help with Stratus

[highhilleer]

Check engine light came on in the wife's 2000 Stratus. Autozone will lend a code reader, but I do not know where the port is. Please help.

 

[xjspyder]

It should be above your right foot while you are sittin in the drivers seat, or somewhere in that area.It is a kind of rounded rectangle connector.HTH.

 

[highhilleer]

Found it, thanks

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

So what codes showed up? Maybe we can help.....

 

[highhilleer]

Thnaks for the offer. Since the car is the wife's dd she decided the answer was to apply $$. Local mechanic will be doing the fix.

 

[highhilleer]

Just an update
Mechanic got busy, so I bought a scanner and got the code myself. IIRC P00455, large evap system leak. I reset the code, tightened the gas cap, and the code has not returned with ~2000 mi. of driving! Code reader has about paid for itself. I'm disappointed that the mechanic did not reset the code when we took it to him the first time to see if the problem was serious. He relayed to the wife that the problem was not serious and we should schedule an appointment for a later time. This is the first time that I've questioned his work in several years of doing business with him.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Highhiller, glad you got it fixed and thanks for posting the results. It's been my experience that a gross evap leak is usually caused by the fuel cap, or possibly a disconnected hose. Congratulations on nailing it down.

I wouldn't be too hard on the mechanic. Sometimes codes like that will be erratic, and he probably left it as a reminder rather than erasing it. He's right in that it's harmless, unless of course it shows during an emissions inspection.

ROE