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Does the Model S have an OBD-II connector?

DITB

Charged.hk co-founder
Nov 13, 2012
1,581
36
Hong Kong
So my OBD is useless for use on the Tesla Model S?

It was quite nice on a BWM I rented, I could see all kind of information on it.
 

ww73

Member
Oct 3, 2014
239
94
Sammamish, WA
I believe some insurance companies' tracking devices use the OBDII for power and monitoring.

We've used the Progressive Snapshot device in our 96 Toyota 4Runner and 01 Honda Odyssey. I believe it tracks time of use, milage, and hard stops (approx. deceleration > 7mph per second).

We lowered our insurance by about 15%. Snapshot doesn't work w/ the Nissan Leaf. My guess is it does not work w/ Tesla neither.

Once you stop worrying about the "creepy" factor, there are a lot of possible real world uses for these devices, such as more precise/competitive insurance pricing, driving behavior monitoring (car can detect if ur drunk), measuring fuel consumption, real time car diagnostics, travel/data logging (think corporate use), etc. etc.

Check out this video. "Tesla-ify" ur old ICE cars.

Car Automation with your Android Phone: OBDLink LX - YouTube
 

mknox

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2012
10,103
1,866
Toronto, ON
I think I remember reading a clause in the Tesla purchase agreement where you agree not to do this.

Do you recall where? The reason I ask is that I allowed a vendor to tinker with that port under the cubby so that they could develop a monitoring solution for the Model S (since the OBD II port has nothing on it). They were successful in being able to "read" data from it and have offered me one of their monitoring devices in return for my help. So far I have declined because I was worried about exactly this.
 

markwj

Moderator, Asia Pacific
Apr 10, 2011
4,583
1,179
Hong Kong
Do you recall where? The reason I ask is that I allowed a vendor to tinker with that port under the cubby so that they could develop a monitoring solution for the Model S (since the OBD II port has nothing on it). They were successful in being able to "read" data from it and have offered me one of their monitoring devices in return for my help. So far I have declined because I was worried about exactly this.

See here for an example: Tesla Model S owners hack their cars, find Ubuntu

You may not, or may not attempt to, reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, tamper with or engage in any similar activity in respect of a Tesla Vehicle, nor may you permit any third party to do so, save only to the extent permitted by applicable law.

With the important phrase being "save only to the extent permitted by applicable law". Good luck enforcing it, Tesla. You purchased the car, you own it. Let's not derail this thread with a discussion of this, but you can read more here:

Reverse engineering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Even the harsh DMCA, and European copyright laws, contain inter-operability exemptions (which are precisely what you are doing).
 

error49

New Member
Jan 7, 2015
1
0
Portland, Oregon
The pins are missing on the OBD2 connector for connecting to the standard OBD2 features. This means most off-the-shelf devices won't be able to read things like speed and diagnostic information. They do however seem to have the pins available for communicating directly with CANBUS. So devices that can talk to CANBUS on the "vendor option" pins in the OBD2 spec, will be able to interface with CANBUS. Of course, that's a MUCH harder and more daunting task.

I am building a device right now that plugs into the OBD2 port, runs Linux, and has cellular and bluetooth. This will enable applications to run on your phone or in the cloud to interface directly with the car whether it's powered on or off or you are nearby or far away. We're working on building a database of specific CANBUS features supported by various cars and hope to include Tesla in that. It may be of interest to some of you when we launch it in a few months. If so, let me know. We're looking for people with various types of cars for our beta program.
 

Dr. Pete

Member
Dec 3, 2014
21
9
Salem, Oregon
The State of Oregon is about to replace the gas tax with a "mileage driven" tax. In view of the debate/uncertainty concerning the OBDII interface in Teslas, does anyone know how the State intends to monitor miles driven?
 

BertL

Active Member
Aug 19, 2015
2,018
1,573
Carlsbad, CA
The State of Oregon is about to replace the gas tax with a "mileage driven" tax. In view of the debate/uncertainty concerning the OBDII interface in Teslas, does anyone know how the State intends to monitor miles driven?

