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 ...

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 ...

Code readers are diagnostic tools that every car owner should consider owning. Having one of these is as important as carrying a spare tire or a fire extinguisher in the trunk. Back in the day, before ...

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?

There it is. On your dashboard. Staring at you, mocking you, making you plot insurance fraud: your car’s check engine light. That little bugger has been on your dash for weeks now and you haven’t been ...

In the last Diagnostics episode, we outlined the vital information provided by compression and leakdown testing and illustrated how to use these most important tools. These tests reveal the internal ...