check engine light

[runner97]

The day after I was at the dealer for repairs on my 97 Runner, my check engine light is on. Is there a way to diagnose the problem without going to the dealer? Do some auto part stores offer this service? It's tuff for me to go back to the dealer after spending $500 yesterday to have them charge me to diagnose.
Thanks

[VTISC007]

You need the repair manual. The repair manual has a list of codes. The manual tells you how to do it. You are supposed to short out two of the terminals in the diagnosis plug with a piece of wire or something, then you turn the key to the "on" position without starting it. The check enginge light will start flashing (giving you a code). You need the book to tell you what the coed is and what terminals to short. It's easy. I bought my Runner with 80,000 miles on it along time ago; nevertheless, the check engine light came on a week later. Turns out it was the oxygen sensor. The truck actually told me what to fix.

[Budanam]

If you have a good auto parts store and they are not too busy they might hook up a scanner that will read the code. But you still need the manual to tell what that code is. A really cool auto part store might even have a manual you can borrow. What did you have fixed at the dealership because sometimes they forget to reset the check engine light, which means nothing is wrong. Its just a possibility.

[runner97]

front stabilizer link and seized parking brake cable

[Phildugan]

Originally Posted by runner97

front stabilizer link and seized parking brake cable

I had my check engnien light come on in my 1998 4Runner less than 3 months after a 120,000 mile service was done. I was told the reason it came on was the rotors on the front brakes were warped. Could this really be a cause of the light coming on?