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 ...

It glows on your car’s dashboard and instantly ignites terror and loathing in the hearts and wallets of drivers; the dreaded “Check Engine” warning light. For ...

A vehicle’s Check Engine light can turn any car ride into a harrowing experience. As soon as the check engine light illuminates, it’s hard not to hear the cha-ching sound of a ...

Check-engine lights, also known as Malfunction Indicator Lamps (MIL), appear for a reason-specifically when an engine is operating outside of its normal emissions parameters. When that light flashes, ...

Three of the main reasons the check engine light or malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) turns on are: a loose fuel cap, issues with the ignition system, and problems with the emissions system. Many ...

When the check-engine light snaps on, it is not a suggestion, it is your car’s way of saying something in the powertrain or emissions system needs attention. I see it as an early warning system that ...

Although commonly referred to as the “check-engine light,” some cars may instead display the message “Service Engine Soon,” or show a yellow or orange outline of an engine, perhaps with the word ...

Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all, so let’s start by understand exactly what the check engine light is. In automotive terms it is known as MIL (Malfunction-Indicator-Lamp) and is an ...