How Automotive Warning Lights Work
Every day we turn the ignition on our cars and go on our way without thinking much about how well our engine is running. But for most cars on the road, each time your car is switched on, it's constantly running checks to ensure that major areas of the engine, electrical systems, emissions and brakes are working correctly. The OBD system works by placing sensors in vital areas of a vehicle, which report back to the diagnostics system whether those areas are working correctly or not. When the fuse panel notices a short in the electrical system on a specific circuit in the home, the panel switches off the electricity to that area that has a problem. In cars, the OBD system doesn't shut anything off, but sends a signal to the driver, via a light on the dashboard, to indicate a potential problem.
