You can purchase any global scan tool — often called a code reader — at most automotive parts stores or online.

A code reader for your car can mean the difference between dropping everything and heading for the mechanic and letting that warning light ride a little bit.

This scanner features a 2.8-inch screen and supports all major OBD2 protocols, meaning it can read the codes for most vehicles on the road that have an OBD2 port.

Saving yourself a trip to the mechanic is likely less expensive than you'd think. With Kobra's OBD2 Scanner & Wi-Fi Car Code Reader, you can plug it into pretty much any car made after 1996 to get ...

Code readers, or car scanners, are a great tool for those looking to get information from their vehicles quickly and conveniently.

You can even buy a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter that interfaces with your cellphone to act as a code reader.

The BlueDriver OBD2 Scan Tool is a Bluetooth code reader that links to your iPhone or Android device. This model happens to be the best-selling code reader on Amazon, and it’s easy to see why.

The latter option is very pricey - or is it? I've been playing with a Mucar CDE9000 Plus 2, an OBD2 scanner which sports a full touch-screen user interface in a chunky, robust rubber bodyshell.