OBD and Service Engine Soon . . . Two Reasons Why Cars Are Better Than Before

“Take a look under that hood,” said the salesperson. The customer peered in, gazing at the workings of the vehicle. “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” sighed the salesperson, “thank goodness.”

There’s a lot of truth to that statement. They don’t make ‘em like they used to, and it is a very good thing, according to the Car Care Council.

There are a number of differences between today’s cars and their predecessors. One of the most important is the Service Engine Soon or Check Engine light on the dashboard. That’s an indication that the car has OBD, on-board diagnostics. Vehicles built after 1988 have first generation OBD; those built after 1996 have the system’s second generation, OBD II.

OBD, a government mandate, is a system designed to detect system faults in the emission-control system. Prior to OBD it was common for a car to develop any number of emissions related problems while the motorist went about his business, completely unaware.

The first generation of OBD put a great deal of emphasis on identifying existing faults within the computer system. OBD II goes several steps farther than its predecessor, by detecting problems as they develop in additional systems. This includes monitoring the performance of individual components, subsystems and the engine.

OBD has gotten a lot of press, as has the specialized equipment required for technicians to scan and read the OBD codes, says the Car Care Council. Because of this notoriety, OBD sometimes has been perceived as a system that can diagnose any problem on a vehicle. Not true. OBD II exists primarily for emissions problems, including detection, monitoring, identification and control. It also serves to alert the motorist of the issue. OBD II can be helpful in finding troubles in secondary support systems, but only if it is interrelated with emissions control.

The dashboard light that reads Service Engine Soon or Check Engine shows that the system is at work. There are various meanings depending on when and how the light comes on. If it detects a condition and then determines that the problem is no longer present, it may illuminate and then go out. On the other hand, it may flash continuously, if a serious problem is detected. Check your owner’s manual and become familiar with the meanings of the different messages. Otherwise, important communications might be ignored.



Brought to you as a public service by Car Care Council.

For more information please contact Gary Uhlman