Odometer Doesn't Work Anymore

[absurd]

When I first got my car, both the trip meter and odometer were working. The speedometer did have some bounce to it at high speeds (but was workng) so I suspected the VSS. Removed the cable to it and tried to remove the VSS itself but it was spinning in place and the nut was impossible to break free. Decided to leave it and plugged the speedo cable back in and that seemed to magically fix the bounce, but then after some time, the odometer and trip meter itself stopped moving.

Since the speedometer is still working I'm guessing that there is some kinda drive gear for the odometer that broke. So how difficult is it to take the gauge cluster off to replace that gear? Also I should mention that this in an '89 SHO bc I know the interior is a bit different.

 

[absurd]

So update, while driving around the odometer and trip meter actually move sometimes but it seems to happen after I have been driving for a while and only by a couple miles. I'm guessing that it might be something wrong with the speedometer cable

 

[Texas Marauder]

If the speedometer works there is nothing wrong with the cable. There is a gear in the speedometer that breaks. The gear drives the odometer. The gear is available. You'll have to search for it. I've repaired these many years ago.

 

[absurd]

If the speedometer works there is nothing wrong with the cable. There is a gear in the speedometer that breaks. The gear drives the odometer. The gear is available. You'll have to search for it. I've repaired these many years ago.

It does work but it bounces whenever I give it gas and I'm driving at fast speeds, so that's why I suspect it. Either that or the speed sensor, but I doubt it would've made the odometer not work. Just in case it is the odometer gear, how hard is it to get to? I know I need to remove the gauge cluster at least.

 

[Devin]

Take the headlamp switch off, remove the nut from the switch housing. Remove the kick panel under the steering wheel. Take off the screws holding the trim that surrounds the gauges/heating controls/vents. Once all the screws are out, pull the trim off, making sure to unclip any harnesses connected to switches that come out with the panel. There is also a lamp that illuminates the headlamp switch that needs to be twisted and pulled out.

When removing the cluster, I find it is helpful to drop the steering column a bit. Don't take it ask the way off, there is no need. To do that, remove the nuts from the column brace, then loosen and bring the column nuts down to allow room to remove the cluster.

Remove the screws holding the cluster to the car. Once they are out you can start to pull the cluster towards you, but you'll need to be careful because there is not much length on the speedo cable or the two harnesses that plug into the cluster. Once you have enough space to slip your hand behind the unit, press the plastic sides of the speedo cable to release it from the speedo. It can be a little irritating. After you get that off you may be able to pull it out a bit farther to see the two harnesses plugged into the cluster to remove them.

Once it is out you can remove the plastic cover (if you haven't already) the black mask, and then you can remove the individual cluster components. Be careful not to damage anything. Don't disassemble the speedo needle as it isn't serviceable.

 

[absurd]

Ok so I've noticed something. The odometer and trip meter do kinda move but after a reallyyyy long time. Like I gotta be driving for at least 20 miles for it change and even then, it only moves 1 mile.

Prior to it breaking, I tried to remove the vehicle speed sensor, because my speedometer would bounce around sometimes. When I tried to loosen the nut, it would spin the entire assembly. I don't know if that's supposed to work like that but I was basically spinning around the sensor and not actually able to loosen the nut and remove it, so I just reconnected everything.

The speedometer does currently work but yeah odometer kinda doesn't. I'm still not sure whether it is the worm gear inside of the gauge but when I get the chance I'll try and take a stab at it.

 

[Irish Pride]

You do not need to drop the steering column or remove the entire cluster to service the speedometer and the cable.

Remove the cable from the VSS under the hood. Remove the clear lens and black bezel from the front of the cluster. At this point you can remove just the speedometer with the cable still attached. With the cable removed from the VSS you can pull it out as far as you need to remove the cable from the back of the speedometer. The cluster stays in the dash. If you need to remove the cluster at this point it's just simply tilting it up to reach behind it to unplug the two connectors. This is the way I do it every time.

-Chad

 

[absurd]

Issue solved! The problem was that the upper speedometer cable broke. Now I need to wait for the replacement one to arrive haha.

 

[absurd]

Another update! The actual gauge cluster had an issue as well with the odometer. Tried spinning the back by hand and it would work and then stop after a bit unless I helped it. I'm a bit lazy and luckily I got a spare working one from the junkyard, so no need to open anything up. Guess sometimes its two things at once