how do i turn off the check engine light on a 2003 dodge1500 with small v-8?

Question

it has 35,950 is this a 36,000 mi check up scam from crysler?

Answer 1

First check and make sure your gas cap is on right and tight. The check engine light has to do with emissions. Get it scanned some where to check the codes.

Answer 2

when a check engine light comes on it is because a sensor is getting a bad reading or a reading that is not with in spec of a good running engine.
sometimes the sensor gets bad readings because something mechanical is screwy, but usually it gets a bad reading because the sensor itself is bad.
you need to find out why the light is.
if the problem is an intermitten problem or has already been remedied then yes pulling the negative battery cable off for 10 minutes should reset the light, but it will come back on immediately when the sensor gets the bad reading again, so if it is constant problem the light will come back on within a few seconds of starting the engine after the computer has been reset.

if you just want it to go out so you can sell the vehicle the only thing you can do is either remove the bulb wich will make the person who buys the vehicle hate you when they find out. and they will find out the second they take the vehicle to get tested for emmissions.
or replace the bulb with one that is burned out. once again they will know when they go to get it emmision tested, but now it looks more like it was not on for a natural cause not because someone delibrately tampered with it.
I think tampering with the check engine light might actually fall under "Emission tampering" laws wich is a federal offense and subject to a hefty fine and jail time.

if you yourself is trying to make the light go out because you are trying to get the vehicle emmision tested you must find out why the light is coming on, and remedy the problem. Autozone will scan your codes for free.
just making the light go out with out fixing the problem does you no good becuase when they hook the computer to your vehicle to get the emmisions checked your vehicle computer communicates with the emmisions computer and tells it you have a sensor getting a bad reading, so simply making the light not illuminate is not help to you, you must fix the problem at hand.

Answer 3

If you have autozone near you, they let you borrow the code reader. CEL do not go on for service issues. They go on for problems. So you may have something stupid like leaving the cap off the gas tank, or something serious that could mess up your car. Disconnecting the battery lead for 30 mins will clear it, but if you have a prob, it will go right back on when it checks the problems. So if I were you I would disconnect the battery first, and see if the code comes back. If it does, get it checked out. Being thrifty about it could cost you way more in the future.

Answer 4

I hope that this helps some There is a difference of color...if it is red ..you need to have the engine codes checked..if it is yellow I would recommend that you still have the vehicle checked..but you can temporarily clear it by removing the POSITIVE cable from the battery..this will not clear the code from the computer...but it will turn off the idiot light...until the computer sees another failure when it will light up again..

Answer 5

You need an OBD II scan tool to turn this off. If you have not fixed the problem (there are about 60 codes which you need the scan tool for also - to tell you what to fix - you will get a book when you buy the code reader) fix the problem, then use the code reader to reset the computer.
This is why I have a 1969 C/10 pickup

Answer 6

Probably your oxygen sensor, or fluid levels. You can try to disconnect your negative battery cable for about 10 minutes, then reconnect it. If its still on, you can take it to a mechanic and then can run a diagnositc on it (thru the 'brain')for about 45 dollars.

Answer 7

U need 2 have a hand held scanner if u plan on keeping it-U can read the codes - fix it - then clear the codes.Could b speed sensor-Temperature sensor-O2 Sensor-TPS sensor etc.etc.etc.

Answer 8

disconnect the negative terminal of the battery ,for more then 10 seconds,that will erase the code and turn the light off.

Mechanic my whole life.

Answer 9

take the black side of the battery cable off for ten minutes.

Answer 10

Pull the fuse.