Any Toyota Tacoma built after 1996 will be accessible by an On Board Diagnostics II (OBD II) scanner. It communicates with the electronics in the Tacoma and outputs a list of codes that explain any problems in the truck components. Once you have the codes, rebuild the truck or address any mechanical problem accordingly. OBD II scanners do not need an external power source. They have a 16-pin connector device that plugs directly into the Tacoma. One of the pins accesses the battery and uses that to power the scanner.
Locate your Data Link Connector (DLC). This is a 16-pin plug that is located below the steering column to the right on Tacomas built between 1996 and 2002 and behind the steering column to the left on Tacomas built after 2002.
Plug the cord from the OBD II into the DLC.
Turn the ignition in the Tacoma into the accessories position. Wait while the machine activates and communicates with the mechanical parts.
Read the screen and write down the codes that appear.
Match the codes on the OBD II screen to the codes in the owner's manual to diagnose the problem with the Tacoma.
