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 ...

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, ...

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 ...

Ignoring a check engine light might feel harmless if the car still runs smoothly, but the warning signals more than a minor inconvenience. Driving with that light on can lead to higher repair costs, ...