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 ...

If you have a check engine light on, a diagnostic tool is great for troubleshooting the problem. Here's what you need to know ...

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 drive older cars you're going to find yourself in a situation where you are nowhere near home and a check engine light suddenly appears. What does it mean? Is it just a bad spark plug? Is your ...

Understanding OBD-II and trouble codes Most U.S. vehicles from 1996 onward use the OBD-II system, which allows scan tools to read diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from the car’s computer. These codes ...

“It’s a great way to find out what is wrong with the computer or vehicle.” The iKiKin OBD2 Scanner Code Reader is on sale (for a limited time only) for $18, which is $18 off the original $36 price tag ...

The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Modern cars are great, except when they go wrong. The number of ...

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Seeing your check engine light pop up on your dashboard is never a good feeling ...

When I got my first performance vehicle (a 2000 Subaru Forester STI) the first thing I bought for it was an OBD-II code reader so I could monitor the sensor levels and pull codes in the event anything ...