Seeing your vehicle's check-engine light come on can throw a wrench in your travel plans. It can also feel a little scary: Does it mean your ride is headed for the scrapyard? Or is there a simple fix?

Before I figured out how to work on cars, onboard computer systems scared me. I’ve had no formal training, after all, so the idea of a car’s complex electricals and countless sensors made DIY work ...

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 ...