Replaced Cluster and Speed Sensor, still won't show speed - only in ALDL

[VS Omega]

Hey all,

Just following up to my previous thread, here's the story so far in easy to read point form:

• Broke ribbon cable on the back, speedo stopped working
• Soldered cable and it fixed problem
• Pulled cluster in and out a few times causing soldering to come undone
• Redid soldering (carelessly) causing the cluster speed signal to short out to the pin next to it (Pulse GND and 2 Pulse or possibly Pulse GND and Right Turn)
• Speedo doesn't work now, and neither does the speed alert
• ALDL still showed speed on the notebook computer so figured speed sensor was on it's way out
• Replaced speed sensor on the transmission with known working part
• Cluster and speed alert still won't show a speed, but ALDL cable will

Now what I'm wondering is what else could be damaged causing the speed to not make it to the cluster or speed alert considering it works with the ALDL cable, and if anyone knows in detail the path the speed signal goes from the speed sensor to the instrumentation I'm curious to know. Also does the speed alert not work unless the cluster works or do they get their information from the same place? - this is my daily work car and I can't afford to get defected (plus it makes insurance void and is generally dangerous).

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond and for your consideration.

Regards

[kopper69]

Did you replace the cluster? I would be almost certain replacing the cluster will solve your problem. There is a 5V regulator (looks more like a transistor in the wiring diagram) that you have probably burnt out in the cluster. If you are handy with a soldering iron you can probably replace it. Double check fuse 10 isnt blown.

Yes overspeed alert gets the info from the same place, so thats why its not working. If you just want to get it working, get a new cluster from the wreckers (they normally have them pulled out sitting in a pile ready to go), $50 and youre good.

[VS Omega]

I got a replacement cluster and still no luck

[stocky]

must be something wrong with the speedo wire connection between the dash and the ECU. on a VS the speedo wiring goes from the sender, to the ECU, to the dash. id be finding the speedo wire on the ECU, and the speedo pin on one of the 3 cluster plugs and using a multimeter to check for continuity. from memory its a purple wire

[VS Omega]

Excellent information stocky, thanks! Is that the box in the passenger kick panel or the one under the dash? Definitely need to try it, if there's continuity then it's probably the ECU

[stocky]

passenger side kick panel

[stocky]

also, if your aldl is working then that should mean the ecu is working fine? so i would bet its something to do with the connection, or possibly broken wiring on the printed circuit board on the back of the cluster

[VS Omega]

That was the original problem with the first cluster, broken ribbon cable and the soldering was what caused the short that killed it all, new cluster hasn't got the ribbon cable broken (is perfect) and the speed alert doesn't work so my guess is the ecu or the wiring, going to hit it up with the multimeter later tonight or tomorrow and hopefully get a straight answer.

For reference I swapped the ecu in the kick panel with my wifes vs ecu and the speed still didn't show up. Is it possible it's not the ecu but the bcm that processes the speed signal?

Regards

[VS Omega]

Used the multimeter to test the continuity and it's there from the ECU connector to the cluster connection and it's a perfect connection. I thought possibly the cluster but the speed alert won't show the speed either, and in any combination (alert in no cluster/cluster in no alert/both cluster and alert in).

I'm at my wits end as for what to do

[stocky]

use multimeter to check voltage on speedo wire output on ecu as youre moving

[VS Omega]

That sounds dangerous lol, but will try (wire up the meter to the ecu instead of using probes).. I should use 20v yeah?

[VS Omega]

Rather than type this out again I quote my facebook wall comment:

Well I finally figured out what the problem with the speedometer/speed alert is which is stopping them from showing any speed at all, even though the speed sensor is working and putting out the km/h via a notebook through the ALDL cable.

First I checked the continuity of the cable with the multimeter and it was there and strong, so I swapped the ECU with the wives (we both have VS V6s) and it still wasn't working.

Today I figured I would have another crack at it and swapped my cluster over with the wives, to my shock it worked (so did the speed alert). OK problem is now the problem is isolated to the cluster, or so I thought. When I screwed it in it wouldn't work, but it worked when downwards not screwed in. I figured out that when it's in the upright position it won't work and the speed disappears but when it's downwards it'll work.

So as it turns out when I caused that short I actually did burn something out - Holden decided to use little "pins" made out of solder to create the connections in the cluster. I burnt out the pulse gnd "pin" (it probably disintegrated) which is at the bottom of the connection to the cluster (which uses ribbon style surface mounted connections to touch the "pins").

The solution to fix this most perplexing problem is going to be apply some new solder and hope my skills are good enough to not botch the job up completely (in which case the new solution will be replacing the whole connector). In the end I did need the new (old) cluster but I don't know about the speed sensor on the gearbox - at least I have a spare now ^_^. Fun times.

Because the circuit didn't have pulse ground the speedo and speed alert wouldn't show the speed

Thanks for all the help guys!

[adrihack]

Friends, I am speaking of Brazil and I am with problem in my vehicle (Omega 3,8 compact disc v6 sfi automatic year 2000) and for what I could verify there in its country if calls holden commodore vt. The problem is the following one: it does not mark speed, to put the other components functions normally (as RPM, TEMP, TRIP, ETC). Already we change the speed sensor that goes in the exchange, however the problem continues. I made the test placing another panel of instruments and the problem continues. When passing scanner it recognizes the speed, to put the car does not function the locking of the doors, cruise control. How functions the signal of speed of this model? of where comes and for where it passes?

[88GreenVN]

Friends, I am speaking of Brazil and I am with problem in my vehicle (Omega 3,8 compact disc v6 sfi automatic year 2000) and for what I could verify there in its country if calls holden commodore vt. The problem is the following one: it does not mark speed, to put the other components functions normally (as RPM, TEMP, TRIP, ETC). Already we change the speed sensor that goes in the exchange, however the problem continues. I made the test placing another panel of instruments and the problem continues. When passing scanner it recognizes the speed, to put the car does not function the locking of the doors, cruise control. How functions the signal of speed of this model? of where comes and for where it passes?

The door locks are probably BCM (body control module) related. Common for this part to fail. The cruise and speed signal are probably related - no speed signal = no cruise.

Did they stop working at the same time?

I'd check the wires from the speed sensor to the cluster.