1999 Saturn SL1 Automatic 19958 miles
A few days ago, while I was paying for gas, a lady in a 1994 Ford Ecoline reared into my car. Because the damage was limited to a small crack on the plastic in between the headlights, I took her insurance info but did not file a police report.
Today, when I turned on my car, the speedometer did not work (the needle stays at below zero and does not move) and neither did the odometer. The "Service Engine Soon" light was also on. I have been driving every day since the "accident," and there has been no issue until today - although I am fairly certain that the accident was the cause, because the car has under 20k miles, and does not have a history of any other issues.
Because the RMP Meter, Gas Gauge and Engine Temp Gauge are all working, I have been thinking that the speedometer and odometer must be somehow wired together, or their sensors are together. I'm fairly certain that whatever happened, the cause for both issues is the same.
While I am somewhat car savvy, I do not know much about sensors and car wiring, or how the speedometer or odometer are controlled. I was wondering if there was a way to fix this myself, because as a poor college student I can't afford a $200 bill for something that may or may not be an easy fix.
If anyone knows how the two systems work, or has an idea of how to fix them, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
A few days ago, while I was paying for gas, a lady in a 1994 Ford Ecoline reared into my car. Because the damage was limited to a small crack on the plastic in between the headlights, I took her insurance info but did not file a police report.
Today, when I turned on my car, the speedometer did not work (the needle stays at below zero and does not move) and neither did the odometer. The "Service Engine Soon" light was also on. I have been driving every day since the "accident," and there has been no issue until today - although I am fairly certain that the accident was the cause, because the car has under 20k miles, and does not have a history of any other issues.
Because the RMP Meter, Gas Gauge and Engine Temp Gauge are all working, I have been thinking that the speedometer and odometer must be somehow wired together, or their sensors are together. I'm fairly certain that whatever happened, the cause for both issues is the same.
While I am somewhat car savvy, I do not know much about sensors and car wiring, or how the speedometer or odometer are controlled. I was wondering if there was a way to fix this myself, because as a poor college student I can't afford a $200 bill for something that may or may not be an easy fix.
If anyone knows how the two systems work, or has an idea of how to fix them, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Apr 1, 2010 at 10:04 PM