Can't get diagnostic engine light to flash

I have a 1996 Geo Prizm, which is identical to the Toyota Corolla. The
engine light has been on a few days and today I tried shorting out the two
terminals in the diagnostic box to check the code but the engine light does
not flash at all as it is supposed to to let me know the code. I know I'm
shorting the right terminals because I have the manual for this vehicle and
have double checked this. Also I tried once with the engine running and the
RPM dropped when I shorted it, so I know it's making contact. I'm using a
metal paperclip. I tried shorting then turning ignition to ON and also
turning ignition to ON first then shorting, still the engine light doesn't
flash, it just stays on. What am I doing wrong and how can I find out what
error code I have?


Thanks,

Casey

"CNB" <cbrown_nospam_@bulloch.net> wrote in message
news:d2nfpj$a18u$1@news3.infoave.net...[color=blue]
>I have a 1996 Geo Prizm, which is identical to the Toyota Corolla. The
> engine light has been on a few days and today I tried shorting out the two
> terminals in the diagnostic box to check the code but the engine light
> does
> not flash at all as it is supposed to to let me know the code. I know I'm
> shorting the right terminals because I have the manual for this vehicle
> and
> have double checked this. Also I tried once with the engine running and
> the
> RPM dropped when I shorted it, so I know it's making contact. I'm using a
> metal paperclip. I tried shorting then turning ignition to ON and also
> turning ignition to ON first then shorting, still the engine light doesn't
> flash, it just stays on. What am I doing wrong and how can I find out what
> error code I have?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey
>[/color]
I'm not familiar with the Prism in particularly, but your car was produced
around the time that the OBD II system was coming out so you may have a
different system. Look under the driver's side of the dashboard, usually to
the left of the steering column, for a check connector port, shaped
similarly to a printer cable port but about twice as high.. If your vehicle
is equipped with an OBD II system, then you will need an OBD II scanner,
which you can often borrow for free from parts stores.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Thanks for the tip. I found out that it does in fact have an OBD II system.
I got it scanned for free at Autozone.

Casey




If your vehicle[color=blue]
> is equipped with an OBD II system, then you will need an OBD II scanner,
> which you can often borrow for free from parts stores.
> --
> Ray O
> correct the return address punctuation to reply
>
>[/color]