Terms of Use

Acceptance of terms

These Terms of Use ("Terms") constitute a legal agreement between you ("you," "user") and Check Engine Light ("we," "us," "our"). By accessing or using the website located at cel.guide (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must discontinue use of the Site immediately. Continued use of the Site after any modification constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years of age (16 for EU residents under GDPR) to use this Site. By using the Site, you represent and warrant that:

• You meet the minimum age requirement
• You have the legal capacity to enter into binding agreements
• Your use of the Site does not violate any applicable law or regulation
• All information you provide to us is accurate and truthful

If you are using the Site on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

License to use the Site

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Site for your personal, non-commercial use.

What you can do

• Read articles and reference materials on the Site
• Use the interactive tools (code lookup, cost calculator, symptom checker) for personal reference
• Print or save pages for personal, non-commercial use
• Share links to our pages on social media or with friends
• Quote brief excerpts with proper attribution and a link back to the source page

What you cannot do

• Copy, reproduce, or republish substantial portions of the content on other websites, apps, or publications
• Use our content for commercial purposes without written permission
• Scrape or automate access to the Site without permission
• Modify, translate, or create derivative works based on our content
• Remove copyright notices or other proprietary markings

Intellectual property rights

All content on the Site, including but not limited to text, articles, images, graphics, logos, icons, layouts, designs, code, tools, and compilations, is the property of Check Engine Light or its content contributors and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Our trademarks

"Check Engine Light," "CEL.guide," and our associated logos are trademarks of Check Engine Light. You may not use these marks without our prior written permission.

Third-party trademarks

Vehicle brand names, OBD-II code descriptions (defined by SAE International), and product names mentioned on the Site (including scanner brands like ANCEL, BlueDriver, Autel, and others) are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Mention of these brands does not imply endorsement or affiliation.

DMCA / Copyright complaints

If you believe content on the Site infringes your copyright, send a notice to dmca@cel.guide including:

• Your contact information
• A description of the copyrighted work
• The URL of the allegedly infringing content
• A statement of good faith belief
• An electronic or physical signature

Acceptable use

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not infringe on the rights of others or restrict their use of the Site.

When submitting information (through contact forms or otherwise), you agree to:

• Provide accurate and truthful information
• Respect the rights and privacy of others
• Comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws
• Not impersonate any person or entity

Prohibited conduct

You agree not to engage in any of the following activities:

• Abusive or excessive access: Using automated tools (bots, scrapers, spiders) to access the Site without prior written permission, other than search engine crawlers operating in compliance with our robots.txt file
• Reverse engineering: Attempting to decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any part of the Site or its underlying software
• Security violations: Probing, scanning, or testing the vulnerability of the Site; bypassing security measures; attempting to gain unauthorized access
• Harmful code: Uploading or transmitting viruses, malware, Trojans, or any code designed to damage or interfere with the Site
• Impersonation: Posing as another person, organization, or entity
• Harassment: Sending abusive, threatening, or harassing messages through our contact form
• Spam: Submitting bulk messages, commercial solicitations, or unrelated content
• Misuse of information: Using information obtained from the Site to harm, deceive, or harass others
• Interference: Interfering with or disrupting the Site's operation or other users' access
• Illegal activity: Using the Site for any illegal purpose or in violation of any applicable law

Violation of any of these restrictions may result in immediate termination of your access to the Site and may be reported to law enforcement where appropriate.

User-submitted content

If you submit any content to us (through contact forms, feedback, questions, or otherwise), you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, and publish that content in connection with the operation of the Site.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the necessary rights to the content you submit
• Your content does not violate any third-party rights
• Your content is not defamatory, obscene, or otherwise unlawful

We have no obligation to monitor, review, or publish user-submitted content. We reserve the right to remove any user content at our discretion.

Third-party links and services

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, tools, or services. These links are provided for convenience and reference only.

When you follow a link to a third-party site, the terms of use and privacy policy of that site apply to your interaction with them, not ours.

Disclaimers

Informational purposes only

The content on this Site is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be professional automotive advice for your specific vehicle or situation. Always consult with a qualified mechanic or your vehicle's manufacturer for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

Safety warning

"As is" basis

No guarantees

We do not warrant that:

• The Site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
• The information on the Site is complete, current, or accurate for your specific vehicle
• The repair cost estimates match what you will actually pay (prices vary by region, shop, and vehicle)
• OBD-II code interpretations apply uniformly across all vehicle makes and models
• Following our guides will result in successful diagnosis or repair
• The tools (code lookup, calculator, symptom checker) are free from defects or produce accurate results in every case

See our full Disclaimer for additional information.

Limitation of liability

• Your use of or inability to use the Site
• Any repair decisions you make based on information from the Site
• Damage to your vehicle, property, or person resulting from DIY repairs
• Costs incurred from repairs that did not resolve the underlying issue
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data
• Statements or conduct of any third party on the Site
• Any other matter related to the Site

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation of liability for incidental or consequential damages. In such jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Check Engine Light and its owners, operators, employees, and contributors from any claim, demand, damage, loss, liability, cost, or expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use of the Site
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party right, including intellectual property or privacy rights
• Any repair action you take based on information from the Site
• Any content you submit through the Site

We reserve the right to assume the exclusive defense of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, at your expense. You agree to cooperate with our defense of such claims.

Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to the Site at any time, without notice, for any reason including but not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms
• Conduct we believe is harmful to other users, us, or third parties
• Violation of applicable law
• Technical or security issues

Termination does not relieve you of obligations that by their nature should survive termination, including intellectual property provisions, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and governing law.

Modifications to the Site and Terms

Site modifications

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of the Site at any time, with or without notice. We are not liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation.

Terms modifications

We may revise these Terms from time to time. The most current version will always be posted on this page with the "Last updated" date revised. For material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date
• Post a notice on the homepage for at least 30 days
• Where feasible, send email notice to users who have contacted us

Your continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Governing law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

You consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Franklin County, Ohio, for any dispute arising from or related to these Terms or the Site, except as provided in § 15 (Dispute Resolution).

Dispute resolution

Informal resolution first

Before filing any formal claim, you agree to contact us at legal@cel.guide to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We will attempt to resolve any dispute within 60 days of receiving your notice.

Binding arbitration

If informal resolution fails, you and Check Engine Light agree to resolve any remaining dispute through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules.

Class action waiver

Exceptions

Either party may bring a claim in small claims court if it qualifies. Claims involving intellectual property infringement or injunctive relief may be brought in court.

30-day opt-out

You have 30 days from first accessing the Site to opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to legal@cel.guide with the subject "Arbitration Opt-Out."

Severability and miscellaneous

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

No waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights. If we waive any right, it does not mean we waive the right to enforce it in the future.

Entire agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer, constitute the entire agreement between you and Check Engine Light regarding use of the Site.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction.

Force majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, acts of government, power failures, internet service provider issues, or other events of force majeure.

Contact us

If you have questions about these Terms, please reach out: