It's time to renew my license sticker, and I have to take the car thru the EPA lane first. Since we haven't been using the car much, I wanted to check to be sure all the diagnostic cycles had run so I don't waste a trip (there is no CEL, car runs fine).
When I plugged my Innova 5510 into the port, it would not communicate. It powers up but cannot connect. I also tried my iCarsoft i930, which is the one with the firmware written for this car, and it cannot communicate either. Like the Innova, it will power up but cannot communicate.
I checked the #4 fuse in the left footboard -- it's fine.
Any suggestions? I can't get the plate renewed if EPA can't test it...
I should also mention another issue that may or may not be related. If we leave the car sit for, say, a week without using it the battery will run down to where the car will barely start. It's a 10-month-old H8 AGM. Right now I've taken to leaving it on one of my C-Tek maintainers, but it seems something is remaining powered up and draining that battery.
Help?
Thanks
It's a 2003 XJ-8L 🙂

 

Having exhausted all other options, the ECM may need to be rebooted. To reboot the ECM, disconnect both battery leads and then press on the brake pedal to discharge any charge left in the capacitors in the system. After the battery has been reconnected, the entire ECM reboots and should start to communicate again.

 

I'm close by I can check real quick with the factory scan tool.

Most of my other diag equipment is at my box at work but I've got a crappy meter and a test light so we can at least see if there's power and ground at the port.

 

I have power at the port, as both my scanners draw their power thru the OBD port and both will power up when plugged in. However, neither will communicate. Been a pretty busy week so all I've done is walk past the car. I plan to check fuses again and will try the reboot procedure over the weekend and see if that takes care of it.

 

Still not communicating. I've checked fuse #4 in the left rear kick, fuse #10 in the right rear (both are good), then disconnected the battery. Got in the car, pushed the brake pedal for 10 seconds, then went back and held both battery cables together for 30 seconds. Hooked up the battery (which is known good, AGM, and has been on a maintainer so has a full charge) and started the car. These are the messages I get on both of my readers:



Of course the device is connected, it wouldn't have power if it wasn't... And the engine is idling happily for both of these pics...
Just for laughs I plugged the Innova in with ignition ON engine OFF. Still incommunicado...
​​​The car runs fine. If not for having to run thru the damn EPA lane to renew my plate I wouldn't have even started down this rabbit hole...
Any suggestions?

 

If the car still will not communicate with your scan tool, the issue could be with the OBDII connector under the dash. Often, the connector can be damaged if the scan tool or code reader has been pushed in and out frequently. Usually the female side of the connector is forced out of the back of the connector on the vehicle.

 

I will take a look in the morning, thanks. Too bad it's jammed way over by the trans tunnel and not under the column like my Chevy van lol

 

i’m off work tomorrow i can come with the dealer tool and see if any of the three networks, CAN, SCP or K are still up

 

Xalty,
pm'd you
Thanks

 

all good

his generic scanner had trouble connecting to the ecm over K. his icarsoft, my elm327 and wds had no issues

 

Special thanks to xalty for giving up time on his day off to come out and diagnose this for me. As he said, for whatever reason my brand-new Innova refuses to talk to this car, and my iCarsoft was being a little funny about it too. Using his far-more-specialized dealer-issue scanner he was able to connect and confirm that everything is good-to-go.
So off to the EPA lane this week to get that taken care of.
THANKS AGAIN!

 

Well Steve, I am certain that makes your day a little brighter. Things are supposed to work but don’t can really cause concern. Hats off to Xalty who really came through for you!

 

Randy, absolutely! Guys like xalty are the best part about these forums. There are a few guys out there like him who are not only knowledgeable but generous and eager to help.
I only hope I can pay it forward at some point -- if not on this forum, maybe on one of the other 2 I'm on for other vehicles...