only the FAT/TAT set in which case all the codes appear on those pins it seems.
Pin assignments here http://www.philmcfadden.co.uk/MazdaDiagnosticBox.htm

[Winniebongo]

OK, I did write some stuff down last time, if I can't find it I may well just have another go, maybe not tomorrow or anything but when I get a chance, weather depending, Thanks