When the "Check Engine" or maintenance lights come on in your vehicle's dash, you know you've got problems. The computer stores trouble codes when they occur and sends an indicator to the dash panel to let you know what's going on. Retrieving those codes, and finding out what they mean, helps you track down the source of the malfunction. Pulling codes for a 1994 Dodge Caravan is simple. Dodge is a Chrysler product, so these methods work for all older Chrysler vehicles.
Locate the "Check Engine" light on your dash panel, as this is where the troubleshooting codes come from.
Turn the ignition key into the "On" position without cranking the engine. Turn the key on and off in quick sequence (on, off, on, off, on), ending with the key on. Don't crank the engine. If you accidentally do, begin the sequence again.
Jot down the number of times the "Check Engine" light flashes. It will pulse several times to indicate the first digit of the code, then pause and flash again, this time to indicate the second digit. For example, Code 23 will flash this way: flash, flash, pause, flash, flash, flash.
Check under the dash for the Assembly Line Diagnostic Link, a 12-port electrical terminal. Turn the key into the "On" position, then connect ports "A" and "B." Click the link in "References" for a diagram of the ALDL. This runs the diagnostic sequence as well, with the error codes flashing from the "Check Engine" light.
