"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Since the mandate of the OBD-II port in 1996, auto mechanics have accessed vital information about your ...

In the Last diagnostics article, we outlined how to retrieve and decipher engine diagnostics for engines running OBD-I engine management computers. OBD or On Board Diagnostics is a subsystem of the ...

The world of car diagnostics has changed a lot over the last 50 years. Back in the '70s and earlier, a mechanic's most valuable diagnostic tools were usually their eyes and ears. You could figure out ...

OK, so imagine, you're four-wheelin' with a bunch of friends in Baja, or maybe you're halfway into some backroad in Canada. After a beautiful camp, 50 miles from the nearest light bulb, you pack up ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The check-engine light suddenly appearing on your dashboard is enough to dampen any drive. For the ...

If you've ever gone to a mechanic for a check engine light problem on your car, then chances are you've heard the technician say something about an OBD scanner. It's a handheld phone-like device that ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Modern cars are technological marvels, and understanding what’s happening under the hood has never been more important—or more ...