ive noticed on my dads 99 volvo 850 it says OBD-2 on the floor right in front of the radio, and on my friends 89 stang it says OBD-1. whats the difference???

i believe they are the different computer systems diagnostics and such throughtout the years... mk3 supras are on obd1 and are real pains for diagnostics and basically the only output you can get from them is the diagnostics we do ourselves.. the pretty machine doesn't manage to get any more out of it
whereas obd2 has alot of toys that the diagnostics machine can pick up

that's my understanding of it so far... no doubt as time goes by i'll learn more about it... but i haven't the need yet hehe
so old cars = obd1
new cars = obd2

oh ok thanks

Hi
all european cars have been forced into using a common obd2 multiplug sharing 20pin diagnostics for emmision control +live reading of live faults.Sometime soon to be is police stop checks with plug in giving spot fines for running with emmision live faults .Removing cars from the road + gaining extra revinue seems thair aims.
Old jap cars ie toyota seem to need specific diagnostic mechines+/or blink codes to acess or simply test live readings at ecu.
Newer motors ie 2000/on volvo ,merc ect go in for several ecu,s working together to make systems run so only specific computers can test diagnostics without doing harm. :( CAN BUS DATA