hey everybody my dad has had his 2.4l 97 stratus since new and up until recently it was fine but now it wont start i was hoping someone could tell me what 12424155 mean i pulled them from the check engine light trick just cant find out what they mean. thanks in advance.

 

The "Key Dance" will flash a 12, followed by the code. the next 3 will be the P0XXX number.
If you can clarify where the longer pauses are in your string, this might change the story a little bit.

So you got the code of 12 (successful read), P0424, p0155.

P0424 Heated Catalyst Temperature Below Threshold (Bank 1)
P0155 Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 2 Sensor 1)

Neither of those would keep the car from starting, so there is likely another issue in the background that the computer can't see yet.

 

sorry i forgot to add a 42 so it would be 4-2-4-1-4-2 in the midlle of 12 and 55

 

So I understand correctly it was 1-2--4-2-4--1-4-2--55
or was it 1-2--4-2-4-1--4-2-5-5??

[EDIT] It's still not really adding up. the 55 at the end doesn't fit with what I understand about the key dance. Did we miss one somewhere?

 

appaently that was yesterdays codes now it reads
1-2--4-2--4-3--5-5

 

sorry i took so long but a friend of my dads brought a obd2 scanner and it first read p1490 then he cleared it a tried to start it again no go, it then read p0351 and alittle later it turned on, we didnt do anything to it but check fuses so im assuming it might happen again but thanks for the help ratsttam.

 

sorry i took so long but a friend of my dads brought an obd2 scanner and it first read p1490 then he cleared it a tried to start it again no go, it then read p0351 and alittle later it turned on, we didnt do anything to it but check fuses so im assuming it might happen again but thanks for the help ratsttam.

 

Not sure what it all means in your case...
P0042 HO2S Heater Control Circuit (Bank 1 Sensor 3)
P0043 HO2S Heater Control Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 3)
P0055 HO2S Heater Resistance (Bank 1, Sensor 3)
P1490 Low Speed Fan CTRL Relay Circuit
** P0351 Ignition Coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction

The Strat still has some computers in it, perhaps pulling one of the fuses reset a tripped relay. Good luck with it though Ya know where to find us if you need anything else.
I would focus your attention to the coil packs (or rotor cap). You might not have been getting spark. Move relays around in the box and see if anything electrical changes behavior.