You’re looking for an OBD2 fault code reader but will it even work with your vehicle?
The general rule is this – cars sold in the EU (European Union) 2001+ (petrol) and 2004+ (diesel) should be compatible by law. While only the EU is covered, typically most European nations should have OBD2 compatible vehicles but it’s not guaranteed.
In the USA cars from 1996 onwards are compatible.
Compatibility is not exclusive to the above regions. Vehicles worldwide can be but again there is no guarantee. The later the vehicle, the more likely it is to be compatible if supplied in a country other than stated above.
What about earlier models? In the EU some models were OBD2 compatible before the years stated. For instance many Ford petrol models were compatible from as far back as 1995.
If in any doubt always ask your supplier if your model is compatible. Do not assume your model is compatible just because it has a 16 pin diagnostic socket.
Read about diagnostic sockets and locations here.