# OBD port: where it is and what it looks like

_Updated: 8 November 2026_

**Short answer:** On most cars the OBD port is under the dashboard, left of the steering wheel, above the pedals. It has 16 pins, small holes in 2 rows, and is shaped like the letter D. It is also called the OBD connector or OBD2 port.

> **The service we recommend: OBD port relocation** The factory connector stays intact, and the port works only with your adapter. 100 €, the call-out to your address in Belgrade is included, and you pay after the job. [More about relocation](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/obd-port-relocation)

## What the OBD port looks like

The holes sit 8 on top and 8 below, and the plastic around them is shaped like the letter D. Every car with OBD has the same shape, whatever the make and model. That is why the same device fits every one.

The colour is not always the same: the port can be black, white or another colour.

- **The port is in view:** You see it as soon as you bend down under the dashboard.
- **The port is behind a cover:** A small cover fits into the plastic, so it looks like part of it. The cover sometimes says “OBD”.

## Where it is: usually on the left under the steering wheel

On almost all cars the port is within 60 cm of the steering wheel. The exact spot is not the same on every make, because the European rule does not set the spot. It only requires that a mechanic can reach the port easily.

- Most often: on the left under the steering wheel, above the pedals or the left footrest, on some cars by the bonnet release.
- Sometimes: in the centre console, the part between the driver and the passenger, behind a cover by the gear lever or under the handbrake.
- Less often: behind the fuse box cover or in the compartment in front of the passenger.

_Look under the steering wheel on the left first (1). If it isn't there, check the centre console by the gear lever (2), then the compartment in front of the passenger (3)._

Through the port a mechanic reads faults and makes new keys, and a thief can buy the same device.

On every car of the same model the port is in the same place, so the thief knows where to look. They plug in their device, and the car accepts a blank key as its own. Once we relocate the port, the thief has nothing to plug into in that place. [More about OBD car theft](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/obd-car-theft) · [More about OBD port relocation](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/obd-port-relocation)

## Where the OBD port is on the most common models

| Model | Where the port is |
| --- | --- |
| VW Golf 4 (1997–2004) | Centre console, behind a cover below the heater controls |
| VW Golf 5 (2004–2009) | Left under the steering wheel, above the footrest |
| VW Golf 7 (from 2013) | Left under the steering wheel, above the footrest |
| Škoda Octavia 3 (2013–2020) | Left under the steering wheel, by the bonnet release |
| Opel Astra H (2004–2009) | Under the handbrake, behind a cover |
| Opel Corsa D (2006–2014) | Bottom of the centre console, by the cigarette lighter |
| Fiat Grande Punto (2005–2012) | Under the steering wheel, behind the fuse box cover |
| BMW 3 Series F30 (2012–2018) | Left under the steering wheel, above the footrest |
| Toyota RAV4 (2006–2013) | Left under the steering wheel, above the footrest, by the bonnet release |
| Peugeot 308 (2007–2013) | By the gear lever, behind a cover |
| Renault Clio 4 (2012–2019) | Centre console, behind a cover |
| Dacia Duster (2010–2017) | Compartment in front of the passenger, behind a cover |

Your model is not in the table? [Send us the make, model and year on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/381677741606), and we'll tell you where the port is.

[More about the OBD port on the Golf, Passat and Octavia](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/obd-port-golf-passat-octavia) · [More about the OBD port on Peugeot, Citroën, Dacia and Renault](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/obd-port-peugeot-citroen-dacia)

## How to find the port

1. Sit in the driver's seat and take a torch or a phone with a light.
2. Look under the dashboard, left of the steering wheel, above the pedals. If you see a small cover in the trim, gently pull it or fold it down.
3. If the port is not there, check the other places in the list above.

## The port isn't there or doesn't work

If the port isn't where it is on your model, it may have been relocated. This happens a lot with used cars: the previous owner fitted anti-theft protection and didn't tell the new owner.

The port can be in place and still not work. If a relocation is fitted, the port works only when the small adapter is plugged into the hidden socket. If an electronic blocker is fitted, it works only once you switch it off: with an adapter with a code, a fob or through the alarm. Without that, diagnostics does not work, neither at a garage nor at the technical inspection.

If a device plugged into the port does not switch on at all, the port may have no power. On some cars the port and the cigarette lighter share the same fuse. [More about a lost OBD cable or adapter](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/lost-obd-adapter)

## What gets plugged into the OBD port

- **A garage device:** It reads faults from the engine, gearbox, ABS and airbags and makes new keys. [More about car diagnostics](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/services/car-diagnostics)
- **The device at the technical inspection:** It checks whether the car's computer has stored a fault in the emissions equipment. The “check engine” light warns of such a fault.
- **A device that stays in the port:** On some cars a GPS tracker or another device that stays in the port turns on warning lights on the dashboard and stores faults. The maker of such cars requires the device to be removed before looking for the fault. [More about GPS vehicle tracking](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/services/gps-vehicle-tracking)

## Older cars: a different port or a different place

**Whether a car has an OBD port depends on its year**

- **Petrol car from 2001:** it has an OBD port.
- **Diesel from 2004:** it has an OBD port.
- **Older:** it may have a different port, in a different place.

- The Golf 3 (1991–1997) has the port in the centre console, behind a cover by the cigarette lighter. Some Golf 3s have a different port, behind the centre console, which a regular OBD device doesn't fit.
- The BMW 3 Series E36 up to 1996 has a round port in the engine bay, next to the battery.

At the technical inspection, petrol cars made before 2001 and diesels made before 2004 are not checked through OBD. That is what the Serbian Rulebook on vehicle technical inspection sets out.

## Common myths about the OBD port

- **“My car has no OBD”:** It may be behind a cover or relocated.
- **“OBD and ODB are different things”:** They are the same. ODB is a common typo. The correct name is OBD, short for “On-Board Diagnostics”.
- **“If I hide the port, the garage won't be able to work on the car”:** Servicing and the technical inspection work as before: you bring the adapter and plug it into the hidden socket. [More about the technical inspection and OBD](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/relocated-obd-port-inspection)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I plug a device into the OBD port myself?

Yes, the port is made for that. A cheap fault reader only reads basic engine faults. ABS, airbag and gearbox faults need a device that works with your make. Already have a fault code from a reader? Send it on [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/381677741606) together with the make, model and year of the car, and we'll tell you what needs checking.

### What if I lose the adapter?

Call us. We come to your address and restore access for diagnostics. That is why you should keep the adapter out of the car, always in the same place.

Have a question about your car? Message us on WhatsApp or call 067 774 1606.

## Read also

- [Car theft in Serbia: 9 ways thieves steal a car](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/how-cars-are-stolen-in-serbia)
- [OBD car theft: how thieves make a new key](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/obd-car-theft)
- [Keyless theft (relay attack): how it works, how to stop it](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/keyless-car-theft)

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Page on the website: https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/where-is-the-obd-port
auto-industrija, Belgrade. Phone and WhatsApp: +381677741606. E-mail: kontakt@autoindustrija.rs.