DIY OBD2/OFT Cutoff Switch

[LaertesSon]

This DIY will show you how to hide your wires for OFT or other OBD2 devices, and install a switch to cut power to the devices when you aren't using them to limit power usage.

Tools/Materials needed:

• Drill/Drill bits
• Phillips screwdriver
• Hot glue gun/Electrical tape
• Duct tape
• Wrench/Socket set
• OBD2 M/F extension cord with switch
• OBD Cable (I used the one that comes with OFT)
• SPST Toggle Switch (with threads) (I found mine at Radioshack, you can take off the on/off label by unscrewing the nut)

The switch looks like this,

And the OBD extension I used can be found here.
http://amzn.com/B00UR5XBMW

On to the steps

1. First, pry off the cover on the left side of the dash (took this pic from another post)
   
   
2. Now you need to remove the lower dash, there are two screws holding it in, one by the door and one near the OBD port:
   
   
3. Then you can pull on the lower dash and it will all come out. Unplug the trunk and gauge dimmer wires, and take the assembly for the switches out of the lower dash, we will be working with this from now on.
   
4. Now, for the switch, I first pried apart the plastic casing on the switch, and inside there are two red wires. Snip them off, and discard the original switch.
   
5. Strip the wires, and connect them to the SPST switch, and glue them into place.
   
   
6. Plug the OBD end into the OBD port, and plug your OFT cable into the other end, power up your car and make sure the switch toggles power to the OFT/other device
   
7. Now, you have to drill the hole for the switch in the panel. Use increasingly larger bits until you can just thread the switch through the hole, then use your wrench to put the nut on to hold the switch in place. Here is the finished panel, I ended up using an 11/32" bit:
   
   
8. Tape up your connectors directly under the switch panel. They will all fit nicely with the dash put back on.
   
   
9. Put the lower dash back in, making sure to plug the trunk and gauge dimmer wires in. Plug the OBD2 cable in, and tuck and tape any wires from that.
   
10. Thread the other end through the open area where you took off the trim in Step 1. You can put this door trim back on, and thread the wire through the cutout at the bottom (where the screwdriver is placed in the first pic), then route that up to your OFT.
    
11. Screw the lower dash back on, plug OFT in, and you're done. I have my OFT on an iMagnet mount on the small triangular window.
    
    
    Now you can turn off your OBD devices so they don't draw any power, and there are no ugly wires or switches to look at or have dangling at your feet.

[Pointmutation]

Originally Posted by LaertesSon

[*]Now, for the switch, I first pried apart the plastic casing on the switch, and inside there are two red wires. Snip them off, and discard the original switch.
[*]Strip the wires, and connect them to the SPST switch, and glue them into place.

Do you have a larger pic of this shot? I have this connector and been thinking of this mod lately.

[zkv476]

This is a very cool mod that I had planned to do myself, with a slight difference! Instead of running it to a switch I will be running it to an ignition switched power source so the OBD2 device comes on automatically when the car is switched on :p

[LaertesSon]

Originally Posted by Pointmutation

Do you have a larger pic of this shot? I have this connector and been thinking of this mod lately.

This might help clear it up.

[LaertesSon]

Originally Posted by zkv476

This is a very cool mod that I had planned to do myself, with a slight difference! Instead of running it to a switch I will be running it to an ignition switched power source so the OBD2 device comes on automatically when the car is switched on :p

That's a great idea

[Pointmutation]

Originally Posted by LaertesSon

This might help clear it up.

Yes, thank you. Exactly what I needed.