I recently purchased the Auterra OBD II scanner for Palm OS. When I hook it up to my 1997 Federal Spec Nissan Maxima it states that it is OBD II but then has a distinguishing descriptor with it. Mine says OBD II Calif. My car is definitely a fed spec (cat and other systems agree with this) but could the ECU be tuned differently for emissions? Does anyone have any ideas? I'm just curious thanks. The next time I'm around some Max buddies I'll have to see what their car's ECU's state. Btw, my girls 2004 says OBD II OBD II.

 

did you check the vin number and see if that is Cali or Fed?

Maybe the owner before you (assuming there was one) swapped out the ECU, or had it replaced?

Or (maybe more probable) its your OBD scanner.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I have had 3 different ecus in my car, all out of Canadian maximas, and the auterra lists them all as OBD2 Calif.