Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) How do ya check codes?

[CoastyAV8R]

I have been reading about guys casually checking for codes on their trucks. How do you do it? My truck is stock and I've never seen a check engine light or anything but I'm curious on how to do this. Enlighten me if you don't mind...



Thanks,

Pat

 

[BarryG]

Watch your odometer. Turn your ignition on three times in a row (do not start it just turn the key to the first position and then back off. On the third on your odometer will display what codes you have and where they are residing whether pcm or ecm. If I remember it comes up first with dashes than comes up with ecm followed by whatever codes are there. Followed by done then a new set of dashes and then pcm followed by whatever codes then done then back to the odometer

 

[CoastyAV8R]

That's sweet. I wanna go look right now but the little baby just fell asleep so unless I want a biblical whoopin' from my lovely little wife, I'll wait until tomorrow. Thanks for the info...

 

[BStacy]

Setting Codes

Can you set a code without illuminating the check engine light?

 

[BarryG]

BStacey:

Yes you can set a code without setting off the check engine light. When my vp44 died earlier this year I set that dreaded 0216 code and a couple other ones dozens of times before it got fixed without the check engine light coming on. Whats more , and I still haven't figured out why, the service manual lists the codes and asterisks the ones that will illuminate the mil but it never did. The light comes on during startup like it is supposed to so I know the bulb isn't burnt out. I just check for codes every couple of weeks or so.

 

[BStacy]

Thanks for the Info

BarryG,

Thanks for the info. hmmmm I'm going to have to check them out now.

 

[James2000]

Just checked mine and it says "p done" does that mean anything? TIA James

 

[CoastyAV8R]

I just checked mine and it spit out a P1492 and P1493 then when it was done it displayed the P done. All that means is that you had no codes. I have no idea where I got those codes, I've never had a check engine light since the truck was new. I looked em' up in the service manual and they are:



P1492 Ambient/ batt temp sensor volts too high. Says that it means external temperature sensor input above acceptabe voltage.



P1493: Ambient/ batt temp sensor volts too low. This one means, according to the manual, external temperature sensor imput below acceptable voltage.



Anybody seen these before? What, in layman's terms, do I have here?