What’s an OBD-II (sometimes alternatively referred to as OBD-2, and other times in either form absent the interstitial hyphen) scanner? Answering that question first requires an understanding of what ...

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 ...

Neither black tape nor a magic marker is the solution when your car or truck's check-engine light comes on. When the light, which is shaped like the outline of an engine, illuminates, do not panic!

An OBD2 (On-Board Diagnostics II) scanner can provide information about the status and health of various vehicular systems. This information can help inform the user as to what the source of a problem ...

This article was updated in August 2025 with new products and information. That little yellow check-engine light is sneaky. Most of the time, you forget it could be there. But when it detects an issue ...

Weekend wrenchers rejoice: there’s finally a CarPlay-compatible OBD scanner app available for iPhone users. It’s called OnTrack. For years we’ve been restricted to using a phone mount to diagnose cars ...

The automotive industry has a huge variety of OBD2 scanners that come in a wide range of price tags starting from less than $100 and going up as high as $10,000. This glut of options is probably the ...

Whether you're an everyday driver or a pro technician, when your check engine light suddenly comes on the first step is to connect an OBD-II scanner. At Autoweek, we recommend everyone carry an OBD-II ...

You’ve probably been there — you go in for a simple oil change, and suddenly the mechanic tells you your transmission needs replacing. Or your check engine light turns on, and what you thought would ...

️ Editor's note: This product category requires new testing about once a year. We'll update this article with the most recent information when it's available. Modern cars are technological marvels, ...