Gearheads...a question

[KitchenWitch]

Why would a speedometer needle stop working?

My speedometer needle somehow wound it self all the way around to the other side of the "peg". It is being blocked from moving now.

Do I have to take the dashboard apart to fix it, and how much of a pain is that?

[GOPisEvil]

1. How old a vehicle is this?

It's either a mechanical speedo, in which case the cable might have worn, and needs replacing or adjusting; or an electronic one, which I have no clue about. :D

[KitchenWitch]

5. 2002

I bet the fucker is electronic. Which means it is not going to get fixed because I will be damned if I have to pay 300 for a 10 minute install of a stupid fecking chip.

[GOPisEvil]

8. Eh, it's probably just a bad wheel speed sensor.

But yeah, it's probably buried under the entire engine and requires 8 left-handed Peruvian yak herders to service.

[Jamastiene]

2. You let Matt Dillon drive your car, didn't ya?

:P

A needle will peg and get stuck sometimes. I know exactly how to fix that, but I'm the person they call once the mechanics have come and taken the thing apart so I can get to the electronics. :D

[AwakeAtLast]

3. Ooh! Now you can drive as fast as you want!

You're always going 0! :crazy:


:hi:

[KitchenWitch]

4. Yes, and that would fly with the CHP...

:rofl:

[AwakeAtLast]

11. I would probably try that excuse once...

"Really officer! I had no idea the speedometer wasn't working!"

:rofl:

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. Is the odometer also frozen?

[KitchenWitch]

7. Nope.

Odometer is LCD

[Oeditpus Rex]

9. Ah

Well, that doesn't help me much. :silly:

There's really only four things that can go wrong with a needle-type speedometer: The cable can be loose where it screws into the drive (most common), the drive could be worn (not likely in a newer car), the cable could've somehow snapped (not likely) or the needle itself could've come loose from its stem (not likely).

Other than that, I got nothin'. :shrug:

[flvegan]

10. An automatic?

Bet the cable has seized up, but not at the tranny since I see Oedi already asked about the odometer.

Or maybe you're just doing 120 mph ALL the time.

[KitchenWitch]

12. Ever tried to do 120 in Los Angeles traffic?

I will do some checking. It is an automatic.

[Career Prole]

16. Just the once.

:hide:

[Crabby Appleton]

13. You have to drive in reverse for as many miles as you have

driven forward

to restore harmony and balance

to the universe

and your speedometer

[mcctatas]

14. This is the right answer!

:applause:

[PaddyBlueEyes]

15. No No No

Dear God. Take the plastic cover of the dashboard (if you can) and see if the needle is loose or if, like oedi said the cable snapped.

[krispos42]

17. Man, KW... if you're going to be driving that fast...

you need to replace the speedometer with the Machmeter!



:rofl:

[Monk06]

18. If your speedo goes to 120 mph just drive until you reach 240 mph and you'll be back to zero.