"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 ...

"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 ...

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 ...

The second iteration of on-board diagnostics, OBD II, has been required tech on all new cars sold in the U.S. since 1996. That means that anyone who uses or works on cars less than three decades old ...

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 ...

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?

️ Editor's note: This product category requires new testing about once a year. We'll update this article with the most recent information when it's available. Modern cars are technological marvels, ...

This article was updated in November 2024 with new products and information. Nothing can ruin a drive like seeing the "check engine" light on your dashboard. For many, the initial reaction might be to ...

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?