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Early versions of OBD would simply illuminate a malfunction indicator light or " idiot light" if a problem was detected but would not provide any information as to the nature of the problem. The amount of diagnostic information available via OBD has varied widely since its introduction in the early 1980s versions of on-board vehicle computers. OBD systems give the vehicle owner or repair technician access to the status of the various vehicle sub-systems. On-board diagnostics ( OBD) is an automotive term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capability. Used to connect to the SAE J1962 Data Link Connector (DLC) found in many cars of the era. Various angles and details of a "MaxScan OE509" - a fairly typical onboard diagnostics (OBD) handheld scanner from the first decade of the 21st century.
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