Do some searching, I'm sure you'll find what you need on this board.
I'm not sure where the 3rd Gen box is that has the number stuck on it. But in my 99' (2nd Gen) it was in the jack compartment, in the back, on the driver's side. It was mostly obscured by the panel, and I needed a flashlight, and a mirror to see it properly.
Like I said, do some searching.
Otherwise, you can, in fact, take it to the dealer, and they'll plug in a scan tool to get the code for you.