OBD Plug

[Collwing]

Can anybody tell me if the OBD port on a California is the same plug as a VW car? I want to get a Data Plug and the commercial dealer is miles away, where as the car dealer is just down the road. I've spoken to both parts departs, they don't know! The car dealer won't let me try it as it's an electrical part and it can't be reused, despite it being FREE!

Thanks,

Andy

 

[MartG]

I'm pretty much certain - OBD plug / sockets are a standard over many different vehicle makes, the protocols differ, but VW car & Cali are the same.

edit - hadn't heard of the free dataplug before - just googled it... interesting. Should work fine with the Cali, let us know...

 

[Loz]

yes, all common, but the data plug offers little benefits, also, if you leave it plugged in permanently, it adds to the battery drain when parked up for long periods as the ODB port is powered all the time.

 

[MarkG]

yes, all common, but the data plug offers little benefits, also, if you leave it plugged in permanently, it adds to the battery drain when parked up for long periods as the ODB port is powered all the time.

It uses a miniscule amount of power. Not been a problem for us parked up for weeks. Also, if it is stolen you can see where it has been taken, without the need for other expensive trackers!

 

[Collwing]

Thanks for the replies, I'll pop along to my local dealer and pick one up.

I didn't know they existed myself until doing some research whilst listing mine for sale. All these extra I never even knew I had. The sale is going to be even sadder

Still we've bought a Big White and I can't afford to keep both. I'll keeping buying the lottery tickets in the meantime.

 

[Digger]

It uses a miniscule amount of power. Not been a problem for us parked up for weeks. Also, if it is stolen you can see where it has been taken, without the need for other expensive trackers!

Regretfully it would be the first thing removed by a thief. They are sadly not too stupid at Cali theft level.

 

[Loz]

Also, if it is stolen you can see where it has been taken, without the need for other expensive trackers!

Yea, I'm sure that's going to work! That'll be the first thing that goes out of the window!

yes, I agree very little drain, but I have seen VW's own diagnostics reporting it as a parasitic drain on the starter battery.

 

[ArunAlec]

Can anybody tell me if the OBD port on a California is the same plug as a VW car? I want to get a Data Plug and the commercial dealer is miles away, where as the car dealer is just down the road. I've spoken to both parts departs, they don't know! The car dealer won't let me try it as it's an electrical part and it can't be reused, despite it being FREE!

Thanks,

Andy

Got mine from local car dealer. Commercial were not offering them. Yes it works but I found it used to go offline occasionally and not log all trips.... a novelty.

 

[ArunAlec]

It uses a miniscule amount of power. Not been a problem for us parked up for weeks. Also, if it is stolen you can see where it has been taken, without the need for other expensive trackers!

It will only tell you where you parked it, not where it’s been taken to as it relies on the app on your phone to connect via Bluetooth not over the phone network.

 

[TripleBee]

You could split the wires on the OBD and make a new connection behind the dashboard. Then the thiefs don't see anything in the OBD port and think they are good to go.

 

[ArunAlec]

You could split the wires on the OBD and make a new connection behind the dashboard. Then the thiefs don't see anything in the OBD port and think they are good to go.

If the dongle is hidden it still won’t tell you where the Cali is, only where you left it when you were last in it with your phone.

 

[TripleBee]

Then the dongle has no use? Then no worries about how or where to put and no battery drain.