1989 Mazda Protege Speedometer and Odometer stopped working

RODJAVA

MEMBER
1989 MAZDA PROTEGE
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
64,000 MILES

I have a 1989 protege and the speedometer and odometer stopped working. What's my problem?

Also the hold button light on the dash keeps flashing on and off. I don't know if it's related or not. I don't think the hold feature is working. I press the button the the gear shift and nothing happens.

I know that it should hold the shifting in low gear until the buttom in pressed again. I do remember accidently pressing the button while driving on the freeway, but nothing happen and I pressed it again to turn it off.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you all in advance,

Rod
San Francisco

5 Replies

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Ok first off I do need to know what year it is there was no protege in 89. Get back to me with that and I will happy to try to help.
If it is a 98 protege then I would check the vehicle speed sensor or VSS. If you have a digital multi meter then get back to me and we will do a test to see if it is that or the speedometer sensor on the back of the instrument cluster. Thanks for your support.

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Monday, December 15th, 2008 AT 5:02 PM

RODJAVA

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3 POSTS

Car was purchased in 1989, but I think it's a 1990 model. I'm not near the car to double check.

I hope this helps.

Rod

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Monday, December 15th, 2008 AT 6:05 PM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
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Ok this does change things as not you have a speedometer cable. I would undo it from the transmission and check to see if the cable will turn you can hook a drill to it and manual spin the cable and see if the speedo moves at all it not I would unhook it from the speedo and do it again if the cable still dont move then replace the cable. This is also why you have no odometer they work together. Hope this it more helpful. Thanks and have a great day.

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Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 AT 10:12 AM

RODJAVA

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thank you, I will give it a try.

About my Hold light problem.

The hold light flashes on and off.

There is no problem with normal shifting. It's just that the hold feature does not work. I don't use this feature anyway.

Is there any real concern? I can live with the light flashing on and off. As I said, the car drives fine.

Rod

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Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 AT 11:25 AM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Ok that may have something to do the EC-AT module. So if you have a digital multi meter and can make a jumper wire then we can first pull codes from it and then do some diagnostics. So first you need to make a jumper wire and ground the single pin connector and turn on the key and count the flashes of the hold light as it will flash in numerical sequence the code numbers to you. Lets say it gives a code 11 it will flash 1 short pause and flash 1 then longer pause and on to the next number ok. Get the codes to me and we will go from there. Here is where the connector is and what it looks like.