Broke Speedometer

[jluff240]

I just bought my car today, and the speedometer doesnt work, can someone tell me how to fix it or give me a link showing how?

Thanks

[1991S13]

In the future use the blinking red search button in the upper right corner, you'll find a lot.

Do you have HUD or the analog cluster?

[jluff240]

i really dont know what the hud (heads up display) would involve in a car, ive only heard that term used in videogames. but its just a normal cluster with needles i guess you would say.

[IveBeenBad]

either the speed sensor on your car is broken/disconnected or your actual gauge is bad. Is it 5 speed or auto so we can help you check the speed sensor.

[1991S13]

HUD is just a digital speedometer. Shows in the dash and is projected up onto the windshield. It is very common for those to fail.

[jluff240]

its a 95 5 speed SE. is taking the dash apart difficult if thats what it comes down to?

[1991S13]

Taking out the cluster is pretty simple, if you have a steering wheel puller...

Remove the steering wheel and covers (the hardest step), take out the screws holding the cluster lid in place, take the screws out that hold the cluster in, pull the cluster out and disconnect the speedometer cable and all other wiring.

[jluff240]

ok thats great but we are getting off topic. i need to know what to do to fix the speedo so it works again.

[bcar240]

There are only really 2 things that go bad with a speedo (besides faulty wiring, so I guess 3.) One is the speed sensor, this is located in the tranmission, and it basically a metal gear that spins and sends an electrical signal to the cluster. The other thing is the speedo unit itself, this is in the cluster and if you were to look at it is basically a circuit board with a needle on the front. If the sensor in the transmission is bad, that is a pretty straightforward fix, but if it is something wrong with the electical stuff in speedo unit, I would start looking for a new one. On a side note, does your odometer work? (I would think not, but if it does it is definatly a problem with the speedo unit.) There are pretty detailed write-ups on here somewhere about how to replace both the sensor and the speedo, try a search in the 240 tech section.

p.s. I was able to get my cluster out without removing my steering wheel by dropping the steering column, but it was a big pain in the ***.

[IveBeenBad]

Taking out the cluster is pretty simple, if you have a steering wheel puller...

Remove the steering wheel and covers (the hardest step), take out the screws holding the cluster lid in place, take the screws out that hold the cluster in, pull the cluster out and disconnect the speedometer cable and all other wiring.

or save time and drop the steering column (2 bolts removed in front 2 loosened at rear)

[jluff240]

so more than likely its the speed sensor. does anyone have an extra one they could sell to me?

[ILikeMy240sx]

BTW, speed sensor has a nylon gear not metal.

One way to test the VSS is to do a voltage test on it. Get a multimeter and put it in the voltage mode and put the two prongs on the two terminals of the VSS and spin the pinion gear. If you get about .5V when you do that... your VSS is fine. BTW you have to drain the transmission fluid when you take it out. Also check the condition of the gear... if its all ripped then replace the gear with a new one. Nissan sells the pinion gear for 20 bucks IIRC...

Another problem might be your speedometer it self. I had the similar problem and found out that when i hold down the trip meter reset button then my speedometer would work. If I flicked it sometimes it would work. Somehow when the trip meter button was engaged, my speedo would stop working or work once in a while. So I pulled the cluster out (BTW, you do not need to remove the steering wheel for this. Just lower the steering wheel all the way down). Once I pulled the cluster out, I rigged the speedometer so that the trip meter button is always down.. now my speedometer always works and my odometer always works as well.

GL with it

[jluff240]

likemy240 do you know the nissan p/n for that nylon piece? i called the manufacture and the guy didnt know what i was talking about. Thanks this is really going to save me from spending 160 on a whole new sensor..

[ILikeMy240sx]

Sure, the part# for the pinion gear is32743-71T20 (red and has 20 teeth). I called nissanparts.org long time ago and that is the one that they shipped to me.

BTW, before you just replace the gear, check other things. Your sensor might be faulty or your speedometer it self.

[ddgsxr504]

Ok before you go listening to 1991S13 take advice from someone with an S14. You don't need to drop the steering column or even pull the steering wheel. To pull the cluster out all you need to do is remove the top half of the column cover by removing the 4 screws from underneath. If you look under the steering wheel column you will see 4 holes that go in, that's where the screws are. Once you remove them pull the upper cover off and then remove the 2 screws holding the trim around the cluster (2 screws through the top) then the bottoms snaps out. Once you have that out there are 3 screws holding the cluster in, remove'm and disconnect the 4 harness plugs to the back of your cluster and wala done. But before you do this I would consider the speedo sensor connected to the transmission is at fault.