speedometer stops working

You can test the vss. Jack the front end of the car up. Hook up a multimeter to the red/white wire at the vss 3 pin connector. Put the car in drive and you should see a pulsing voltage if the vss is working properly.

Thanks HondaTech I forgot to tell that the scan shows the P0500 code. Does it mean that the VSS should be replace? Is better tested first with a multimeter?? I've seen some VSS on eBay around 12 dollars in other sites the VSS costs more than 150. Any reccommendations?? Thx

I'm usually a firm believer in the saying "you get what you pay for", but in this case I would probably try a cheap sensor. I saw the Toyota part lists for $256.00. If you buy the $12.00 sensor and get a couple months out of it I'd say you did okay. I'm always for testing parts before I replace them. If it's just as easy for you to spend $12 on a part to determine the fix for your car that would be fine as well. Good luck and let me know how it works out.

Thank you HondaTech but I'm a tester too. I just asked I won't buy it, because I think I got it. I think the problem is in the instrument cluster Odometer connector (the blue one) so I cleaned all the contacts and reforced the connection putting the connector tighted as possible. It's working fine and I'll keep watching and testing.

Awesome. If you have any more question please let me know. I'll be glad to help you test the system out if you need it.

I have just picked up a cheap car (listed above) as a short term second car.

The speedometer and odometer do not work, however the rest of the console does. I was told that the engine management unit had just been replaced and this had caused the speedometer to need some kind of reset.

What is the speedometer reset/restart procedure for this year and model?

There is no reset for the speedometer, but there is a vehicle speed sensor that needs to be checked or replaced. Here is the VSS location. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken

my speedometer makes abnormal rubbing sound while raising speed, the needle stucks and moves with some cliking sound.could you please advise me what to do?
and also my left panel door speaker also not working, sometime sound comes and goes off in seconds.


THANKS

This is most likely a problem with the gauge itself. Eariler Toyota's used a speedometer cable, this year used a VSS (vehicle speed sensor).

You will have to remove the IP (instrument panel) and most likely replace the entire unit.

Search junk yards for replacements.

The speaker problem is most likely an intermittent open circuit, the interior door panel will have to be removed and wiring inspected.

speedometer connected through cable wire from gear box

Weird, I don't see a speedometer cable listed, in my parts lookup.

Anyway, there are usually two cables, lower that goes into trans and it connects to another one that goes to speedometer.

Usually the lower cable fails due to exposure to water splashed into trans.

The only place I know to get a cable is from Toyota.

Remove lower cable and inspect for binding/broken pieces, if OK, then upper cable to speedometer or connection to IP is problem. Again Toyota would have them.

I have a 1996 Toyota Corolla with an automatic transmission. I just graduated from law school and I just need my plastic P.O.S. to last me about another year because I can't really afford anything right now. Anyway, my speedometer stopped working about 4 months or so ago. It usually just won't register at all, but occasionally it will just bounce up and down the spectrum.

Sometimes the speedometer will work fine and when it does, the transmission works perfectly as well. However, when the speedometer is not working the transmission revs way too high before shifting into the next gear until it gets into third, then its pretty much fine. It revs up to about 4200 rpm before shifting and the shifting is rough. Again, this only occurs when the speedometer is on the fritz.

One other thing I've noticed is that the shift lever in the console (the lever you move to put the car in gear) tends to not really settle in drive that well. There is some wiggle room before and after drive. when I push it or pull it slightly, so that it first in the "groove" better while driving, this usually helps the shifting come earlier than the 4200 rpms, but still much later than it historically shifted.

I've look on a bunch of the forums here and found that it might be the speedometer cable, signal generator, or the speed sensor. I'm not sure if it could be any other thing, but would like to find out. I'd really like to fix it for as little money as possible; ideally by myself, but I don't know what the issue is.

I greatly appreciate any guidance you can give me. I have practically no money, but I wanted to make a donation because I appreciate the service you provide and I value the opinion of a professional.

Thanks,

Wesquire

First of all thank you so much for your donation.Let's start with this go to a auto part's store like auto zone and have them scan your car for code's if you have any let me know what the number's are.

I have checked the voltage going to the speed sensor and it is reading voltage. I have checked the speed sensor by the Haynes manual and it is reading like the manual states. I have purchased a used instrument cluster and is still not working correctly. While the ignition is in the on position the speed needle bounces back and forth 60 to 20 or bounces all over the place. It has done this when the speed sensor is unplugged too. When I crank it the speedometer reads anywhere from 20 to 80 and as soon as I drive forward or backward it goes to 0 and as I increase speed it increases very fast. When I am running 60 it shows 70 to 85mph. Is it the ECM, bad speed sensor(even though it checks good), or instrument cluster? Thank you.

Hi antman258,

What you have done and described has covered the possibility of faulty meter cluster and speed sesnor.

I would suggest checking for bad ground connections.

I have looked for the ground. The service manual states that it is located on the right instrument panel brace and I do not see one. I did not know if you knew where it was.

Hi antman258,

It should be on the left side of instrument panel. Brown colored wire. Terminal A8 and B10 from meter cluster. Use a wire to ground them and see if it solves the problem.

I have grounded the instrument cluster and still get erratic behavior from the speedometer and I replaced the speed sensor. I can't think of anything else it could be.

Hi antman258,

Does the symptom for both the original meter cluster act exactly the same or are there variations?

I have a Toyota Corrola 1993 model. My problem is the SPEEDOMETER malfunctions. It keeps moving up & down, it wont remain on a single position. It wont show the right speed and sometimes it wont work. Please help me and tell me if I can do something...Thank you...

The symptoms for the clusters are different. The original cluster would fluctuate as soon as the car was turned on. The car did not even move to read a speed. The newer one works sometimes but the speed is never correct. What I mean by works is that it increases when I increase speed and it decreases when I decrease speed but it is not correct. Other times it just stays at 0 and sometimes spikes all over the place.
Thank you for the quick reply

In 1993 Toyota moved from a cable operated speedometer (on Corolla's), to an electronic VSS (vehicle speed sensor). Check electrical connections to VSS (clean them). If problem persists, replace VSS. If problem still persists, then problem is in Instrument panel speedometer gauge. I would probably go to a junk yard and get a used VSS, new ones are $230 or so.

Hi antman258,

I believe we have found the cause of the problem. Both the meter clusters are faulty as they react differently. Quite often erratic behaviour are due to bad contacts on the printed circuits,connectors or attaching screws.
Check the priinted circuit for contaminations, especially at the connectors.
Check circuit board for cold solders and if possible resolder them.
Unloosen attaching screws, clean the contact areas and retighten them. DO NOT use excessive force to avoid damaging the unit.

Electrical problem
1992 Toyota Corolla 6 cyl Automatic 194000 miles

how do I fix my speedometer it was working and then it all of a sudden stopped working.

Hi there, you will have to check that the cable is not broken, you will see the cable at the rear of gear box, you will need to unscrew the large round nut to remove it from the drive, you can spin the cable in your fingers to see if the speedo flicks, if not the cable will more than likely be broken, if it does flick the drive in the gear box will be faulty, i will see if i can find a pic to assist in the location for you.

Mark (mhpautos)

As Mark said,check cable.

There are two cables, lower that connects to trans and upper that connects to IP.

95% of the time it is the lower one that goes. It unssrews at both ends. Toyota still has them available.

My gauges all work, but a week ago my speedometer reading is high.

Hi,

It could be the vehicle speed sensor, mounted on the back of the instrument cluster, is used to monitor actual vehicle speed. Vehicle speed information is used by the ECU for fuel injection, air injection (on equipped vehicles), cruise control and electronic control of automatic transmissions. The VSS inputs the ECU through terminal SPD. It can be tested
I'm attaching repair guide and schematics below for to reference.

Jack-up one front tire and shift trans-axle into N range. With the ignition turned off, unplug the ECU connector.
Locate terminal SPD on the ECU and connect an Ohmmeter probe between the SPD harness terminal and ground.
Slowly rotate the raised front tire and count the deflections of the Ohmmeter. There should be 3 - 4 deflections per revolution of the tire.If not as specified, check wiring to the instrument cluster.If no problem is found, replace the VSS.
Reconnect the ECU connector and lower the vehicle front tire.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Thank you
Joe T.

the speedometer doesn't work, what is causing this and how do I fix it?

Have you checked to see if the speedo cable is broken yet?

No I'm not a mechanic?

Undo the speedo drive at the rear of the transmission (the flexi drive cable) and check to see if it is broken. you aan pull the inner driove cable out to check,

Thanks for the assist I was just getting ready to post that.