RE: [DMCForum] [OT] need to read check engine codes

["Farrar Russell Carroll Hudkins" <fhudkins@xxxxxxx>]

Another thought:
 
Have you checked the fuses? Sometimes a blown fuse will cause the
"check engine" light to come on in modern cars. If you replace the
fuse the light will turn off again after a few run cycles.
 
Actually, a lot of other dumb stuff could do the same. Other things
I'd check before spending any money on a code reader (big ripoff IMHO)
would be oxygen sensors, gas cap, compression, plug gap, fuel
injectors, EGR, aw hell in these new cars "Check Engine" could mean
anything from "You Have A Blown Head Gasket" to "Your Wife Farted In
The Back Seat". You know to check all of those things anyway.
 
If it's running OK, I'd leave it be and see if it turns off after a
few days.
 
I hate modern cars. Grrrrrrr! I need more coffee!
 
Farrar
 

      -----Original Message----- 
      From: Farrar Russell Carroll Hudkins 
      Sent: Wed 1/28/2004 2:42 PM 
      To: DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
      Cc: 
      Subject: RE: [DMCForum] [OT] need to read check engine codes
      
      

      Do you have your owners manual or a Chilton's manual handy?
One of the
      two, I can't remember which, told me a procedure to go through
to read
      the codes from my Plymouth. But it wasn't untuitive ... it was
      something like, turn the key, put in X gear, rev to 3500rpm,
shift to
      something else, turn key back, and then you had to read the
number of
      times a dash light flashed in a two-digit code separated by a
pause of
      one second. Or something.
      
      But the good thing is, I didn't have to have a code reader. :)
      
      I'd check the Chilton's manual just in case. It's cheaper than
the
      code reader anyhow.
      
      Farrar
      
              -----Original Message-----
              From: Walter Coe [mailto:Whalt@xxxxxxx]
              Sent: Wed 1/28/2004 12:52 PM
              To: DMCForum
              Cc:
              Subject: [DMCForum] [OT] need to read check engine
codes
             
             
      
              I have a '98 Mercury with the check engine light
coming on.
              Does anyone have any recommendations for a device that
can
              read what the codes are?  I also want something that
works
              on GM's and other makes.  Last time I just took it to
the
              dealer, and that cost way too much for what they did.
             
              Walt
             
             
             
             
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