Control Arms/Check Engine Light--2000 Neon

Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...

my first guess would be no. my daughter has a 2000 Neon with 88K miles on
it. I also have the OEM service manuals and there is nothing that I can
find that monitors that part of the car.

"T. McRae" > wrote in message
om...
> Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...

my first guess would be no. my daughter has a 2000 Neon with 88K miles on
it. I also have the OEM service manuals and there is nothing that I can
find that monitors that part of the car.

"T. McRae" > wrote in message
om...
> Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...

"T. McRae" > wrote in message
om...
> Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...

Faulty dealer, or faulty hearing on wife, get second opinion. Or.. you could
get the codes and report back for the real cause of the check engine light.

Sit in the car and flick the key: on-off-on-off-on (no need to start engine,
just go to the click on the ignition where all the warning lights light up
and the chime comes on, blower fan comes on, etc)within a few seconds. It
should list codes on the odometer "Pxxx" and when done listing codes it will
say "donE" and return to the odometer.

Jot down these codes and report back.

"T. McRae" > wrote in message
om...
> Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...

Faulty dealer, or faulty hearing on wife, get second opinion. Or.. you could
get the codes and report back for the real cause of the check engine light.

Sit in the car and flick the key: on-off-on-off-on (no need to start engine,
just go to the click on the ignition where all the warning lights light up
and the chime comes on, blower fan comes on, etc)within a few seconds. It
should list codes on the odometer "Pxxx" and when done listing codes it will
say "donE" and return to the odometer.

Jot down these codes and report back.

the key trick doesn't work with the ODB-II vehicles. at least it doesn't
work on the 2nd. generation Neon.
Here is a cheap code reader though:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030

"Bill 2" > wrote in message
...
>
> "T. McRae" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> > the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> > her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...
>
> Faulty dealer, or faulty hearing on wife, get second opinion. Or.. you
could
> get the codes and report back for the real cause of the check engine
light.
>
> Sit in the car and flick the key: on-off-on-off-on (no need to start
engine,
> just go to the click on the ignition where all the warning lights light up
> and the chime comes on, blower fan comes on, etc)within a few seconds. It
> should list codes on the odometer "Pxxx" and when done listing codes it
will
> say "donE" and return to the odometer.
>
> Jot down these codes and report back.
>
>

the key trick doesn't work with the ODB-II vehicles. at least it doesn't
work on the 2nd. generation Neon.
Here is a cheap code reader though:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030

"Bill 2" > wrote in message
...
>
> "T. McRae" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Would bad control arms cause the check engine light to come on with
> > the 2000 Dodge Neon? My wife says mechanics at a Dodge dealership told
> > her this and it would cost $600 to replace everything. Thanks...
>
> Faulty dealer, or faulty hearing on wife, get second opinion. Or.. you
could
> get the codes and report back for the real cause of the check engine
light.
>
> Sit in the car and flick the key: on-off-on-off-on (no need to start
engine,
> just go to the click on the ignition where all the warning lights light up
> and the chime comes on, blower fan comes on, etc)within a few seconds. It
> should list codes on the odometer "Pxxx" and when done listing codes it
will
> say "donE" and return to the odometer.
>
> Jot down these codes and report back.
>
>

"WHL" > wrote in message
news:Yi_ec.30968$_K3.104078@attbi_s53...
> the key trick doesn't work with the ODB-II vehicles. at least it doesn't
> work on the 2nd. generation Neon.
> Here is a cheap code reader though:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030
>

It works on the 2nd Generation Neon, trust me, I've used it on my 2000, and
tried it on a 2004. It's just not well documented.

"WHL" > wrote in message
news:Yi_ec.30968$_K3.104078@attbi_s53...
> the key trick doesn't work with the ODB-II vehicles. at least it doesn't
> work on the 2nd. generation Neon.
> Here is a cheap code reader though:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030
>

It works on the 2nd Generation Neon, trust me, I've used it on my 2000, and
tried it on a 2004. It's just not well documented.

I am confused, sorry. I was referring to an Instrument Cluster
Self-Diagnostics procedu Page 8E-4; "Hold the trip reset button down
and then turn the ignition to the RUN position simultaneously, then release
the button."

I will try the on-off-on-off-on-off-on sequence when she gets back. I need
to try it on my Intrepid and Dakota as well.

I do know the control arms are not monitored though.

Thanks.

"Bill 2" > wrote in message
...
>
> "WHL" > wrote in message
> news:Yi_ec.30968$_K3.104078@attbi_s53...
> > the key trick doesn't work with the ODB-II vehicles. at least it
doesn't
> > work on the 2nd. generation Neon.
> > Here is a cheap code reader though:
> > http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030
> >
>
> It works on the 2nd Generation Neon, trust me, I've used it on my 2000,
and
> tried it on a 2004. It's just not well documented.
>
>