Q1 : What is Diagnostic ?

Diagnostics, as the word suggests, is to identify the cause of a problem or a

situation.
Whenever the ECU finds a problem, it stores that problem as a Diagnostics Trouble
Code (DTC) in the Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) for
later retrieval
Diagnostic Tools are used to read data (DTC’s) from the EEPROM to analyze the
cause of failure

Q2 : Diagnostic Trouble Code

• Most modern vehicle management systems carry out self-diagnostic checks on the
sensors and actuators that connect to the vehicle ECU(s)
• A fault in one of the components or its associated circuit causes a code to be
stored in the ECU memory
• These fault codes can be read by using a fault code reader or scanner
• If a code reader is attached to the serial port on the vehicle harness, codes can
be read out from the vehicle computer
• These are either displayed in the form of a two, three or four digit output code
or in text format if software is used

Q3: Diagnostic Session

Diagnostic session is the basis for/of communication between the ECU and the
diagnostic tool
During ‘Diagnostics’the ECU being analyzed is in a particular session
There are different types of diagnostics sessions like Default Session, Extended
Diagnostic Session, Remote Session and ECU Programming Session
After Ignition on, ECU will be switched to a Default Diagnostic Session and after
receiving the request from Diagnostic Tool, the ECU will be switched to the
Extended Diagnostic Session
Further, after receiving the ECU Programming Session start request from Diagnostic
tool, it will switch to the ECU Programming Session

Q4: Diagnostic Services

A diagnostic service is a specific communication function (not required to deliver
a systems normal function).
Communication is between systems on the vehicle and external test equipment.
The services are described independently of the communication protocols which will
deliver them.

Retrieve DTCExtendedData associated with a client defined DTC and status mask
combination out of the DTC memory or the DTC mirror memory. DTCExtendedData
consists of extended status information associated with a DTC. DTCExtendedData
contains DTC parameter values, which have been identified at the time of the
request. A typical use of DTCExtendedData is to store dynamic data associated with
the DTC, e.g.
-- DTC B1 Malfunction Indicator counter which conveys the amount of time (number of
engine operating hours) during which the OBD system has operated while a
malfunction is active, ⎯ DTC occurrence counter, counts number of driving cycles in
which "testFailed" has been reported,
-- DTC aging counter, counts number of driving cycles since the fault was latest
failed excluding the driving cycles in which the test has not reported "testPassed"
or "testFailed", ⎯ specific counters for OBD (e.g. number of remaining driving
cycles until the "check engine" lamp is
switched off if driving cycle can be performed in a fault free mode).
--time of last occurrence (etc.).
-- test failed counter, counts number of reported "testFailed" and possible other
counters if the
validation is performed in several steps,