About CodeMechanic
CodeMechanic explains check engine light codes in plain English: how serious a code is, what most likely caused it, and what to test next.
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Our mission
When the check engine light comes on, most people have one code from a cheap scan tool and three questions: is it safe to drive, what is wrong, and what should I check before paying for parts? CodeMechanic answers those three questions, in that order, with sources you can check.
Severity comes first on every page, then the likely causes ranked with an evidence label, then the test that tells them apart. If you have several codes, the multi-code tool shows what they mean together, but only where we have a sourced rule linking them.
How our content is made
Each code page is built from a curated diagnostic graph: codes linked to causes, tests, symptoms and vehicles. Every link in that graph cites a public source, such as US EPA and NHTSA documents, manufacturer service bulletins on file with NHTSA, and owner complaint data. Pages list their sources at the bottom. We write everything in our own words.
The full rules for ratings, evidence labels, bulletins, complaint counts and corrections are on the methodology page.
Technician review is pending
No page on CodeMechanic has been reviewed by a certified technician yet. We are looking for a qualified technician to review our severity ratings. Until one signs off, every page says so, and pages that haven't passed our own editorial checks are kept out of search results. When a reviewer signs off, the page will name them and the date. See how technician review works.
What we are not
We are not a repair shop, and a web page can't inspect your car. Our pages help you understand a code and talk to a mechanic with better questions. They are not a substitute for professional inspection. If in doubt, stop and get the car inspected.
Who is behind CodeMechanic
CodeMechanic is run by a small team: Saurabh K. (Co-Founder & CTO) , Gaurav Sharma (Co-Founder & CEO) and Ambika Sharma (Co-Founder & COO) . None of us is a certified technician, and we don't claim to be. Read our bios on the team page.
Editorial independence and how ads work
The site is free and has no accounts. It is paid for by display ads. Advertisers don't choose, review or influence what any page says, and no one can pay to change a severity rating or a cause ranking.
- Ads are kept away from safety warnings and diagnostic steps: never above, inside or beside a Stop or Inspect soon warning, and never in a test sequence.
- Code pages carry at most three ads.
- When a code means you shouldn't drive, we may link to TowsNearby, a towing directory run by the same team, because a tow is the next thing you need.
How ads use cookies is explained in the privacy policy.
Get in touch
Found a mistake or have a question? See contact and error reports.