my truck is a 97. is there a way to retrieve trouble codes with out a scan tool?

Thanks,

 

How else would you do it?

 

james,some cars use a key cycle method that makes the cel blink a code. other you can jump 2 wires together for the same thing.

 

How would you tell what code it is? Like morse code? it blinks a certain amount of times?

 

Yes, like mores code on the earlier systems. i have been looking for a way on our trucks and have not been able to find it.

 

Oh sorry, i didn't know about that other way of getting codes. My second gen camaros never had that option haha. so excuse my ignorance. Anyways, i believe the answer to your question is no. you need a scanner to get the codes.

 

a scanner is the only way on our trucks. but to answer you question... the "morse code" could be looked up in most repair manuels. my old '89 dodge ram would flash codes after 5 key cycles

 

in the superdutys if you hold the trip meter button and then turn the key on while continuing to hold the trip button, the digital odometer will display codes in writing, and you can actually cycle through a few options, it can display codes, be a digital rpm gauge turn on all the lights on the dash to test and a few more i cant recall

 

my 99 cadillac eldorado would give all codes in the dash area.
pretty cool.

kevin

 

I once had an 86 camaro that you could jump to of the connectors on the plug and the check engine would flash the code.