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 ...

On-board diagnostics (OBD) means different things to different people. To the guy who still cranks over his '71 'Cuda every morning to get to the plant, it scares him to death. But then again, he's ...

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 ...

We've all been there—that pesky check engine light pops up on your dashboard. Instantly, thoughts of expensive mechanic bills, weeks of it being repaired in the garage, and inconveniences galore flash ...

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 ...

On our never-ending quest to improve this place by listening to feedback from the B&B, we are taking a new tack with these ...

Onboard diagnostics (OBD) systems have been around since the 1980s and were developed to help limit harmful automotive exhaust emissions. Between 1988 and 1995, U.S.-built vehicles came with what's ...

Cars are more than just oil and steel. Modern models have incorporated electronics and computer chips to help manage and optimize their mechanical components. That means maintaining your car's ...