Before I figured out how to work on cars, onboard computer systems scared me. I’ve had no formal training, after all, so the idea of a car’s complex electricals and countless sensors made DIY work ...

Diagnosing automotive problems used to be much more challenging. A mechanic had to use all of their skills to pinpoint mechanical or electrical issues. Nowadays, you can diagnose many problems ...

If you've been involved in automotive repair for a while, you probably know that modern vehicles use onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems to help notify us when there's a problem. The OBD system works ...

There it is. On your dashboard. Staring at you, mocking you, making you plot insurance fraud: your car’s check engine light. That little bugger has been on your dash for weeks now and you haven’t been ...

If you own a car built after 1996, it comes equipped with a second-generation onboard diagnostic (OBD or OBDII) system. These systems work together with the vehicle's primary computer or powertrain ...

Most drivers think the OBD-II port is only for check engine lights, but the right scanner can unlock live vehicle data and deeper diagnostics.