MIL/OBDII port I can't find the @#$%^&* diagnostic connector

All cars manufactured for sale in the US since 1996 have an OBDII diagnostic port as mandated by federal law. This connector must be within 3 feet of the steering wheel and must not require tools to access.
The port can be black or white. This is an example of what it looks like:

Normally, this port is located just under the dashboard above the gas or brake pedal. It can normally be located by simply looking under the dashboard or running your hand along the bottom edge of the dashboard until you "bump" into the connector.
Here are some examples of where your port may be located:

There are other instances where the connector is behind a cover panel to make its appearance more appealing. In these cases it's necessary to open that panel to gain access to the OBDII port.
Here are some examples of it behind a cover:

More information on finding your OBDII connector can be found here

Do you have a check engine lamp on (MIL) ??
the OBDII port is fused, if that ecm or ecu fuse blows they will not be able to communicate with the computer through the OBDII port,
check your owners manual if you can not find that fuse, it is there

MIL is your malfunction indicator lamp, (check engine light)

CMD is the computer interface port, or OBDII port indicating a malfunction communicating with your cars computer

check all the fuses, primarily any marked pcm and retest your vehicle
note: your check engine or MIL has to be on in KOEO state (key on engine off), if the bulb is burned out everything will still work and the OBDII test computer will show MIL status ON, and if you don't have a computer to tell you that, you must get that light to light in the koeo state.

The check engine light is officially called the Malfunction indicator lamp
or (MIL) it alerts the driver when an OBDII emission or engine management problem occurs.The (MIL) may remain on if the OBDII system has detected a problem and recorded a fault code.
When the OBDII monitors detect a problem , the system sets a pending code . The (MIL) will not come on yet because the system needs to make sure the problem is real and not a temporary glitch . If the same problem occurs on a second trip (under the same conditions) the system will set a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and turn on the (MIL) .
Hope this helps a bit .
Regards Faldih Higgins

It is drivers side, bottom of dash board, near your bonnet release catch, The connector sticks out from the plastic.

• Hi, I can help.

• You don't have an OBDII port. You have an On Board Diagnostic set up or just plain OBD I.

• The connector is under the dash. Take a paper clip and put it between the number 1 and number 2 ports. When you first stick the paper clip in you will get 1 blink and a pause the a 2 blinks which is normal and lets you know that the the OBD computer is reading properly and your codes will shortly follow in sets of two.

• If you have any comments please feel free to leave them here.
• Hope this helps and thank you for using FixYa.

Regards, Tony

Are you plugging into the obd2 diagnostics port under the dash or the diagnostics port under the hood? You should be plugged in under the dash to read codes for the MIL / ABS light. Just a heads up as well most scanners you can buy from the part stores do not have the necessary program protocols to read European cars.

In the Grand Cherokee WJ, the MIL gives an indication to the vehicle operator when the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) has recorded a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for an On-Board Diagnostics II (OBDII) emissions-related circuit or component malfunction. The MIL is controlled by a transistor on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster programming and electronic messages received by the cluster from the PCM over the Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus.

Check this procedure for Retrieving codes.

After, noted this codes, check what means here Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Plymouth OBD-II Trouble Codes

After three good trips the MIL is extinguished and the Task Manager automatically switches the trip counter to a warm-up cycle counter. DTCs are automatically erased following 40 warm-up cycles if the component does not fail again. Erasing codes.

Good luck (remember comment and rated this).

Your vehicle should be equipped with OBDII diagnostic computer. If you check in teh area of the passenger side fender or under the dashboard on the drivers side you should find the diagnostic port. If this fail then you can refer to your owners manual for the location of the port.

PRE-CHECK
1. DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM
(a) Description

When troubleshooting OBDII vehicles, the only difference
from the usual troubleshooting procedure
is that you connect to the vehicle the OBDII scan
tool complying with SAE J1978 or TOYOTA handheld
tester, and read off various data output from
the vehicle’s ECM.

OBDII regulations require that the vehicle’s onboard
computer lights up the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (MIL) on the instrument panel when the computer
detects a malfunction in the emission control
system/components or in the powertrain control
components which affect vehicle emissions, or a
malfunction in the computer. In addition to the MIL
lighting up when a malfunction is detected, the applicable
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) prescribed
by SAE J2012 are recorded in the ECM memory
(See page DI-14 ).
If the malfunction does not reoccur in 3 consecutive trips, the
MIL goes off automatically but the DTCs remain recorded in the
ECM memory.