Speedometer not working

So the guy checked with a scan tool and when the speedometer stopped working the scan tool still showed the speed sensor was showing current speed? I am just trying to get a idea of what was checked.

That is correct. He drove the vehicle and his device that he had connected to the diagnostic port was showing the speed. He said that meant the speed sensor was working and that I should replace the cluster. The odd thing is, every morning, the speedometer works fine until the car gets heated up and going, then it just quits. Usually about after fifteen to twenty minutes of driving.

Hi Chris,

It sounds like the cluster is bad, it could be related to the temperature gauge, but these are integrated into the cluster so it still needs to be replaced. These gauges are made in high volume and fail often so it is not unusual to replace the cluster. Please let us know how it goes. We use a place in Brea, California called AER you can UPS the cluster to them so they can rebuild it.

Thank you. I have already ordered another cluster so we will see if that fixes the problem

Please let us know if that fixes it

So, replacing the cluster did nothing. It is the same issue. Today I drove back from a place 2 hours away with my old cluster still in. When I drove it this morning, the old cluster did just fine all the way home for 2 hours of continuous highway driving. It is when I got closer to home where it was stop and go, that it quit working. I replaced the old cluster with the new one I purchased, and the speedometer is still not working. Once I let the car sit for an hour and cool, it will work again. It seems that it goes out in normal stop and start commute driving. When I go on the highway, it does just fine, as long as I get there before it quits working. Any ideas on the situation now?

Hey Chris,

It looks like the speedo is feed by the cruise controller, this unit maybe heating up and then failing, I wanted to ask the the VSS still show a reading when the speedo is not working? If so the cruise unit could be at fault, here is a diagram.

When the mechanic plugged in his reader and drove the vehicle, he could see the speed reported on his device even though the speedometer was not working. This, he says, means the VSS is working properly. I saw another post saying that there is a short in the signal wire that goes from the speed sensor to the back of the cluster (through the firewall). Apparently when they cut that signal wire and replaced it, the speedometer worked properly again. Problem is, I have no idea where that wire is or how to replace it through the firewall.

I have seen a similar problem on the Saturn's 1991-1994. The speed signal that drives the speedometer goes thru the electric power seat belt module then goes to the speedometer. So when that part of the module we bad you could lose your speedometer reading.

Thanks saturntech9,

It looks like the speedo feed goes through the cruise control unit, grn/org wire, I would try a new wire locate it from the sensor to the cruise control unit first, or replace the cruise control unit.

Or get some of those bullet style male female connectors so you can bypass the cruise control module to see if it's bad. Before investing in a cruise module.

Engine Performance problem
2002 Kia Spectra 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 197K miles

Yesterday I was driving about 40 mph and the speedometer on the car started jumping and then when to zero. As I slowed down and continue to drive the speedometer just bounced around. In addition to this happening, the car intermittently sputtered. I had about a 1/4 of a tank of gas. I went to the gas station; added enough gas to have over a half tank and drove home slowly. Although the speedometer still did not work the car stop sputtering. Today, I left in the morning hours to go to work the car acted normal. This even the car still drove fine, but as soon as I was about to get off the beltway, the car started doing the same stuff as the day before. No gauges displayed; however, I already had a check engine light visible but was told previously it was a sensor so it was not a major item to be replaced at this time.

You have a problem within the engine management system could be the problem causing it

Go to Autozone its a free public service and have the computer scanned for code/s-you have a problem within the engine management system that caused the CEL to turn on-This is your starting point of diagnosis, finding out what's going on