A quick way to precisely diagnose myriad automotive problems—or at the very least get a rough idea of what might be wrong—is to use an automotive scan tool.

If your vehicle is throwing a check engine light, but you don't have a diagnostic scanner handy, here are three tricks to try before seeing a mechanic.

For the average home mechanic, the scan tool is an essential first step in automotive troubleshooting. The Actron U-Scan is a new take on the diagnostic scanner.

A quick way to precisely diagnose myriad automotive problems-or at the very least get a rough idea of what might be wrong-is to use an automotive scan tool. Here's what these pint-sized computers ...