2002 Dodge Neon

Good call! That is the best way. Autozone will do it for you FREE. All you have to do is hand them the key and point to which car is yours.

They will reset it for you, too.

Hey Pete,

Good call and GA from me.

I agree Autozone and Advance Auto is the way to go and like anyone I love FREE however, I am in a very rural area. Closest either of these are to me is a 40 - 50 minute trip. The distance is not that big of a deal but I would like to have one at home for convenience.

We have three local repair shops in town where I get my work done unless it is something obvious in which case I do it myself.

Last two trips to the local shop with different vehicles have defied common sense with regards to the charges.

I will look into purchasing an Az or Aa reader though. I like the idea of on the spot code definition.

Thanks again - KJK

Buy one! You deserve it.

Women don't have an exclusive right to make purchases that don't make sense to anyone else.

I agree Lyn. Although, I do have a hard time trying to keep up with the Miss's!!

GA. You beat me to the punch. The owners manual usually has a code chart in it. It takes a little time, but it's also free.

Envelope Guy and kramarat,

Thanks guys, I had also found that site while researching. It is definitely a help for the 02 Neon.

I also have an 07 Focus and a 10 F-150 this being why I wanted a relatively cheap reader to diagnose all three at any given time if needed (hopefully not often).

After exchanging several email messages with OBDCOM and having had all my dumb well thought out questions answered I got that warm and fuzzy feeling and went with them for the reader.

Hey, it's a guy thing, I wanted needed a new toy money saving diagnostic tool

Thanks again - KJK

GA to Pete and Free is good.

To have one at home is great though I bought the EDGE controller for my 7.3 diesel Excursion so I could make program changes getting me 24 MPG down the highway pulling the trailer. But for general use Harbor Freight Tools offers the OBD for about $29.00 every day. It is a good device that allows you to read and clear nuisance codes to see if the changes you made clear up the problem.

Hi Stedou,

Thanks for the heads up on the Harbor Freight Tools OBD.

WOW - 24MPG is not bad at all for an Excursion pulling a trailer!

KJK

It has been nice with the rise in diesel costs. However it has also created the "friends problem". After my friends with similar vehicles learned of the changes I made they all seemed to be over at the house with me under the dash plugging and up loading the program.

24 highway and 18-19 around town has been good, besides my wife has a lead foot.

OReilly Auto Parts, offers free use of code readers. As I'm sure other auto parts stores do too.

Thanks Devlin, I appreciate the lead.

I received my copy of the UK magazine Car Mechanics a few days ago but I've not read it yet. I did notice however that it has a review of the different code readers available. I'll have a look when I get home & see if I can summarise the results. I don't know if there will be US equivalents of the readers on test but it may give you some pointers.

The reader I use is an RAC model which reads code & resets management lights. My son is in the motor trade with a roadside recovery company. They use the Mac Tools reader but I imagine that that is a little more expensive.

Nigh,

Thanks for the info, I will look into the RAC model.

Yes, the MAC Tools model is out of my price range.

If you find any good comparisons in the Car Mechanics mag please do stop back in.

Thanks again - KJK

It was easier to scan the article here.

There used to be a time where you could turn on and off the ignition key 3 quick times in succession and the error codes would appear on the dash board.

Does anyone know if this simple diagnostic trick still applies, or did the inclusion of the code reader plug-in port eliminate it? Just curious!

If it were me I'd buy an inexpensive code reader and keep in for future use.....a guy can't have enough "toys" in his garage or shop to play with! hahaha

I can't wait to see what suggestions that you guys come up with!

[I've been wanting to buy one myself for my now-ancient '98 Dodge Avenger Sport. I don't drive it much at all and it's still in excellent shape w/ 153K miles on it....runs like it's still new (always used Castro Full Syn oil since I bought it), and has been paid-off years ago. It's been a great car all along, and FAST too with the "Overdrive button". Eye-popping styling and head turner. The local cops love to follow me. LOL Must be the Indy Red paint that attracts them like flies on honey. Incidentally, my "check engine" light has been as well ever since I installed a new battery a month ago......the previous battery was only 10 months old and defective. Most likely the computer needs to be tweaked/reset, as this happens whenever I change batteries.]

Hi CaptMoosie,

Thanks for stopping in. Envelope Guy and kramarat (and I) had found the site regarding cycling the key on and off to get codes (for the 02 Neon anyway).

Don't know about this method for other makes though.

I went with the OBDCOM reader because of owning other vehicles plus I can impress a few of my neighbor's when their idiot light comes on.

Should be delivered Friday or Saturday.

I will drop you a PM and let you know how it works out.

Thanks again - KJK

Hello KJK,

I'm interested in seeing how it works out for you once you receive it! Good luck clearing up that idiot light (the bane of driving mankind)...

How much that that unit go for and where did you get it eventually?

Also, where is that "on/off" keying-for-codes website?

CaptMoosie,

Here is the link from my initial post and the cost is $87.95 (includes shipping).

Here is the link from post #11 for the on-off-on cycling.

Like I said, I will PM you once I receive it and run it.

Regards - KJK

Many thanks KJK for the links! They'll be invaluable!!!!!

Harbor Freight Tools has a reader with digital display for 59.99.

CAN OBD II Code Reader.

• Read and clear trouble codes in all OBDII compliant vehicles from 1996 and newer
• Supports all OBD II protocols and the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol
• Multilingual menu and Diagnostic Trouble Code definitions (English, Spanish and French)
• Resets Check Engine light
• Reads Power Control Module and Transmission Control Module data
• Views freeze frame data
• Reads O2 sensor data
• Easy-to-read backlit LCD display
• Updatable database

UPDATE - Received my OBDIICOM Reader on Saturday.

Downloaded the disk to my lap top and plugged the reader into the car.

Got two codes:

P0700 - I researched and found "Less than 3 volts at the control relay output at the transmission" which could be a 20A "ETAX" fuse or "Transmission Control relay, both located in the fuse block within the cabin.

P0888 - Researched this, indicated that the relay (above) is always off.

Going to check the fuse, relay, and transmission wiring harness this upcoming weekend.

Overall the reader while simple and low cost seems to be a pretty decent tool.

Final Update

Did some more research and checking on my codes.

I downloaded a Diagnostic/Repair flowchart and studied it.

While I did this the wifey called the local repair shop (no faith in my automotive mechanic ability) to get a ball park price for repairs based on the error codes.

The quote was $600 best case scenario for a new trans solenoid module and $2800 worst case scenario for a rebuilt tranny.

I went out last night and began working the flowchart. 5 minutes into my check, I pulled the ETAC relay (controls the tranny solenoid module) and noted that the prongs of the relay were corroded (green).

I cleaned up the prongs, very delicately applied some electrical joint compound, plugged the relay back in, cleared the error codes, and walla, the car drove like new.

I said it before and I will say it again, it pays to be a well informed consumer

Thanks again to everyone for your comments and suggestions.

Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Since the code reader cost less than the $600.00 potential repair bill, doesn't that mean that you still get to spend the balance on more toys?

Hey, I never thought of it that way.

I like your way of thinking

I REALLY LIKE lyn's way of thinking as well...

Basically, "The end justifies the means..." hehehehe

OR, we earned the freaking right as well-informed consumers & researchers to buy more Big Boy Toys! [Geeee, I hope the Mrs. doesn't see this! ]

KJK, go going and congrats! Thanks for all of the posts!