Not super specific -- at least what I find on OR's DOT site: Dispelling the myths of mileage-based user fees

ODOT’s new concept for mileage-based user fees will provide motorists options and not require the use of GPS.Some motorists could use an app on the smart phone they’re already using, while others may choose a flat annual fee or an odometer reporter used in the insurance industry that contains no GPS technology.Still others may choose a GPS-based navigation system that can tell when they’re not in state or are traveling off public roads so they don’t have to pay Oregon taxes for those miles.
 

baks

Member
Feb 15, 2016
25
0
Ukraine
error49, you can provide software testing? There are a couple of Model S. Which adapter can be used? Open Port 2.0 possible?
 

garygid

Member
Aug 11, 2014
620
114
Laguna Hills, Orange County, CA
There are people offering Tesla-specific tools. However, these are not OBD2 complient,
and no normal OBD2 tool will work with the Tesla.

We are working on a short adapter cable that will allow the Tesla CAN3 bus to be read
by an inexpensive ELM-type bluetooth dongle, which would then connect to an Android
tablet or smartphone. If this works, a WiFi or Bluetooth 4.0 dongle will probably support iOS).
 
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artsci

Sponsor
May 10, 2012
6,247
3,217
Timonium, Maryland
I was at the Rockville Service Center today and asked hem about it. I was told that the car has an OBDII connector because it is required by law. However, I was told that it does nothing; that the only pins connected to the connector are ground and voltage.

True. There's no other output.
 

garygid

Member
Aug 11, 2014
620
114
Laguna Hills, Orange County, CA
What diagnosis are you asking about?

1. Get Tesla Certified, buy their hardware and software.

2. Build or buy appropriate hardware, program or buy compatible software,
and evaluate if it will do the "diagnosis" that you desire.
 

baks

Member
Feb 15, 2016
25
0
Ukraine
I ask - what kind of equipment (software + adapter) can read and erase errors in Tesla Model S? View real-time data.
I looked at the characteristics of OBDLink - this is the usual OBDII adapter to your software! Commercial progress!
Can this car, diagnose ELM327 (or ELS327)?
 

garygid

Member
Aug 11, 2014
620
114
Laguna Hills, Orange County, CA
artsci said:
True. There's no other output.

Incorrect, I believe. It appears that the OBD pins 1 and 9 are a CAN bus,
and that pins 6 and 14 are ... something.

Only Tesla software knows how to use these signals, and the 4 ethernet ports,
and the 4 CAN buses on the "hidden" Tesla Diagnostics Connector.

I believe that Tesla designed the car so that no existing diagnostics tools
would work with their car. On all the ports, the data and functions are
custom, proprietary implementations, it seems.

However, some are watching CAN data, and logging the messages, in
an attempt to better understand the condition of their car.
For example, the 96 cell-block voltages were found on CAN3.
 
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baks

Member
Feb 15, 2016
25
0
Ukraine
Thank you for the information!
Too bad Tesla closed this information. Although they have the OBDII connector, so they have to read this protocol. For example, Nissan Leaf, the same electric car I'm working with them. I think, a little later - Tesla will open all the same.
If you have any program that can read Tesla, throw off please. I learned maintenance and repair of the electric vehicle itself.
 

garygid

Member
Aug 11, 2014
620
114
Laguna Hills, Orange County, CA
Tesla has an OBD connector, but is not required to have or use the OBD2 protocol,
at least in the USA, since that is only required of emissions-producing vehicles.

So, Tesla's hardware and software are different, not OBD2, but the visible connector
looks like a "standard" OBD2 connector, but it is wired differently.

If you can log the LEAF's CAN buses, with some hardware and software changes,
you should be able to log the Tesla's CAN buses. However, the Leaf "speaks" the
Leaf language, not standard OBD2, but close in some places perhaps. The Tesla
"speaks" a totally different language, not Leaf, and not OBD2. Comprende?
 

baks

Member
Feb 15, 2016
25
0
Ukraine
Yes, I know that the Leaf is not the OBDII standard. I think at Tesla as well. What is Tesla protocol?
Can you explain how the Tesla diagnostic process, if there is some kind of error? What do they read?
 

markwj

Moderator, Asia Pacific
Apr 10, 2011
4,583
1,179
Hong Kong
Well, I will ask in another way. What software can read and delete errors on this car? And what need an adapter?

Only Tesla would have that software. Even then, I suspect the only way of clearing the error condition would be to fix the cause of the fault.
 

baks

Member
Feb 15, 2016
25
0
Ukraine
Thank you. I'm sure someone will write software for the diagnosis of Tesla.

How is the diagnosis of Tesla remotely? Explain.
 

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