Hi everyone, is the OBD port live even when engine is switched off? Just wanted to leave a Bluetooth elm327 connected all the time to save any stress on the car port itself. Thanks.

Yes, it is, and it's a drain on the battery. If you leave your car with the reader plugged in, it can drain your battery faster than normal. 

1 minute ago, JD52 said:

Yes, it is, and it's a drain on the battery. If you leave your car with the reader plugged in, it can drain your battery faster than normal. 

Thanks, I will get an extender so that can stay plugged in the car and the reader can be plugged in and out of the extender rather than the car. Just didn’t want to break the port on the car by repeatedly plugging the reader in.

People have also posted on this forum that leaving things plugged into the OBD can bring up all manner of fault codes and strange behaviours.

I dont think leaving it plugged in will cause any problems, it will obviously have a small drain on the battery but it will be mininal as it is only a bluetooth device.

As long as you dont leave you car for weeks without use, I cant see it will be a problem.

 

In switzerland the large dealership franchise AMAG provides a bluetooth adapter free for your car when you use them for servicing.

I have had one in my Superb for the last 15months.

 

It transmits data on mileage, faultcodes, GPS position, driving style,.... so that with their app you can book a service or "find my parking place", pay for parking or charging etc etc.