ELM327 OBDII USB Driver: The Complete Installation Guide for Windows

Diagnosing your car issues at home has become increasingly accessible, thanks to OBDII (On-Board Diagnostics II) scanners and tools like the ELM327. The Elm327 Obdii Usb Driver acts as the essential bridge between your car’s computer and your Windows PC, enabling you to use various OBD2 software for vehicle diagnostics, performance monitoring, and more. However, setting up your ELM327 USB interface correctly is crucial; without the proper drivers, your diagnostic software won’t be able to communicate with your car, rendering your scanner useless.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the necessary steps to install your ELM327 OBDII USB driver on Windows operating systems, including Windows XP, 7, 8, 10, and 11. We’ll cover everything from initial connection to troubleshooting common driver issues, ensuring you can get your OBD2 scanner up and running smoothly and start diagnosing your vehicle effectively.

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Your ELM327 USB Driver

The installation process for your ELM327 OBDII USB driver on Windows is generally straightforward. Follow these steps to ensure a successful setup:

1. Connect Your ELM327 USB Device: Begin by plugging your ELM327 USB scanner into a USB port on your Windows laptop or desktop computer.

2. Automatic Driver Installation (Initial Check): Windows will usually attempt to automatically install the necessary drivers once you connect the device. Allow Windows to proceed with this automatic installation process.

3. Verify Driver Installation in Device Manager: To confirm whether the drivers have been installed correctly, you need to access the Device Manager.

   • For Windows 10 and 11: Right-click on the Start button and select “Device Manager.”
   • For Windows 7 and 8: Click on the Start button, then right-click on “Computer” or “This PC” and select “Manage.” In the Computer Management window, click on “Device Manager.”
   • For Windows XP: Right-click on “My Computer” and select “Properties.” Go to the “Hardware” tab and click on “Device Manager.”

4. Check for Yellow Exclamation Marks: In the Device Manager window, expand the “Ports (COM & LPT)” category. Look for any devices listed under this category that have a yellow exclamation mark (!) next to them. Common device names to watch out for include:

   • USB-Serial CH340
   • FT232R USB UART Prolific
   • USB-to-Serial
   • USB Serial Port
   • USB2.0-Serial
   • Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge

   Example of a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager, indicating a driver issue.

5. Successful Installation (No Yellow Mark): If you do not see any yellow exclamation marks next to any of the listed devices, congratulations! Your ELM327 OBDII USB driver has likely been installed correctly by Windows. You can now proceed to connect your ELM327 scanner to your car and launch your OBD2 software.

6. Driver Issue Detected (Yellow Mark Present): If you do see a yellow exclamation mark next to any of the devices listed, it indicates that the driver installation was not successful, or the incorrect driver was installed. In this case, you will need to manually install the correct drivers using the driver packs provided below.

Manual Driver Installation: Using Driver Packs

If the automatic driver installation fails, or you encounter a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager, you will need to manually install the correct ELM327 OBDII USB drivers. We have compiled several driver packs to address compatibility with various ELM327 interfaces and Windows versions.

Before proceeding with manual installation:

• Restart Your Computer: After the initial failed driver installation, restart your Windows PC while keeping the ELM327 USB cable connected. Then, re-check Device Manager for the yellow mark. Sometimes a simple restart can resolve driver installation issues.
• Try a Different USB Port: Occasionally, USB port-specific issues can hinder driver installation. Try plugging your ELM327 USB scanner into a different USB port on your computer and check Device Manager again.

If the yellow mark persists after restarting and trying different USB ports, proceed with the manual driver installation using the following driver packs in the order listed:

Driver Pack 1: CP210x USB to UART Bridge Drivers

Download Driver Pack 1

Installation Steps for Driver Pack 1:

• For 64-bit Windows: Double-click on “CP210xVCPInstaller_x64” to run the installer.
• For 32-bit Windows: Double-click on “CP210xVCPInstaller_x86” to run the installer.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver installation.
• After installation, restart your computer and check Device Manager for the yellow mark again.

Driver Pack 2: Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port Drivers

Download Driver Pack 2

Driver Pack 3: FTDI USB Drivers

Download Driver Pack 3

Driver Pack 4: CH340 USB Drivers

Download Driver Pack 4

Driver Pack 5: Prolific Driver (Windows 8 Compatibility)

Download Driver Pack 5

Installation Steps for Driver Pack 5 (Important):

1. Move the Unextracted Folder to Desktop: Before extracting, move the downloaded ZIP folder to your Desktop. This step is crucial for the “Install” option to appear in the next step.

2. Right-Click and Install: Right-click on the “ser2pl” file (the icon will have a small gear picture) and select “Install” from the context menu as shown below.

   Right-click option to install Prolific drivers.

3. Connect ELM327 and Check Device Manager: Connect your ELM327 cable to your laptop and open Device Manager again.

4. Update Driver Software: You will likely see a yellow mark next to “Prolific” under “Ports (COM & LPT)”. Right-click on “Prolific” and select “Update Driver Software…“.

5. Browse My Computer: Choose “Browse my computer for driver software“.

6. Let Me Pick: Select “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer“.

7. Uncheck “Show compatible hardware”: Uncheck the box labeled “Show compatible hardware“.

   Uncheck the “Show compatible hardware” option for manual driver selection.

8. Select Prolific Driver Version 3.3.2.102: From the list of drivers, select “Prolific driver version 3.3.2.102“.

9. Install: Click “Next” to install the driver. Once installed, the yellow exclamation mark next to “Prolific…” should disappear.

