Having your “Check Engine” light come on can be a frustrating, not to mention expensive. Fortunately, if you are technically inclined, and have some basic tools, then you can do many repairs yourself and avoid those costly repair shops.
On Board Diagnostics, or OBD, is a vehicles way of doing its own diagnosis. OBD was pushed by the Government to encourage Auto Manufacturers to reduce emissions by monitoring control systems. In 1988, On Board Dianostic Systems were called OBD I. In 1990, the Clean Air Act mandated that all 1996 and newer vehicles, sold in the United States, must be equipped with such On Board Diagnostics - known as OBD II.
The OBD II system monitors many of the vehicles components that can affect the emissions. If a fault is detected, then the OBD II system will illuminate a warning lamp on the vehicle's instrument panel. This warning lamp is commonly referred to as the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL), Check Engine Light, or Service Engine Soon Light. The fault is recorded by the vehicle’s computer and can simply be retrieved by a scantool, or often referred to as an OBD II code reader. By plugging a scantool into the vehicle’s 16 pin connector, the mystery is unlocked and a diagnosis will appear. This fault information will either put you back in control of fixing the issue or help keep your mechanic honest.
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