We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. If you own a car built in 1996 or later for the U.S. market, the odds are overwhelming that it has an OBD port. You may have even noticed its ...

Modern vehicles are rolling computers, with systems managed by embedded hardware and software designed to talk to the manufacturers' diagnostic tools locally and wirelessly. While this complexity can ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The on-board diagnostics (OBD) port isn’t just for your mechanic ...

Up until the 1980s or so, a mechanic could check for shorts in a car’s electrical system by looking for sparks while removing the battery terminal with everything turned off in the car. That stopped ...