Chrysler Repair: Chrysler 300M engine light, chrysler 300m, expertise area

Question
I have a 2001 300M (outside your expertise area per your profile, I know) that had a light come on in the dash. I bought the car used and it did not come w/ a manual. I believe it to be the engine light, but it is just an icon that looks somewhat like a motor. Can you advise if this is indeed the "engine" light? How I miss the simple things like "check engine" instead of icons...
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Bette,
Yes, I suspect that is the check engine light though I haven't seen the dash of a 300M. The light means, as you may know, that some sort of fault has been recognized in the functioning of either the engine or transmission. I believe that the only way to find out what the fault means is to go to a shop that has the code reader for Chrysler and ask for a code readout, which will list specific fault code number(s) and give you a brief description of the problem but not necessarily exactly what to do about it.
If you are in a metropolitan area there may be shop that advertises to do a code readout at a cost of about $40. Prior to '96 or so the system was simpler and you could get the codes by doing a "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" with the ignition switch within an elapsed time of 5 seconds, and then the check engine light (which is 'on' because you haven't tried to start the engine) will begin to flash-pause-flash-pause etc. and you count the number of flashes, pair them up to form two digit numbers and those are the codes. You could try that, but chances are it won't work that way in your 2001. But if you get a shop to do the readout ask fir the numbers, what they show, what they would do about it, and how much it would cost. You don't have to commit to the work, and you could write back and tell me the code numbers and what they offered. You might get them to give you a credit on the readout against the repair job if you authorize them to do the repair (ideally after you talk to me).
So that is the situation.
Roland