Miata help...OBDII Connector location?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 9:40 am

I noticed the CEL light was on in the Miata during the drive home yesterday afternoon. I know that w/o using the scan tool any diagnostic is a wild guess at best. OK so I'll get it checked tomorrow.

I stopped by AutoZone this morning to get the code pulled. From what I've read the diagnostic port is just above your right knee on the steering column and mounted in a vertical fashion. Simple enough right? :roll:

Well after me and two other guys stood on our heads in the tiny Miata footwell we never could find it anywhere on the drivers side. We spent about 15 minutes trying with no luck. Oh BTW, AutoZone's info said it should be under the passenger seat mounted to the floor pan and it wasn't there either. I know my Cavalier my be considered a POS by some but at least GM put the diagnostic port is directly beneath the wheel and mounted in plain sight if you're kneeling.

Any NA Miata owners here that can give me some help? Is it where they say? Is it hard mounted (i.e. screwed in to something) or dangling? It will be pretty difficult to read the code if I can't find this freaking connector! :banghead:

AndersGreen · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 11:01 am

Count yourself luck that you know that there IS a connector!!!

On my 95 Subaru, some engines were OBD2 and some were OBD1 !!! That didn't make my swap any easier, searching for that connector (with the dash completely disassembled) and then finally checking VIN and engine codes to realize it didn't have one!! :banghead:

But given that yours is a 96, that won't happen.

Anders

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 11:06 am

I believe it is on the passenger side. If I remember right, it is under an panel on the floor.

I pulled mine when a CEL came on. Never could figure it out. So I pulled the dash and removed the light before I sold it.

That is way my brother and I follow the simple code, never sell a car to family or friends

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 11:09 am

jimpastorius wrote:

I believe it is on the passenger side. If I remember right, it is under an panel on the floor.

Was it under the passenger seat or somewhere else on the passenger side? Do you remember having to remove the seat to access it?

David Spratte · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 12:23 pm

Does this help? Looks like he took a panel off, but don't think you need to to get to it. I'd go check mine, but she's OBD I

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue May 25, 2004 4:26 pm

A picture...yes! :woo:

Just what I needed. I finally found the damn thing stuffed behind the center console. Apparently the PO broke it off the mount and stuffed it behind there. :roll:

Thanks again for the help folks.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Must be a common issue. Our '96M has the bracket and OBD-II connector just hanging near the transmission tunnel on the driver's side too.
Bet your dipstick ring is broken too?

BTW - I have a laptop based OBD-II scanner if you need one.

Frank

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2004 8:19 am

Frank Catena wrote:

Bet your dipstick ring is broken too?

Yep, it was broken when we bought it. We have a new one now though.

BTW, the code was P0400...EGR flow malfunction. From what I've read the test procedure for the EGR and it's two solenoids described in Rod's 1.8 EM is the ticket. They say if the solenoids don't open with 12V, then spraying WD-40 on 'em usually frees them up and all is well. I'll try it on Saturday and see I guess. :whoknows:

Anyone else had an experience with the EGR problem? Frank, Chuck, David or any other Miata owner?

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

No EGR problems here, assume you know about the 12V blue power point behind the driver's side headlamp? Nice idea since the battery is pretty far away ...

Frank

David Spratte · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2004 8:48 am

Not yet.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2004 9:05 am

Frank Catena wrote:

No EGR problems here, assume you know about the 12V blue power point behind the driver's side headlamp? Nice idea since the battery is pretty far away

Yep, I've read about and have seen the power point you're talking about. I'll think it will probably be easier for me to remove the solenoids and bench test them though. Ryan has a vacuum pump so I can test the EGR valve on the car. I'll let you know how it goes in case you ever get the same EGR code.

Ashraf Farrag · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2004 4:37 pm

Mazda solenoids are notorious for being intermittent at "hot" temperatures and working fine on the bench while cold.

Ask any 3rd gen RX-7 owner who has oh, about 13 of them, with half of them controlling their turbos. Those two turbos and little black solenoids that run them determine how fast you can get out of a corner and has been the bane of many a 3rd gen owner's livlihood when the 2nd turbo doesn't kick in and they can't shake a Miata <--- that would be me...in both "seats"...the unnaturally slow RX-7 and what seems to be a stoopid-fast Miata chasing them :-D

I'm not sure which type of Mazda solenoid it is, but if they are using "bench stock" solenoids, then you probably want to check the solenoid "hot". I just looked at that "smog junk" on my '94 A-package, and I think they are the same as on the RX-7...

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Miata help...OBDII Connector location?

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