OBD plugs standard in Japanese model Toyotas?

Question

I believe that OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics version 2) plugs became standard on all North American vehicles, including Toyotas, by 1996. But right now I'm in a country which receives a lot of used right-hand drive Japanese-market vehicles. I'm noticing that some of these cars even from as late as 1998 didn't have any OBD plugs. Any idea when OBD plugs became standard for the Japanese market?

I'm sure that the Japanese version of OBD-II would be called JOBD or something, but it'll likely be compatible anyways.

Yousuf Khan

Jeff Strickland · Accepted Answer

OBD II was required on all vehicles intended for the USA market -- perhaps the North American market, not just US -- beginning with 1996 model production. Toyota implemented OBD II in some of its 1995 model production.

One of the standards of OBD II is a standardized configuration of the data port, both for size and shape, and for location within the passenger compartment.

Since the USA has no righthand drive version of any automobile, there is no spec. here on where the data port might be located or when the spec might be implemented.

Yousuf Khan · Answer

Well, let me narrow it down a little for you. I've now seen that 2004 versions of these cars already have the Japanese OBD plugs (and my OBD-II cable fits them perfectly), and they're in basically the same position as on North American cars (i.e. Canada & USA, possibly Mexico/Central America), which is under the dash on the driver's side. So in a righthand drive car, that would mean the right side rather than the left.

What I'm trying to narrow down is when is the earliest year that JOBD plugs were installed. Now the range seems to be after 1998, and before

2004.

Yousuf Khan

OBD plugs standard in Japanese model Toyotas?

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