Speedometer does not work

Tiny
FLIPDOG
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
Had a weak battery and when trying to start engine, speedometer went nearly all the way around the gauge. Now speedometer does not work at all and trans does not shift correctly. I had problem with trans once before and had to change transmission brain. I don't think that is the problem now and I am leaning toward a faulty speed sensor but I am not sure if I should change input or output side
Thursday, September 9th, 2010 AT 10:18 AM

31 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,640 POSTS
If they both are not working properly, I would say the speed sensor. Here is the location so you can change it out. Same as a Neon. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.
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Thursday, September 9th, 2010 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
TURBOJAY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Thanks for this post I had this problem and had to get a new sensor cost me $56.00 all fixed I love this site!
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM
Tiny
ERFLINERR
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
A day after I replaced the starter, the speedometer has stopped registering the vehicles speed. The odometer is still working. There was not any clicking noise from the speedometer to to suggest the cable was sticking or about to break.

Is it possible to dislodge the speedometer cable while replacing the stater?

Could you provide a diagram showing where the speedometer connects to the transmission?

Thanks in adcance.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,640 POSTS
Actually, the speedo doesn't have a cable on your vehicle. The speedo works from a sensor called the vehicle speed sensor (VSS). Have that checked.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BREITMEYER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 12,400 MILES
The speedometer quit working and is pegged below the 0. What is the fix?
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,858 POSTS
This speedometer is not the simple, reliable spring-loaded mechanical pointer used in older cars. It is a computer-controlled stepper motor that is placed in the desired position by pulsing four coils with voltage. Two things that could cause this condition are turning the ignition switch off while at highway speed, and spinning on ice, then suddenly hitting the brakes. Once the pointer goes more than half way, the computer tries to pulse it back to zero, and the fastest way there is to go higher and all the way around. It's at zero now, but on the wrong side of the stop.

First, try driving at a speed more than half the maximum shown on the speedometer face. The computer should eventually try to position the pointer in the correct position, then it will follow the commands back down to zero normally as you slow down. The pointer always looks for the shortest distance to the desired point. As long as it's trying to go higher than zero, it will remain stuck. You need to make it want to go lower than maximum, and the shortest way is if you're going more than half the maximum speedometer value.

If that fails, the technicians at the dealership can use their hand-held computer to access the instrument cluster and run the gauges up and down. Eventually the pointer will catch up to the pulsing coils and follow the commands back down to zero.

In the rare event that doesn't work, the cover of the cluster will need to be removed and the pointer physically repositioned. It's possible it is stuck on something.

Caradiodoc
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
YELKCUB
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 11,000 MILES
The speedometer suddenly quit working tonight. Is the repair likely to be simple or inexpensive?
Thanks
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
YELKCUB
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  • 2 POSTS
I already signed up.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Scan for codes to see what the problem is first. It may be a speed senor or soemthing else.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GLENN.MORRIS2
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 94,000 MILES
I changed the input and output sensors on van and speedometer still dont work. Where is the third located?

Glenn morris
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BILLYMAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,204 POSTS
The third which is a speed sensor is located at the output side of the transmission. Right where your axles go in to the trans. You will see the sensor and plug billymac
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARAVANPROBLEM
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,000 MILES
Last week my speedometer just stopped working, the odometer and tachometer seem to be doing fine. What are some possible explanations for this and is this an expensive fix (worst case scenerio) is this siomething I could do on my own?
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,858 POSTS
First check to see if the needle is on the wrong side of the stop peg. If it is, just drive the vehicle more than half the maximum scale. The instrument cluster computer will try to position the pointer at the correct speed and will look for the shortest distance to get it there.

Caradiodoc
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOAMINO41
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2002 DODGE CARAVAN
Electrical problem
2002 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive

One night the speedometer just stopped working. Everything else seems to work fine. Didnt get a "Check Engine " light. Research points to a bad or loose speed sensor, or a bad connection to the speedometer itself. Where is the sensor located? Wouldnt I get a warning light? Thnx
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ZACKMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,202 POSTS
Sensor is located on top of your transmission. Faulty sensor will trigger the check engine light if it affects drivability. Often times, it will trigger the PCM to store the code, but won't turn the light on.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MMATHESEN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
2001 dodge grand caravan 75,000 miles. We had a problem about 6 mo ago when our speedometer bounced back and forth and then spun all the way around to the right (clockwise) and stayed there. When the van is started it tries to go clockwise but is stopped by the pin? From moving further. After about a month it bounced again and then went all the way to the left (counter-clock) and was working fine until the other day when it spun to the right again. I've tried resetting the computer by disconnecting the battery for 5 min. But it doesn't help. All the other guages work fine. Thanks for the help.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
There is a self test to find this.
With the ignition off, depress the "trip odometer reset button". Hold it until Sof and a number comes up. That is the current software version. Then release the button and it will give a DTC. This code number is what I need. It will be 400.1 or 200.6 etc.
This self test may make it work again.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yeah I have had the exact same problem. I had a friend have his friend who specialized in replacing the motors in the back of the needles on the instrument cluster. It was cheaper then buying a new instrument cluster. Thats the only thing you can do. And the other thing causing this maybe the ground somewhere I was also told when they were checking and fixing this problem. Well good luck
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SUMMERTINGLE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 3.3L
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
The speedometer needle is sitting above the peg, but isn't working. Everything else is working properly on the dashboard. It does, however, struggle to shift into gear when trying to accel.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOHNNYT73
  • MECHANIC
  • 924 POSTS
I would check the output speed sensor on the output shaft of the transmission. Could also be a bad instrument cluster.
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Thursday, August 29th, 2019 AT 2:11 PM (Merged)

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