Speedometer stops working

Tiny
DELFOJUNIOR
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 164,000 MILES
Hi, I'm having problem with my car 1998 Toyota Corolla 1.8L LE, sometimes the readings of the right side of the instrument cluster goes off and the transmission doesn't shift, so I have to turn off the car or keep driving just in the 1st gear and neutral. If the problem is the VSS why it works fine sometimes and some other not. I used to clean the connector with contact cleaner and works fine. How do I know the problem is gonna be fixed just by changing the VSS for a new one? I don't wanna waste my money. Please help me.
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Sunday, November 17th, 2013 AT 8:45 AM

33 Replies

Tiny
HONDATECH1983
  • MECHANIC
  • 109 POSTS
You can test the vss. Jack the front end of the car up. Hook up a multimeter to the red/white wire at the vss 3 pin connector. Put the car in drive and you should see a pulsing voltage if the vss is working properly.
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Sunday, November 17th, 2013 AT 9:02 AM
Tiny
DELFOJUNIOR
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thanks HondaTech I forgot to tell that the scan shows the P0500 code. Does it mean that the VSS should be replace? Is better tested first with a multimeter? I've seen some VSS on eBay around 12 dollars in other sites the VSS costs more than 150. Any reccommendations? Thx
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Sunday, November 17th, 2013 AT 11:22 AM
Tiny
HONDATECH1983
  • MECHANIC
  • 109 POSTS
I'm usually a firm believer in the saying "you get what you pay for", but in this case I would probably try a cheap sensor. I saw the Toyota part lists for $256.00. If you buy the $12.00 sensor and get a couple months out of it I'd say you did okay. I'm always for testing parts before I replace them. If it's just as easy for you to spend $12 on a part to determine the fix for your car that would be fine as well. Good luck and let me know how it works out.
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Sunday, November 17th, 2013 AT 6:44 PM
Tiny
DELFOJUNIOR
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thank you HondaTech but I'm a tester too. I just asked I won't buy it, because I think I got it. I think the problem is in the instrument cluster Odometer connector (the blue one) so I cleaned all the contacts and reforced the connection putting the connector tighted as possible. It's working fine and I'll keep watching and testing.
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Monday, November 18th, 2013 AT 5:10 AM
Tiny
HONDATECH1983
  • MECHANIC
  • 109 POSTS
Awesome. If you have any more question please let me know. I'll be glad to help you test the system out if you need it.
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Monday, November 18th, 2013 AT 7:04 AM
Tiny
F1TOMMY808
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
I have just picked up a cheap car (listed above) as a short term second car.

The speedometer and odometer do not work, however the rest of the console does. I was told that the engine management unit had just been replaced and this had caused the speedometer to need some kind of reset.

What is the speedometer reset/restart procedure for this year and model?
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:20 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,468 POSTS
There is no reset for the speedometer, but there is a vehicle speed sensor that needs to be checked or replaced. Here is the VSS location. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:20 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHRINIVEL
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 280,000 MILES
My speedometer makes abnormal rubbing sound while raising speed, the needle stucks and moves with some cliking sound. Could you please advise me what to do?
And also my left panel door speaker also not working, sometime sound comes and goes off in seconds.

THANKS
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
  • 8,549 POSTS
This is most likely a problem with the gauge itself. Eariler Toyota's used a speedometer cable, this year used a VSS (vehicle speed sensor).

You will have to remove the IP (instrument panel) and most likely replace the entire unit.

Search junk yards for replacements.

The speaker problem is most likely an intermittent open circuit, the interior door panel will have to be removed and wiring inspected.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHRINIVEL
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Speedometer connected through cable wire from gear box
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
  • 8,549 POSTS
Weird, I don't see a speedometer cable listed, in my parts lookup.

Anyway, there are usually two cables, lower that goes into trans and it connects to another one that goes to speedometer.

Usually the lower cable fails due to exposure to water splashed into trans.

The only place I know to get a cable is from Toyota.

Remove lower cable and inspect for binding/broken pieces, if OK, then upper cable to speedometer or connection to IP is problem. Again Toyota would have them.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WESQUIRE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 178,000 MILES
I have a 1996 Toyota Corolla with an automatic transmission. I just graduated from law school and I just need my plastic P.O.S. To last me about another year because I can't really afford anything right now. Anyway, my speedometer stopped working about 4 months or so ago. It usually just won't register at all, but occasionally it will just bounce up and down the spectrum.

Sometimes the speedometer will work fine and when it does, the transmission works perfectly as well. However, when the speedometer is not working the transmission revs way too high before shifting into the next gear until it gets into third, then its pretty much fine. It revs up to about 4200 rpm before shifting and the shifting is rough. Again, this only occurs when the speedometer is on the fritz.

One other thing I've noticed is that the shift lever in the console (the lever you move to put the car in gear) tends to not really settle in drive that well. There is some wiggle room before and after drive. When I push it or pull it slightly, so that it first in the "groove" better while driving, this usually helps the shifting come earlier than the 4200 rpms, but still much later than it historically shifted.

I've look on a bunch of the forums here and found that it might be the speedometer cable, signal generator, or the speed sensor. I'm not sure if it could be any other thing, but would like to find out. I'd really like to fix it for as little money as possible; ideally by myself, but I don't know what the issue is.

I greatly appreciate any guidance you can give me. I have practically no money, but I wanted to make a donation because I appreciate the service you provide and I value the opinion of a professional.

Thanks,

Wesquire
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
First of all thank you so much for your donation. Let's start with this go to a auto part's store like auto zone and have them scan your car for code's if you have any let me know what the number's are.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ANTMAN258
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
  • 1994 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 175,000 MILES
I have checked the voltage going to the speed sensor and it is reading voltage. I have checked the speed sensor by the Haynes manual and it is reading like the manual states. I have purchased a used instrument cluster and is still not working correctly. While the ignition is in the on position the speed needle bounces back and forth 60 to 20 or bounces all over the place. It has done this when the speed sensor is unplugged too. When I crank it the speedometer reads anywhere from 20 to 80 and as soon as I drive forward or backward it goes to 0 and as I increase speed it increases very fast. When I am running 60 it shows 70 to 85mph. Is it the ECM, bad speed sensor(even though it checks good), or instrument cluster? Thank you.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi antman258,

What you have done and described has covered the possibility of faulty meter cluster and speed sesnor.

I would suggest checking for bad ground connections.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ANTMAN258
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I have looked for the ground. The service manual states that it is located on the right instrument panel brace and I do not see one. I did not know if you knew where it was.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi antman258,

It should be on the left side of instrument panel. Brown colored wire. Terminal A8 and B10 from meter cluster. Use a wire to ground them and see if it solves the problem.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ANTMAN258
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I have grounded the instrument cluster and still get erratic behavior from the speedometer and I replaced the speed sensor. I can't think of anything else it could be.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi antman258,

Does the symptom for both the original meter cluster act exactly the same or are there variations?
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
OYOTA93
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 206,000 MILES
I have a Toyota Corrola 1993 model. My problem is the SPEEDOMETER malfunctions. It keeps moving up & down, it wont remain on a single position. It wont show the right speed and sometimes it wont work. Please help me and tell me if I can do something. Thank you.
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)

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