ok, so my check engine light went on a couple days ago, and i looked under the hood and at the engine and everything seems to be normal. it isnt making any noises or anything like that. I know about setting the ecu to diagnostic mode and reading the code urself but i dont really want to mess with the ecu. I want to know where you would plug in the diagnostic reader into the car so i can get the code. i looked under the kickpanel on the passenger side but i dont see anywher to plug it in to. Please help

 

do the ECU method - unless you have access to a Snap-On type scanner, the ECU method will be more accurate. And you're not messing with anything when you use the diagnostic mode of the ECU - you're just retrieving and reading info.

If you're gonna use a 'generic sub-$100-type" code scanner, you're wasting time. But if you really want to do it anyways, there's an OBD plug under the dash, drivers side. But it'll give you "P____" codes, not "DTC___" codes.

DTC codes are mostly covered in the FSMs.