[rescue] LCD monitor diagnosis

[wa2egp at att.net]

> Aren't these just some variant of serial ports?  Surely (?)
> there has to be some documentation available to hack together
> a hardware interface that would let it talk to a laptop...  (?)

I beleive the hardware and serial protocol must be the same 
for all cars after 1994.  I guess you just need a hardware
converted for the connector and proper software on the laptop.
It's all in software now!

> In my case, "counting blinks" with a shop manual handy has
> helped me keep my car *out* of the shop.

Our cars don't blink or beep.  One less thing for my wife
to freak out about.

> "Hmmm...  code 23... 'Shorted coolant sensor'... Ah, OK.
> A bit of shrink wrap tubing on the connector pins to compensate
> for the deteriorated plastic in the connector shell..."

Here we have the Jersey rats who like to chew on wiring.
A sock full of moth balls tend to keep them out but the 
car smells like a closet.

Bob