"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 ...

Once upon a time, you could diagnose the culprit of your Mazda MX-5 Miata's check engine light with a paperclip. We now use ...

That's where OBD-II scanners come in, giving enthusiasts and everyday drivers a window into their vehicle's diagnostic systems. If you're chasing down the cause of a check-engine light, ensuring peak ...

OBD-II diagnostic device BlueDriver interprets engine error codes to suggest what might need fixing, and lets you know if your car is ready for a smog check. Wayne ...

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 ...

I was recently at a seminar going over some diagnostics for some of the problematic and reoccurring fault codes. The general discussion led us in an interesting direction about the nature of fault ...

I liked the Ancel BD310 for its approach to connectivity, allowing users to connect via the hardwired dongle or Bluetooth. The Bosch Automotive Tools 1200 provided tons of detailed vehicle information ...

This article was updated in August 2025 with new products and information. That little yellow check-engine light is sneaky. Most of the time, you forget it could be there. But when it detects an issue ...

This article was updated in November 2025 with new information. You know you’ve earned your DIY stripes when you can stay calm the moment something goes wrong. And with cars, that moment usually ...

"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 ...