2G Speedometer stopped working.

[chowda633]

What would cause the speedometer to stop working? Is there a fuse for it? I also had an AFC wired in there a long time ago. Just looking for some ideas on this haven't had time to get under there and look.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[ddavisaf]

A bad reed sensor or a bad vehicle speed sensor.
VSS is located on top of the transmission through the rear motor mount, and reed is in the gauge cluster.

 

[chowda633]

im thinking bad vehicle sensor because dsm link doesn't pick up a reading from the sensor.

is hard to change?

 

[ddavisaf]

It's a little difficult. You have to remove the rear motor mount. Remove the mount and it's cake after that.

 

[CCR17Darcy]

The same thing happened to me. No CEL or anything came on. If you're not getting a CEL, then most likely, the VSS "stripped a gear." Our cars don't have mechanical Speedometers, but there is still a little gear on the VSS that meshes with the tranny. My VSS looked like the core of an apple when it was removed. I had someone else change mine for me, so I can neither confirm nor deny DDavisf's instructions, but every other time I've read his posts, he seems to be pretty dead on. But yea... it's the VSS!!

 

[ddavisaf]

Your ECU doesn't actually "throw a code" for the VSS, but if you run a diagnostic it will tell you if it's bad or not. It's a non-critical code so it's not important enough for the CEL.

 

[wolf20043]

something else to keep in mind. The shaft that runs the speedometer behind the dash is a very tiny piece of plastic that can snap off, It happened to the 90 we had. If nothing elseworks, you will have to pull the gauge cluster and check the pin in the cable.
Mike
[Thanks, but not on a 2G]

 

[CCR17Darcy]

Your ECU doesn't actually "throw a code" for the VSS, but if you run a diagnostic it will tell you if it's bad or not. It's a non-critical code so it's not important enough for the CEL.

The first time my speedo stopped working, I threw a CEL. I set my cruise control, and a couple of seconds later, the car was throtleing funny, shut off CC, and threw the CEL. Turned out that my actual VSS came un-plugged, which will (and did) throw the CEL. My Speedo was all over the place, saying I was going 130, when I was in stop and go traffic. (My guess is that while it's not "vital" to the car, the fact that it controls the Oddometer, which is an important part of the car's value, makes the CEL come on)

something else to keep in mind. The shaft that runs the speedometer behind the dash is a very tiny piece of plastic that can snap off, It happened to the 90 we had. If nothing elseworks, you will have to pull the gauge cluster and check the pin in the cable.
Mike

2G's are not mechanical driven, and run off an electrical signal. Unlike your 90, which had a cable physical attach the VSS to the back of the cluster, the only moving parts (other than inside the actual cluster itself) is on the very end of the sensor, in the tranny. Of course, I could be wrong about that, in which case, someone will politely let me know .

 

[ddavisaf]

The first time my speedo stopped working, I threw a CEL. I set my cruise control, and a couple of seconds later, the car was throtleing funny, shut off CC, and threw the CEL. Turned out that my actual VSS came un-plugged, which will (and did) throw the CEL. My Speedo was all over the place, saying I was going 130, when I was in stop and go traffic. (My guess is that while it's not "vital" to the car, the fact that it controls the Oddometer, which is an important part of the car's value, makes the CEL come on)

If your VSS came unplugged, it should not have went to 130. It should have simply dropped to 0 and stayed there until it's plugged in. Maybe my car is different, but I still have yet to throw a CEL for my non-functional VSS.
Your Cruise Control should not work at all without a VSS. It should not engage at all since your car doesn't know what speed to hold the car at.
Did plugging in your VSS correct all the problems?

 

[CCR17Darcy]

I apologize for not being more clear. It didn't come fully un-plugged, but rather became loose. I guess it's hard to explain, but it wasn't getting accurate readings. So the cruise control worked until the thing came loose, and the CEL came on. In any case, replacing the VSS and clearing the codes got rid of any problem I was having.

 

[92 GSR-4]

something else to keep in mind. The shaft that runs the speedometer behind the dash is a very tiny piece of plastic that can snap off, It happened to the 90 we had. If nothing elseworks, you will have to pull the gauge cluster and check the pin in the cable.
Mike

Wolf,

I'm like you, thinking like a 1G! 2G's dont have a speed cable running from the trans, just a speed sensor, and where we have the mechanical cable connect, they have an electrical plug.

 

[1gnasty]

check the little resistor box
on the fire wall by the intake manifold

 

[CHnKTSi]

ok. i have bought the car that way and had the car without a working speedometer nor odometer for quite a while. It never bothered me and never had a ticket.
But now it is kind of getting annoying because non of the gauges work.
They do not move at all.
What are the reasons for speedometer and odometer failure?
Both does not work, and i am not sure if it is the gauge or sensor.

 

[Wicked96GS-T]

On 2G's, the speed sensor is on the tranny. On the 1G's, i'm pretty sure it's either on or behind the gauge cluster. Anyone else feel free to jump in on this. I'm more of a 2G expert I guess.

 

[Defiant]

Nice guesses.

If this is on your 90, you have a broken speedometer cable. If it's on a 2G, it's the plug on the transmission.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79387