Driver Pack 6: Total Car Diagnostics ELM327 Driver Package

Download Driver Pack 6

Installation Steps for Driver Pack 6:

1. Download and Unzip: Download and extract the Driver Pack 6 ZIP file.
2. Run InstallUSB: Double-click on “InstallUSB.exe” to begin the installation.
3. Connect Cable and Check: Connect your ELM327 USB cable to your laptop. The yellow mark in Device Manager should now be gone.

Advanced Troubleshooting: Manual Driver Update via Device Manager

If the yellow mark persists even after trying Driver Pack 6, follow these advanced manual driver update steps within Device Manager:

1. Right-click on Device with Yellow Mark: While your ELM327 cable is plugged in, right-click on the device in Device Manager that has the yellow exclamation mark.

2. Update Driver Software: Select “Update Driver Software…“.

3. Browse My Computer: Choose “Browse my computer for driver software“.

4. Browse to Driver Pack 6 Folder: Click “Browse…” and navigate to the folder where you unextracted Driver Pack 6. Crucially, ensure the “Include subfolders**” box is checked.

5. Click Next: Click “Next” to proceed.

6. Install Driver Anyway (Red Warning): If you encounter a red warning message during installation, choose “Install this driver software anyway“.

7. Check for “Unknown Device” or “COMx” Yellow Mark: After successful installation, check Device Manager again. Sometimes, another yellow mark might appear under “Other devices” or as “Unknown Device” or “COMx“.

   Example of a yellow mark under “Other devices” after initial driver installation attempt.

8. Repeat Steps a-f for “Unknown Device”: If you see a yellow mark for “Unknown Device” or “COMx”, repeat steps a-f for this device as well, pointing the driver update to the Driver Pack 6 folder with “Include subfolders” checked.

Resolving “Code 10 Error” for Prolific USB-to-Serial

If you still encounter issues, and you see a “Code 10 error” next to “Prolific USB-to-Serial” in Device Manager, this indicates a specific problem with Prolific drivers.

Click here for a dedicated guide to fix the Prolific USB-to-Serial “Code 10 error”.

Still No Solution? Troubleshooting Connection Issues

If you have followed all the driver installation steps and troubleshooting tips, and you are still unable to get rid of the yellow mark or connect to your car with your OBD2 software, refer to the troubleshooting section below for common solutions to ELM327 connection problems.

Troubleshooting ELM327 Connection Issues

Even after successful driver installation, you might face issues connecting your ELM327 scanner to your car and OBD2 software. Here are common troubleshooting steps:

Common Solutions:

1. OBD2 Compatibility: First, ensure that your vehicle is actually OBD2 compatible. Check OBD2 Compatibility Guide here. Older vehicles may not support the OBD2 protocol.

2. ELM327 Physical Check: Verify that your ELM327 interface is physically working. When you plug the USB cable into your computer, the lights on the ELM327 device should flash briefly, and then typically settle to a single red power light. If the lights do not flash at all, and only the red light is constantly on, your ELM327 interface might be faulty.

3. Restart Computer: Restart your computer while keeping the ELM327 cable connected. This can sometimes resolve temporary software glitches.

4. Try Different USB Port: As mentioned earlier, try using a different USB port on your computer.

5. Contact Support (Total Car Diagnostics Customers): If you are a Total Car Diagnostics customer and none of the above solutions work, contact their support team for further assistance. They may require a screenshot of your Device Manager screen (expanded “Ports (COM & LPT)” and “Other Devices” sections) to diagnose the issue further.

   Steps to provide Device Manager screenshot to support:

   • Step 1: Go to Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager (or Hardware tab in Windows XP).
   • Step 2: Expand “Ports (COM & LPT)” and “Other Devices“.
   • Step 3: Press “Print Screen” key, paste into a graphics program (like Paint), or take a photo with your phone.
   • Step 4: Contact Total Car Diagnostics Support and attach the screenshot.

Free Software to Test ELM327 Connection

To verify if your ELM327 USB interface is working correctly with Windows and your vehicle, you can use free OBD2 diagnostic software like EasyOBD.

Using EasyOBD for ELM327 Testing:

1. Install EasyOBD: Download EasyOBD Test Software here and install it on your computer. Do not launch it yet.
2. Connect ELM327 to Car and Laptop: Connect your ELM327 USB scanner to both your car’s OBD2 port and your laptop.
3. Turn on Car Ignition: Turn your car ignition to the “ON” position (the position just before starting the engine, where dashboard lights are illuminated).
4. Launch EasyOBD: Start the EasyOBD software. It should automatically attempt to connect to your ELM327 interface and your vehicle.

If the first five lines in EasyOBD are displayed in GREEN, it indicates that your ELM327 USB driver and interface are 100% correctly installed and functioning with Windows. You can then confidently use more advanced OBD2 software for in-depth diagnostics and analysis.

If any of the first five lines in EasyOBD are displayed in RED, it suggests that there is still an issue with your ELM327 setup or compatibility with your vehicle. In this case, further troubleshooting or professional mechanic assistance might be necessary.

By following this comprehensive guide, you should be able to successfully install your ELM327 OBDII USB driver on Windows and begin utilizing your OBD2 scanner for vehicle diagnostics and performance analysis. Remember to proceed through the driver installation steps systematically and utilize the troubleshooting tips if you encounter any difficulties.