Selecting the right OBD2 adapter for use with FORScan can be challenging, especially with the variety of options available. There isn’t a single “best” adapter for every situation, as the ideal choice depends on your specific needs and vehicle. This article aims to simplify the selection process, focusing particularly on Forscan Obd2 Adapter Bluetooth options and addressing the key factors to consider for optimal performance with FORScan software.
While professional automotive work might necessitate J2534 Passthru adapters that fully support Ford protocols, for amateur and semi-professional users, ELM327-based adapters remain a popular and effective choice. This guide will concentrate on ELM327 family adapters and their Bluetooth variants, as they are frequently sought after for their convenience and compatibility with mobile FORScan applications.
Understanding Ford Diagnostic Protocols
To make an informed decision about a forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth, it’s crucial to understand the communication protocols used in Ford vehicles. These protocols dictate how the adapter interfaces with your car’s computer system.
Table 1.1 – Ford Communication Protocols
| OBDII Name / Ford Name | OBDII Jack Pins | Bus Speed | Bus Min. Response Time | How to Detect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAE J1850 PWM / Ford SCP | 2, 10 | 41600 bps | 20-40 ms | |
| ISO9141 / Ford ISO | 7 | 9600 bps | 150-250 ms | |
| CAN / Ford HS CAN | 6, 14 | 500 Kbps | 0-20 ms | |
| / Ford MS-CAN | 3, 11 | 500 Kbps | 0-20 ms | |
| / Ford UBP | 3 | 10400 bps | 150-250 ms |
Understanding OBD2 port pinouts helps identify supported protocols.
Different Ford vehicle generations utilize varying combinations of these protocols. Knowing which protocols your car uses is essential for adapter compatibility.
Table 1.2 – Ford Protocols by Vehicle Generation
P – Primary Protocol (PCM), S – Auxiliary Protocol (Not Mandatory for FORScan)
| Generation | SAE J1850 PWM | ISO 9141 | CAN | Ford MS CAN | Ford UBP | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford 1996 – 2003 | P | S | – | – | – | Primarily J1850 PWM |
| Mazda 1996 – 2003 | – | P | – | – | – | Some Mazda models used SAE J1850 PWM as primary |
| Ford EU, Mazda 2004 – 2009 | – | S | P | S | – | CAN becomes primary in EU models |
| Ford NA 2004 – 2009 | – | S | P | S | S | UBP present in North American models |
| Ford, Mazda 2010+ | – | – | P | S | – | HS2, HS3 implementations through MS-CAN |
A straightforward method to determine your vehicle’s supported protocols is to visually inspect the OBDII port. The presence of pins in specific locations, as depicted in Table 1.1 and the images, can indicate protocol support.
Visual Examples of OBDII Ports
| Focus Mk2 – HS-CAN and MS-CAN protocols supported. | Mondeo Mk3 (post-facelift) – Supports J1850, ISO9141, HS-CAN, and MS-CAN. |
Visual inspection of the OBD2 port can give clues about protocol support, as seen in these Ford models.
Adapter Protocol Support
The chipset within a forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth or USB adapter dictates which protocols it can handle. For comprehensive Ford diagnostics, including access to both HS-CAN and MS-CAN networks (common in modern Fords and Mazdas), MS-CAN support is crucial.
Table 1.3 – Ford Protocol Support by Adapter Type
| Chip | SAE J1850 PWM | ISO 9141 | CAN | Ford MS CAN | Ford UBP | Adapter Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELM327 Standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Basic ELM327, Kiwi 3 (limited FORScan Lite) |
| ELM327 with HS/MS Switch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ELM327 Adapters advertised as Ford/Mazda Compatible |
| STN 1100 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | OBDLink SX/LX (USB and Bluetooth versions) |
| STN 115x | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | OBDLink MX BT (Bluetooth) |
| STN 1170 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ELS27 (older), Viaken STN1170 |
| STN 2120 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ELS27 (newer versions) |
| STN 2255 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | OBDLink MX+ (Bluetooth) |
| STN 2230 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | OBDLink EX (USB, high performance) |
When selecting a forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth, ensure it explicitly states support for Ford MS-CAN if you require diagnostics and configuration on modules connected to this network.
