High Speed Control Area Network (CAN)

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Mariner and 2006 Ford Escape. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The high speed CAN is based on SAE J2284, ISO-11898 and is a serial communication language protocol used to transfer messages (signals) between electronic modules or nodes. Two or more signals can be sent over one CAN network circuit allowing 2 or more electronic modules or nodes to communicate with each other. This communication network operates at 500 kilobytes per second (kb/sec) and allows the electronic modules to share their information messages.

Included in these messages is diagnostic data that is output over the CAN high (+) and CAN low (-) lines to the data link connector (DLC). The diagnostic data such as self-test DTCs or PIDs can be accessed with the diagnostic tool. Information on diagnostic tool equipment is described in DIAGNOSTIC METHODS .