Speedometer not working?

Inspect and test the vehicle speed sensor. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

You have two speed sensors. Speed sensor number 1 is used for the speedometer. The way this works is the speed sensor sends pulses to the cluster where the speed is displayed and then it is sent to the ECM.

The way we test this is to monitor voltage coming out of the speed sensor. Here is a guide that will help with using a volt meter:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter

Once we know we have voltage that cycles up and down coming out of the sensor then we can move onto the cluster but I suspect we will not get this voltage. If not, then the speed is not registering.

I attached the info on this system for your review but I suspect you are going to need to replace the sensor.

Let me know what questions you have. Thanks

It's surprising to find a speedometer cable on a vehicle this new. It would also be surprising to find a speedometer cable-driven cruise control servo, but just so we don't overlook something stupid, check if the cable goes into the cruise control servo. I'm 99 percent sure it doesn't, but if it does, it will have flyweights that come out due to centrifugal force, and those can come apart and catch on the housing. That will cause the lower cable to lock up at higher road speeds, and will twist that cable off.

Next, use a piece of the old cable to try to hold the pinion gear in the transmission from spinning. If you can do that with not too much force, either the teeth are worn off or there may be a plastic gear on the tail shaft that is cracked and slipping.

A less-common thing to consider is on most transmissions, the speedometer drive gear is set in a housing that can be rotated to three different positions when it is installed. The position is determined by the diameter of the gear which is a factor of the number of teeth it has. Different numbers of teeth are needed and determined by axle ratio and tire size. Larger gears are installed with the shaft further away from the gear on the tail shaft. If a smaller gear is installed that way, there will be very little tooth contact, and it will be easy for enough to wear away to the point the speedometer gear stops spinning.

On some designs, the speedometer gear slides over the metal part of the housing, and heat deforms that part of it and makes it stick. The gear can get so tight that the teeth get chewed off, and it stops spinning. You'll find that when you try to pop the gear off and you'll have to tug really hard on it.

Use a long flat-blade screwdriver and reach into the transmission and try to turn that gear. I ran into a plastic gear like that in a Villager that had cracked. It slipped on the shaft after the transmission had warmed up. The original speed sensor was found in three pieces. Apparently it locked up and broke the tail shaft gear. The new sensor showed normal road speed for about 20 minutes, then it bounced a little, then went to 0 mph. That one was a pretty miserable design. The transmission would have had to come out to replace that gear. The customer decided to trade it instead.

Hi porthos1,

Thank you for the donation.

Yes, it means your vehicle ia equipped with a cable for running the speedometer. The cable is attached to the transmission on the right side near end of transmission. Disconnect the cable and turn the inner cable while getting an assistant to check if the speedometer works. If no, pull the inner cable out to check if it is broken.

The meter cable has to be replaced as an assy.

As to the lighting issue, I believe you have faulty light switch.

Dandy. Happy to hear it's solved.

The headlight switch is a 2 position switch. One is for the combination lights while another is for the headlight circuits. Wuold you be able perform test with a test lamp?

The door ajar light indicating could mean either the door switch circuit is shorted or the switch is not being closed properly, could be an out of adjustment door.

Is your vehicle equipped with Daytime Running Lights? Wiring schematics are different for with and without.

Hi dilligaf371971,

It could be a bad ground connection at the meter cluster, seen quite a few of them, a bad Vehicle Speed Sensor, worn VSS drive gear, bad gauge and worst case would be the trans if it is not moving.

Test the left and right head light fuse for battery voltage. Voltage should be present with headlight switch turned ON.

If voltage is not present, at headlight relay, ground the Red/Blue wire, headlight should turn on, if noty, the realy is faulty.

If headlight turns on, at headlight switch, ground the Red/Blue wire, if headlight turns on, the headlight switch is faulty.

If headlight does not turn ON, the wire between the headlight relay to switch is open(broken).