[Carterw284]

Hey everyone,

I have a 2012 Mazda 62.5 L with about 146,000 miles on it. I live in Pennsylvania so I have to get an emissions test which means the mechanic has to plug his computer into the OBD sensor. I took it in to get this inspection done yesterday and the guy told me he couldn’t even perform the inspection because when the OBD was plugged in he said that all of the lights on the dash started to go crazy and turn on and that there must be some kind of wiring issue going on and then I’ll have to remove the dash to figure out what it is.

Any ideas on what’s going on?

 

[DrFeelGood]

Hey everyone,

I have a 2012 Mazda 62.5 L with about 146,000 miles on it. I live in Pennsylvania so I have to get an emissions test which means the mechanic has to plug his computer into the OBD sensor. I took it in to get this inspection done yesterday and the guy told me he couldn’t even perform the inspection because when the OBD was plugged in he said that all of the lights on the dash started to go crazy and turn on and that there must be some kind of wiring issue going on and then I’ll have to remove the dash to figure out what it is.

Any ideas on what’s going on?

Perhaps a problem with his reader.
I would try a different station or unit and/or try your own OBD reader. I always plug mine in with the engine and ignition off but I think they like to do it with everything live.

 

[TalonTsi90]

Do you have a T tap style splitter for running something off the OBDII port? I have one so i could run multiple devices and having two on that circuit caused it to freak out. Or, theres a short and plugging in a device just amplifies it.

 

[mitro6ual]

I concur with the good Dr. It's likely the shop's reader/scanner.

 

[TalonTsi90]

I concur with the good Dr. It's likely the shop's reader/scanner.

Sure Mr Moist, just ignore someone who just said they had the same thing happen and what caused it.

 

[mitro6ual]

Sure Mr Moist, just ignore someone who just said they had the same thing happen and what caused it.

I didn't think you two had a competition going on for most correct answers.
Both conditions point to an issue at the OBDII port.
I too have had wonkiness when I plugged in one of those "free" ZUS devices, especially so when plugged in with the car running, so based on probability of OPs configuration not having an OBDII splitter (I didn't even know those existed), I concurred with the Dr.
Always open to being wrong. Not averse to crow pie upinhere.

 

[TalonTsi90]

Not averse to crow pie upinhere.

Me either, i just took it wrong.