Performance Considerations for FORScan Adapters
Performance is a key factor when choosing an OBD2 adapter, especially for tasks like reading live parameters (PIDs) or performing module programming. Two primary performance metrics are:
- Minimum Interface Response Time (Ping): The delay between sending a request to the adapter and receiving a response. Lower is better for faster data retrieval.
- Maximum Interface Baud Rate: The data transfer speed between your device (phone, laptop) and the adapter. Higher baud rates enable quicker data throughput.
These parameters directly impact connection speed, the refresh rate of live data, and the overall time taken for programming procedures.
Table 2.1 – Adapter Performance Benchmarks
| Adapter | Chip | Interface | Min. Interface Response Time | Max. Interface Baud Rate | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELM327 OHP HS/MS WiFi | ELM327 (Clone) | WiFi | 30-40 ms | 38400 bps | Budget option, WiFi can be less stable. iOS compatible. |
| Kiwi 3 | ELM327 Compatible | Bluetooth Low Energy | 40 ms | – | Primarily for FORScan Lite on iOS, Bluetooth LE efficiency. |
| ELM327 HS/MS USB | ELM327 (Original) | USB | 0-2 ms | 500 Kbps | Reliable USB option, good balance of speed and cost. |
| OBDLink EX | STN2230 | USB | 0-2 ms | 2 Mbps | High-performance USB, optimized for FORScan on Windows. |
| OBDLink SX | STN1100 | USB | 0-2 ms | 2 Mbps | Fast USB option, good for general diagnostics. |
| OBDLink LX | STN1100 | Bluetooth | – | – | Bluetooth, suitable if MS-CAN is not priority. |
| OBDLink MX+ | STN2255 | Bluetooth | 6-20 ms | – | Premium Bluetooth, excellent for FORScan Lite (iOS/Android). |
| OBDLink MX BT | STN115x | Bluetooth | 8-20 ms | 115200 bps | Standard Bluetooth, good balance of performance and compatibility. |
| OBDLink MX WiFi | STN115x | WiFi | – | 115200 bps | WiFi less stable, not generally recommended. |
| ELS27 v3 | STN2120 | USB, Bluetooth | 0-2 ms (USB), 20 ms (BT) | 8 Mbps (USB) | Versatile, fast USB, Bluetooth option available. |
| Viaken STN1170 USB | STN1170 | USB | 0-2 ms | 2 Mbps | Fast USB, firmware considerations may apply for optimal performance. |
| Viaken STN1170 BT | STN1170 | Bluetooth | 20-30 ms | 38400 bps | Bluetooth, may be less reliable, consider USB version for stability. |
For forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth choices, note that Bluetooth response times are generally higher than USB counterparts. However, advancements in Bluetooth technology and adapter design, like in OBDLink MX+ and Kiwi 3, have narrowed this gap, providing acceptable performance for most diagnostic and configuration tasks, especially on mobile platforms.
Estimating System Performance
Overall system performance is a combination of adapter and vehicle bus characteristics:
- Overall Min. Response Time = Adapter Min. Response Time + Bus Min. Response Time
- Overall Baud Rate = MIN (Adapter Max. Baud Rate / 2, Bus Baud Rate) (Division by 2 accounts for text-based data exchange in ELM327 adapters)
Performance Examples:
-
Example 1: Ford Mondeo Mk3 (J1850), ELM327 WiFi Adapter.
- Bus Response Time (J1850): ~20 ms, Bus Baud Rate: 41600 bps
- Adapter Response Time: ~40 ms, Adapter Baud Rate: 38400 bps
- Overall Response Time: 40 ms + 20 ms = 60 ms
- Overall Baud Rate: MIN (38400 / 2, 41600) = 19200 bps
- Adapter limits performance, sufficient for basic diagnostics but not ideal for intensive tasks.
-
Example 2: Mazda 323 (ISO9141), ELM327 WiFi Adapter.
- Bus Response Time (ISO9141): ~250 ms, Bus Baud Rate: 9600 bps
- Adapter Response Time: ~40 ms, Adapter Baud Rate: 38400 bps
- Overall Response Time: 40 ms + 250 ms = 290 ms
- Overall Baud Rate: MIN (38400 / 2, 9600) = 9600 bps
- Adapter performance is adequate as the bus itself is the bottleneck.
