I’m having trouble connecting my new Bafx Obdii Bluetooth adapter to my 1999 Miata, and I’m hoping someone can offer some advice. I purchased the BAFX OBD-II reader from Amazon, specifically to use with my ’99 Miata. I located what I believe is the OBD-II port under the fuse box cover to the left of the driver’s knee. When I plug the adapter in, the red light illuminates, indicating it’s receiving power.
I then paired the adapter with my Android device (Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0) via Bluetooth using the code ‘1234’ as instructed. I’m using the Torque (free) app, and while it appears to attempt a connection, it cycles through various protocols and ultimately fails, displaying a “No response from vehicle ECU” message. This happens whether the engine is running or just the ignition is on. I even tried another app, Car Gauge Lite, with the same negative result.
Interestingly, I tested the same BAFX OBDII Bluetooth adapter on our ’98 Honda Civic, and it connects and works perfectly. This leads me to believe the issue is specific to my Miata.
So, I have a few questions for anyone with experience using OBD-II readers on a ’99 Miata (NB model):
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Is there a specific protocol I need to manually select within the Torque app, rather than relying on the ‘Auto’ setting, to connect to a ’99 Miata’s ECU? Could protocol selection be the key to establishing a connection with the BAFX OBDII Bluetooth device?
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I’m wondering if I might be using the wrong OBD-II port. When I’ve had mechanics read codes in the past, it seemed like they accessed a port lower down in the footwell, without removing the fuse box cover. Is there another OBDII port hidden somewhere else in the footwell of a ’99 Miata? The location under the fuse box cover seems awkward for using an OBD-II device like a ScanGauge while driving, as it would be constantly in the way, and require driving with the fuse box cover removed. Could the location of the bluetooth OBD2 adapter be contributing to my connectivity issues or is the port location standard but I might be mistaken about the location itself?
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Are NBs, specifically 1999 Miatas, known to be particularly sensitive or selective about which OBD-II readers will successfully connect? Should I consider returning this BAFX OBDII bluetooth adapter and trying a different brand or model altogether? If so, are there specific brands or models of OBD-II readers that are known to work reliably with the ’99 Miata NB? While the BAFX adapter had good reviews on Amazon and wasn’t the cheapest option, perhaps compatibility with my specific vehicle is the issue.
Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated! I’m eager to get my BAFX OBDII Bluetooth adapter working with my Miata for vehicle diagnostics and monitoring.
