speedometer and odometer not working

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
May 8, 2004
Threads
77
Messages
1,628
Location
Alpine, Texas
so where is the best place to start troubleshooting if the speedometer and odometer are not working?

all others gauges are working on the instrument panel/cluster


:cheers:
 
Look up under your dash and make sure the spedo cable is inserted into the port on the back of the odometer housing.

Easiest to check and fix. If everything is in order there, you need to check out the cable where it goes into the drive line.
 
so what am i looking for/at when trying to see if the problem is where it goes into the drive line? i am :confused:

photo?
 
Look where the rear driveshaft comes off the transfer. On the driver's side, about 2" forward
of the drive flange is a fitting. The other end of the speedo cable could should be sticking out
of this fitting. It just threads in.
 
If cables appear to be hooked up properly, then it's probably broken somewhere between TC and Speedo.
 
if you need a cable- go to jt outfitters.com i just bought one from them for only $13.
 
thanks for the info. hope to get it done this week, since i am hating to keep track of my mileage manually. also, i kind of feel like guilty for not having fixed it already since if i were to ever want to sell it one day.....NOT!
 
ok still having trouble figuring this out. i am sure it is not as difficult as i'm making it. found the speedo cable and unscrewed it from the driveshaft. i'll post a pic of the rig, since i have yet to do so, then the speedo cable screwed in and then unscrewed. it does not look like it is the part that is the problem to me, but let me know thoughts. i did turn the part that sticks out of the cable and it did nothing to the odometer, so i assume the cable is broken somewhere. now i could feel and trace the cable to up around the firewall, but where exactly does it go into the cabin from underneath? i can't locate it under the hood. also, is it possible to see it under the dash without removing the dash? i can't seem to locate it or see it under the dash, but it hard to get up under there and see.
thanks!

let me know if photos can't be viewed.
 
Last edited:
take the screws out of the molding that holds your instrument cluster onto the dash. pull it out and make sure the cable is hooked up to the back of the odometer and speedo. i'd bet that the clip broke and slipped off. if that's not the case, then yes, the cable is broken and you'll need an new one.
 
mystery solved i guess. took the cluster off and the odometer/speedometer is connected.
connected underneath too at the driveline....so i assume the cable is busted somewhere.

i'll give that a shot with a new cable. might be posting again for some tips if i have trouble with it...which i'm sure i will :o :doh:
 
got the speedo cable today and will be installing this weekend.

cable seems short to me though just looking at it.

also the original cable looks like it has sheathing or some type of "sleeve", but the replacement does not. :confused:

lastly, anything special i should look out for etc when replacing, or pretty cut and dry?

gracias!
 
also the original cable looks like it has sheathing or some type of "sleeve", but the replacement does not.

you will probably have to grease the new cable and then slide it into the original sleeve. having not done a Toyota cable yet, I can only accurately speak for old VW's, which can ship without a new sleeve.

should be as straightforward as disconnecting on both ends, removing the old, and inserting the new...anyone else?

-dogboy- '87 FJ60
 
nevermind, didn't really look very closely. it did come with its own sheathing.
got the new one installed today, so now i know how "fast" i'm going :rolleyes:
 
works! it is kind of goofy between 0 and 15 though where the needle bounces around.
once i hit about 20mph it smoothes out. i can't remember if it was doing that before i changed it out or not :confused:

also, i posted this on chit chat, so this will be repeat.... i didn't have any bracket for the cable, so i wedged it between the body and the plate that goes along the top of the exhaust in order to keep the cable from drooping over on top of the exhaust. i figured this would keep the cable sheathing from melting. the plate along the top of the exhaust doesn't seem to absorb much heat from the exhaust so i figured it would be ok.

thanks for your help on this too :cheers:
 
Uh, you might want to move that--that's where I had mine, it lasted all of 3.6 miles before it snaked it's way out and came into contact with the exhaust pipe--FRIZZLE-POP! Gone.

I wound up snaking it over my tranny--couldn't really see where it went, but there are some things up there that will stop it from flopping over to the exhaust side.

Good luck.
 
great, just got out of the shower and now i gotta get back under it :D

thanks JMAN, i thought about doing the same thing and was concerned about it going up over the tranny, but sounds like it won't be a problem....thanks again :cheers:
 
ok. i dropped it over on the right side of the tranny...right side if you are facing toward the front. i have posted a few pics to see if this looks ok. it makes a bigger curve in the cable this way, which i guess could affect how the cable turns, but i don't know how much of a difference.

[/IMG]

2nd photo is facing the rear. the tranny is to the left and the cable is to the right of it going over the top.
 
Last edited:
1st photo didn't load for some reason.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom