The OBD2 port, or On-Board Diagnostics port, on your Audi A6 is a crucial interface for diagnosing vehicle issues. This article guides you through locating the port and understanding its function, specifically focusing on a 2000 Audi A6 example. We’ll explore a practical exercise of repurposing the connector for compatibility with VW/Audi/Skoda OBD2 and OBD1 scanners.
Repurposing an Audi A6 OBD2 Connector
The process begins with a factory OBD2 connector from a 2000 Audi A6. The goal is to modify this connector to work with both OBD1 and OBD2 diagnostic tools.
The connector initially houses six wires, as seen from the rear view.
The first hurdle is disassembling the connector by removing the purple locking mechanism. This involves carefully prying up a lock on one side and sliding the lock off.
With the lock removed, the six pins and their positions are exposed. Only two of the necessary four pins are correctly positioned for our purpose.
Next, the sticky residue covering the wires is removed using a solvent to clearly identify each wire’s color.
After cleaning, the six wires are identified: two brown, one blue/black, one red/black, one white/black, and one green. One ground wire and the green wire are deemed unnecessary and removed.
Extracting and Repinning the OBD2 Connector Pins
A small safety pin is used to release each pin from the connector housing. This allows for careful removal of the pin and its corresponding wire.
The brown wire remains in position 4, and the red/black wire stays in position 16. The blue/black wire is moved to position 7, and the white/black wire is placed in position 15. Each pin is inserted from the back of the connector until it clicks into place.
Finally, the purple locking mechanism is reattached, securing the pins in their new configuration.
The next step involves connecting the wires to the appropriate diagnostic ports under the hood.
This process allows for using a single modified connector to diagnose a 2000 Audi A6 using both OBD1 and OBD2 diagnostic tools. This demonstrates the adaptability of the OBD2 port and its importance in vehicle diagnostics.
