The principles of tuning OBDII vehicles are outlined for do-it-yourself novices and repair professional alike in this introduction to automotive electronic diagnostics. Beginning with basic automotive concepts of engine operation and the powertrain control module, topics span the history of OBDII, anatomy of the scan tool and its components, and the language and protocols that the OBDII uses to communicate faults. Diagnostic tips and detailed fault code descriptions for major domestic automobile manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, and Daimler-Chrysler accompany tips for Asian and European vehicles. The straightforward prose and cooking recipes listed at the end contribute to this comprehensive primer to electronic diagnostics.

I was looking for hardcore material on OBD. I too was fooled by the preview. You can find the same info on the Internet. The book publishers have done a fantastic job of packaging and making an ordinary book with common information look exceptional. What people want to know is how to use the information in the powertrain control module to solve problems. This book simply tells you what's available in OBD 2 not what to do with the info. Pages are devoted to OBD 2 codes that can be found on the Internet. If you need a glossy intro to OBD 2 this is it.

This book doesn't reveal any secrets,or for that matter much information. It is rather long on OBD II theory and has a fairly good chapter on scan tool selection but falls far short in the diagnostic department. I had hoped this book would have information on acceptable sensor values, troubleshooting / diagnostic charts, etc. As far as diagnosis goes, this book is just one small step ahead of a trouble code chart. Since most of the newer scan tools incorporate this information in the tool itself I would recommend that you save the price of this book and apply it to a better tool.

I thought from reading the sample pages that this book would explain codes and a brief explanation as to what to check for each code. It was more of an overview of ODBII with some details I could use.

This book is only good for a reference guide for Ford and
GM trouble codes. The book doesn't help any one who is trying
to repair a really troublesome problem;in fact, it doesn't
help in trouble shooting simple problems. Problems that could
be fixed by simply turning the gas cap an extra turn or two.
I only blame my self for wasting my hard earned money. Please
take my advice and don't be fooled by the books good reviews,
wich are odviously writen by people who are not professional
technicians.

I can only 1/2 recommend this book.
Given in CA every other car is Audi, VW, Volvo, Saab, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, MB, etc.
This book only covers Ford GM and Chrysler.

However, given there are so few books of any description on OBDII or EOBD, this serves as a good beginner for the DIY enthusiast.
However, I would appreciate if a similar book existed to cover all the missed applications above.
In addition, the named missing names above are also the most likely NOT to provide this type of information in their Official Workshop Manuals, so the need is even greater than for Ford, GM and Chry.