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**Most of us ignore our car's check engine light for days, if not weeks, before we deal with whatever problem is causing it to come on.****With a FIXD app and sensor, those of us who are essentially car clueless finally have a chance to know what's going on under the hood (and in the dashboard) without having to haul our clunker to a mechanic, credit card at the ready.****At $60, if FIXD helps you diagnose car issues even a couple of times, it will have essentially paid for itself.**

I'm not a car guy, let's be clear on that from the outset. Oh, I can change a tire, I've replaced brake lights, wiper fluid, and once rebuilt the engine of a 1969 Chevelle SS-454... except that not only did I not actually rebuild said engine, but in fact I probably couldn't pick that car out of a picture of two cars.

Beyond proper vehicle operation and the bare bones basics of maintenance, I know nothing about cars, really. Fortunately, FIXD was made just for people like me.

While at first you might think a piece of hardware designed to connect to your car's OBD-II port and run all sorts of vehicle diagnostics was developed for the die-hard gearhead, in fact it's quite the opposite: With a FIXD app and sensor, those of us who are essentially car clueless finally have a chance to know what's going on under the hood (and in the dashboard) without having to haul our clunker to a mechanic, credit card at the ready.

The FIXD sensor sells for $60 directly from the company's website or from Amazon or Walmart. That's about the same price you'd pay for a trip to most automobile maintenance shops, so right off the bat you can see potential value here; if FIXD helps you diagnose car issues even a couple of times, it will have essentially paid for itself.

The setup process and initial use of the paired app and sensor is so easy I can probably describe it in three sentences. Here we go:

Download the FIXD app and follow the on-screen prompts to create and register an account. Plug the FIXD sensor into your car's OBD-II port (easily found via the manual and likely under the steering wheel, FYI) and then connect the app and sensor following on-screen prompts. Now you're all set to diagnose that check engine light, set up alerts for scheduled maintenance needs based on vehicle mileage, and even to order needed parts or supplies or schedule service.

I went from first pulling my matchbook-sized FIXD sensor from its box to having the app downloaded, the unit connected to my car, and the vehicle diagnosed (no issues! Good job, Acura!) in less than 10 minutes, and that time included multiple pauses to take pictures. It is a laughably simple process that can bring immense peace of mind in the short term and that can make your overall vehicle maintenance simple when you leave it to your FIXD app and sensor to work in tandem, detecting any problems when they arise and keeping you apprised of routine maintenance whenever it's needed.

Let's be honest: Most of us ignore that check engine light for days, if not weeks — if not indefinitely. One of the coolest things about FIXD is that your little diagnostic buddy not only tells you what made that check engine light illuminate, but it tells you the severity of the issue and the likely consequences if you don't address it.

In some cases, the issue might be nothing more than a failed inspection down the line; in others, it might be an overheated and potentially destroyed engine if the issue is left untended. Now, if you knew all you had to do was tap on an app to know if that check engine might was a trifle or a coming catastrophe, you'd raise a finger to do that much, right? I know I would. I mean... I just did, after all.

### Get a FIXD OBD-II Active Car Health Monitor from Amazon for $59.99

### Get a FIXD OBD-II Active Car Health Monitor from Walmart for $59.99

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