-
Example 3: Ford Fusion 2015 (CAN), ELS27 v3 USB Adapter.
- Bus Response Time (CAN): ~0 ms, Bus Baud Rate: 500 Kbps
- Adapter Response Time: ~2 ms, Adapter Baud Rate: 2 Mbps
- Overall Response Time: 2 ms + 0 ms = 2 ms
- Overall Baud Rate: MIN (2000000 / 2, 500000) = 500 Kbps
- Excellent performance, adapter speed matches the CAN bus capabilities.
For users prioritizing convenience and mobile FORScan Lite usage, modern forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth options offer a good balance of performance and wireless connectivity.
Reliability of OBD2 Adapters
Reliability is paramount for consistent and safe diagnostics and programming. Two key aspects influence adapter reliability:
- Adapter Quality: Genuine, reputable brand adapters generally exhibit higher quality components and more robust performance compared to generic or clone adapters. The “clone problem” is a significant issue in the OBD2 adapter market, with many counterfeit adapters offering unreliable performance and potential vehicle communication issues.
- Interface Type: Wired USB connections are generally more reliable than wireless Bluetooth or WiFi interfaces, especially for critical operations like module programming. Wireless interfaces in ELM327-based adapters can be susceptible to dropouts or inconsistent connections.
While forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth options provide wireless freedom, USB adapters are often recommended for Windows-based FORScan use where stability is critical. Bluetooth and WiFi adapters are more suited for mobile platforms (iOS and Android) where wireless connectivity is a primary advantage.
A note regarding adapters with manual HS/MS switches: While seemingly versatile, these adapters can present limitations. Certain FORScan functions require simultaneous communication on both HS-CAN and MS-CAN buses. Adapters with manual switches cannot handle these operations effectively, potentially hindering tasks like reading PIDs from all modules or performing service functions that require cross-bus communication.
FORScan Adapter Recommendations
The ideal adapter depends on your FORScan platform (Windows, iOS, Android) and intended use (diagnostics, configuration, programming).
Table 4.1 – Adapter Recommendations by FORScan Platform & Function
NO – Not Recommended, D – Diagnostic (PIDs, DTCs, basic service functions), C – Configuration (module parameter writing, complex service functions), P – Programming (complex configuration, firmware updates – CAN bus only)
| Adapter | FORScan for Windows | FORScan Lite for iOS | FORScan Lite for Android |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBDLink EX | D, C, P | NO | NO |
| OBDLink SX | D, C, P* | NO | NO |
| OBDLink LX | D (MS-CAN not needed) | NO | D (MS-CAN not needed) |
| OBDLink MX+ | D, C | D | D |
| OBDLink MX BT | D, C | NO | D |
| OBDLink MX WiFi | NO | NO | NO |
| ELS27 v3 | D, C, P | NO | D |
| Viaken STN1170 USB | D, C, P | NO | NO |
| Viaken STN1170 BT | NO | NO | NO |
* – OBDLink SX can be modified for MS-CAN support (see link).
For users specifically seeking a forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth, the OBDLink MX+ stands out as a top recommendation for FORScan Lite on both iOS and Android due to its excellent Bluetooth performance, MS-CAN support, and reliability. OBDLink MX BT is a solid alternative for Android users. While ELS27 v3 offers Bluetooth capability, its USB performance is its primary strength.
Ultimately, when choosing a forscan obd2 adapter bluetooth, consider your platform, intended tasks, and prioritize reputable brands like OBDLink and ELS27 to ensure reliable and efficient vehicle diagnostics and programming with FORScan.
Links to Original Adapter Manufacturers
For genuine, tested adapters, consider purchasing directly from these manufacturers or authorized distributors:
- OBDLink Product Line: https://www.obdlink.com/
- ELS27 Adapters: http://els27.ru
- Viaken Adapters: https://viaken.pl/pl/polski-elm327-v3-f … -2014.html
Note: Information regarding Viaken adapters pertains to older versions. Testing of newer versions is recommended before purchase.
