Re: My Dakota has an unwanted dashboard light

From: Jason Bleazard (jason.dml@bleazard.net)
Date: Tue Dec 06 2011 - 11:34:38 EST


On Tue, December 6, 2011 12:33 am, Mike & Sharon Higgins wrote:
>
> My 1999 Dakota, 5.2 (318) Magnum, 5 speed has lit the "Check Engine"
> Light.
> I thought that I remembered once that some of the older models could be
> "read" by turning the key on and off with a certain sequence, then count
> the flashes, but I don't remember quite what the sequence is.

Start with the key off, then turn it ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON and leave it on.
Note that's ON as in RUN, not START. I think the computer needs to see the
whole sequence within 5 seconds. As someone else mentioned, there were a
couple of years where that didn't work, although I know it worked in 1995
and 2001. I guess try it and find out.

> I have visited my
> local O'Rielly's, but did not locate any plug in for diagnosis under the
> dash. I did see a small rectangular bracket to the driver's left, next to
> the steering column, but there was no electrical connection in it.

You can try a Google image search for "OBDII connector" to see what they
look like. It's a standardized connector.

> Is this an OBDI system?

Everything 1996 and newer is OBDII (2), mandated by federal law.

> Should I find a plug-in under the dash, or
> elsewhere?

The OBDII standard says the connector has to be within a certain distance
of the steering wheel. In my experience, Dodge usually puts it at the base
of the dash.

-- 
Jason Bleazard  dontspamjason@bleazard.net  Burlington, Ontario
'01 Dakota Sport 4x4, 4.7 V8, Auto, Quad Cab, black



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