Inspection Station can't communicate with obd2

[sid33]

Hi all, been reading all the great info on the site and it has helped me greatly on my new to me pig. (2004 CTT) So far I've fixed some vacuum lines and emission hoses, replaced drive belt, dropped the trans and replaced the torque converter seal, trans filter and fluid change, and a battery. I still have many more little projects lined out. 

 

Today I tried to take the pig to get a state inspection (TX) so I can get is registered. I went to two different places and neither place was able to communicate with the car through the obd2 port. The funny thing is I can connect my little obd2 scanner to the car and it works fine. Even though my scanner works, I still checked the related fuses, all were good. I checked the power at the obd2 connector and I do have power. 

 

When the guys at the inspection station plugged their computer into the truck, the vehicle was already running. Does this make a difference on these trucks? I do not have a durametric so I can't try that.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

Edited September 16, 2016 by sid33

[Psyphur]

Hey Sid, I'm also in TX, and my advice would be to try again at a different place.

 

Three years ago I took my 06 CTT to a quick lube place that's close to home. Worked perfectly, got my inspection.

 

A year later, I went back to the same place and they couldn't seem to read the OBD port, tried for quite a while and gave up. I drove home and plugged in to the durametric, everything was working fine. Went back, still no luck. Drove to Firestone service center, they were able to communicate with no problems, and completed the inspection. 

 

Fast forward one more year and I thought I'd give quick lube place another shot. Ended up with the same situation, couldn't communicate. Packed up and headed back to Firestone where they were again able to communicate with no problems, and completed the inspection.

 

Since the quick lube place does inspections all day long, I suspect the problem may be "between the keyboard and the chair"

 

Cheers,

[sid33]

Thanks for the reply!. I tried two different places. And both had the same communication issue. Do you remember if there was a special sequence used to get it communicate? Or if the car was running or turned off when they plugged in their cable? I'll give another place a try after I finish changing the front diff, and transfer case fluid. One thing about this car, there is always something to work on.

 

Thanks.

[Psyphur]

No special sequence as far as I know, though I didn't actually witness the tests. I did call to let the quick lube place know that another place was able to read it, they didn't seem particularly concerned.

 

I'm no stranger to the laundry list of TLC required for these big princesses. I've printed many pages from the DIY section of this site, and my adventure so far has included rear hatch struts, battery, blower motor, front / rear / transfer / transmission fluids, aluminum coolant pipe kit, cardan shaft, plugs, coil packs, valve cover gaskets, high and low horns, torque arm, and most recently, a tank vent valve.

 

It seems like a lot all together, but over the 5 years, and 60,000 miles we've logged, it's never left us stranded.

 

Good luck!

[Ryand]

I know I’m raising thread this from the dead but I wanted to add some context to the issue.

 

i had the same thing happen at 2 inspection stations in the Austin metro area.

 

texas allows two manufactures of TSI machines for inspections in the Austin area (ESP and Worldwide)

 

both stations that failed to communicate were Worldwide-based TSI machines.

 

hand scanners work fine

 

firestone uses the ESP manufactured TSI machines, and do not have the issue.

 

interestingly, the worldwide based machines never had an issue for me until this year... might be a version or firmware issue 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

*dallas area allows snap-on manufactured TSI machines, not sure if they have the issue as well.