Hi everyone, I have done a fairly exhaustive search both here in the forums and on the internet in general but was unable to find a definitive answer to:

Can you manually read the check engine light codes without an OBD reader?

Yes I know I could take it in to a shop but where I am they will charge me and I am...well poor

I know that on older cars you could follow a sequence with your ignition etc and the CEL would flash in a series to tell you the code. Is this still possible?

I have a 2003, Mazda Protege 5 and this is my 1st Check Engine Light( 152,000kms)

Thanks for the help and advice in advance

 

Any local parts store (Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc) will read codes for free. You can also buy readers on Amazon for about $25. Would be a great investment as they aren't car-specific. If you have an Android phone or tablet, you can also get a Bluetooth adapter for the same $ and download the free version of Torque from the Market.