Modern cars generate mountains of diagnostic data, and choosing the right OBD-II scanner can make the difference between ...

"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 ...

Simply’s more sophisticated reader is easy to use, with a colour screen and a usefully long 77cm cable, meaning you don’t need to kneel next to the footwell in cars with awkward port locations. The ...

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 ...

The OBD-II scanner will display a five-digit Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). Depending on your scanner, these codes may be accompanied by a brief description of the problem that might not always ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. If you're a fan of diesel-powered trucks, chances are you've heard of Cummins engines. Although Cummins engines can be found in everything ...

Modern vehicles’ sophisticated electronics go far beyond the simple car mechanics most of us grew up with. Now, OBD, or on-board diagnostics, diagnoses almost every issue within your vehicle. Whether ...

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 ...

What’s an OBD-II (sometimes alternatively referred to as OBD-2, and other times in either form absent the interstitial hyphen) scanner? Answering that question first requires an understanding of what ...

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 ...

Seeing your vehicle's check-engine light come on can throw a wrench in your travel plans. It can also feel a little scary: Does it mean your ride is headed for the scrapyard? Or is there a simple fix?