Most of us cringe in fear when the check engine light in the dashboard of a modern 4x4 is tripped on. Your mind begins to spin in frustration wondering what could have triggered it, how bad it really ...

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 ...

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 ...

In the past, car diagnostic tools were prohibitively expensive. Prior to 1996, an independent technician could expect to pay thousands of dollars for a tool that was compatible with only a single ...

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?

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 ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Modern cars are technological marvels, and understanding what’s happening under the hood has never been more important—or more ...

Diagnosing automotive problems used to be much more challenging. A mechanic had to use all of their skills to pinpoint mechanical or electrical issues. Nowadays, you can diagnose many problems ...

OK, so imagine, you're four-wheelin' with a bunch of friends in Baja, or maybe you're halfway into some backroad in Canada. After a beautiful camp, 50 miles from the nearest light bulb, you pack up ...

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 ...