Dodge OBD Codes for Dummies - The Freelance Files MMCXVII

OBD-II code

Few aphorisms in life seem to be more accurate than the adage, "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer." The fine folks at eHow.com, unfortunately, made this worse by paying people to submit stupid answers even if the question is unanswerable. A case in point is "How to Pull Codes on a 2007 Dodge for the Check Engine Light" at ItStillRuns.com, which "professional journalist" Abby Vaun thought she had answered. We submit, however, that Abby had not and, in the process, lied about the source of her information.

The answer to this question, and to questions about any model of passenger vehicle sold in the USA since about 1995, is that you must use an OBD-II code reader that you have plugged into a port on the instrument panel (usually to the left of the steering column). This is the output port for an on-board computer that continuously monitors the engine and other components of the vehicle.

From about 1987 to 1985, vehicles used a system called OBD-I (on-board diagnostics one). Abby, in her ignorance, pounded out the instructions for pulling OBD-I codes, instructions such as those (written by competent mechanics) that you can find here. 

Vaun's first step in the process is a dead giveaway. She said to,

"Turn your key to the 'Acc.' (Accessories) position. The Acc. position is the last position when turning your key toward you--opposite of the way you would turn the key when starting your 2007 Dodge."

Sadly, had Abby had the slightest knowledge of 2007 Dodge ignition switches, she might have noticed that ACC is no longer in that position (and hasn't been for years). Whatever the case, Vaun's alleged "instructions" for pulling OBD-II codes are of no use to anyone trying to diagnose problems in a 2007 Dodge (or a 2007 anything). Perhaps they'd be of use in a 1987 Dodge... For pretending to be helpful but failing utterly due to complete ignorance of her topic, we do hereby award Ms Vaun the singular honor of Dumbass of the Day. You'd think she would have realized she knows nothing about engines after confusing a serpentine belt with a timing belt, but apparently not.

SE - ENGINES