Spedo Needle

2003 DODGE CARAVAN
89,000 MILES • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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NISSANMAN81
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  • 1 POST
I have a 2003 Dodge Carivan sxt. I had to jump the battery yesterday and after it started I noticed the spedo needle went all the way around and got stuck under the pin. How do I fix this and what could have caused it?
Dec 2, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.
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CARADIODOC
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
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Caused by voltage spikes. Drive over half the speedometer's maximum reading to bring it down. The pointer is not the spring-loaded type that worked fine for decades. It has four coils of wire that are pulsed by the computer within the instrument cluster to set the needle to the desired position. When stopped, the needle looks for the shortest way to "0", and if it has jumped up over half way with the ignition switch off, the shortest way to zero is backwards.

Your mechanic can also use the Chrysler DRB3 scanner to run the gauge test sequence. That will run all of them up and back down. As a last resort, you can pull the lens off and push the pointer back down.

caradiodoc
Dec 2, 2010 at 8:48 PM
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