That 16-pin connector tucked beneath the dashboard of every car built after 1996 is one of the most underused tools available ...

Whether you are a full time mechanic, or just a hobbyist, keeping track of all the different OBD-II codes for various vehicles is a nearly impossible task, and while not everyone wants to keep their ...

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 ...

This article was updated in November 2025 with new information. You know you’ve earned your DIY stripes when you can stay calm the moment something goes wrong. And with cars, that moment usually ...

I was recently at a seminar going over some diagnostics for some of the problematic and reoccurring fault codes. The general discussion led us in an interesting direction about the nature of fault ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The OBD acronym stands for on-board diagnostics, a system built into modern vehicles that monitors the performance of the engine and other ...

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 ...