Speedo fault???

[stockies]

Hey guys,
Having a problem with the speedo in my VN. It stopped working Wednesday, so after work I pulled the dash cluster out (Level 3 upgrade) to check the wiring, just incase something had happened. Couldn't find any problems with the speedo wire (Purple/white) But when tested with a test light on IGN and ON there was no voltage.

Changed dash cluster with a spare (VN Calais) still same issue. Although the overspeed function is still working. So I don't think its the Speed Sensor.

Last night, speedo ramdomly started working again, then started to jump around all over the place, like its getting some voltage, then losing it.

What else can I check, Its not giving me any fault codes. And how would I use a mulitmeter to check it - Positive on the speedo wire and Negative on the ground in the plug???

Where else in the loom can I check???

Sorry for the long post, but this has me going wtf.

Also car is a V6 Auto.

[88GreenVN]

It is possible for both voltage regulators to be faulty (I have had lots with cracked solder joints)

If speed sensor is good I'd look for cracked joints in the voltage regulator first. It would be unlikely to be both speedo heads.

[stockies]

Do you mean the voltage regulator in both clusters???
Or am I missing something?

[88GreenVN]

Do you mean the voltage regulator in both clusters???
Or am I missing something?

Yes - more likely both voltage regulators are crook than both speedo's are dead.

[stockies]

Thanks mate! Will rip the dash apart when I get home from work tonight. Hopefully this is the issue.

[88GreenVN]

I use natural light and a magnifier to look at the solder joints - my eyes are old.

If you see any sign of a line (ring around the pin) in the solder - I would resolder just a little.

[stockies]

OK just finished resoldering the dash. Has not fixed my problem. Gauges all work quick now though...

So I've tried the original dash from the car, which I know works 100%. Speedo still not working. So far its had three different dashes in it and has not fixed the problem, or shown a fault code...
The dashes are:
VN exec - Level 1 (car original)
VN Calais (Spare)
VP Calais ( In car when problem started, has now been resoldered)

Im stumped guys, digital speedo does not work, Speedo does not work, Overspeed does.

Help?

[88GreenVN]

OK just finished resoldering the dash. Has not fixed my problem. Gauges all work quick now though...

So I've tried the original dash from the car, which I know works 100%. Speedo still not working. So far its had three different dashes in it and has not fixed the problem, or shown a fault code...
The dashes are:
VN exec - Level 1 (car original)
VN Calais (Spare)
VP Calais ( In car when problem started, has now been resoldered)

Im stumped guys, digital speedo does not work, Speedo does not work, Overspeed does.

Help?

The ODO is the orange white wire and the ignision is the pink black. Are they OK?

[stockies]

Yeah They looked fine, i'm running out of daylight, so the whole thing (4th plug connector) is comming out tomorrow and it's all being redone.

Does the speedo wire (purple/white) run to the ECU?
You have been a great help 88GreenVN. Thank you.

[88GreenVN]

Yeah They looked fine, i'm running out of daylight, so the whole thing (4th plug connector) is comming out tomorrow and it's all being redone.

Does the speedo wire (purple/white) run to the ECU?
You have been a great help 88GreenVN. Thank you.

No - just powers up the trip computer with ignition on. The purple white comes from the speed sensor I think...

What wire diagram have you used?

[88GreenVN]

Also a L1 or L2 dash will work with the patch loom in the car. So if the speedo is not working - it's not the L3 patch loom as such.

It's the main wire that runs the speedo - the purple white. Check this one out first.

[stockies]

It's the main wire that runs the speedo - the purple white. Check this one out first.

Where does this wire go? Runs from the 2nd connector down the loom and disapears behind the fuse panel.
The Level 3 dash has been installed and working fine for nearly 2 years now.
Also I may have done something when the cluster was apart., Only 1 and a half of the LCD windows lights up.

[stockies]

Ok, after pulling the cluster apart again, I've fixed the speedo issue!!
But now i've stuffed the trip computer part of the cluster.
- Still only 1 and a half windows light up (Have replaced ALL globes)
- Fuel Ave and Int Fuel are not working
- Distance to empty IS working
- Overspeed and handbrake chime works sometimes
- Distance traveled and odo works when they feel like it.

I've broken something inside the cluster haven't I???

[88GreenVN]

Ok, after pulling the cluster apart again, I've fixed the speedo issue!!
But now i've stuffed the trip computer part of the cluster.
- Still only 1 and a half windows light up (Have replaced ALL globes)
- Fuel Ave and Int Fuel are not working
- Distance to empty IS working
- Overspeed and handbrake chime works sometimes
- Distance traveled and odo works when they feel like it.

I've broken something inside the cluster haven't I???

The globes are easy to kill, I plug the trip computer into the 4th plug while out of the cluster to test the globes - sometimes they need a little tap to get working.

If your getting intermittent reading - a wire will be be making bad contact some place. Check the yellow black wire to the ECU for instant read outs.

ODO will be the orange white wire. Just check continuity on that one and also the pink black (ign).

So the globes are a toughy at the best of times - give them a tap.
Instant read out - yellow black
ODO - orange white or pink black.

[88GreenVN]

Also just cast an eye over the PCB backing on the cluster - if a strip is broken the cluster will fail some place for sure. Also check the connector to the trip computer for a snapped contact.

[stockies]

Yeah I will rip the bloody thing out again tonight when I get home from work. Also speedo started playing up again yesturday afternoon. So that problem hasn't gone away.

Looks like this whole car is coming to pieces...

-Edit: Also chime only works sometimes, and the actual wire from the 4th plug is not connected to anything...

[stockies]

Ok, so after a lot of stuffing around, all wires in the 2nd connector have been re - soldered and heatshrinked. So far so good. Speedo works, overspeed works, DTE works and fuel INST works.
Also took the dash apart again and found that the voltage regulator PCB was loose. Now fixed.

So hopefully this has fixed the issue and I will tackle the 3rd connector tomorrow just to be sure. Does anyone know where the chime wire goes too??? is it not connected to anything? cos it's not at the moment its not connected and the chime is working...

[88GreenVN]

Ok, so after a lot of stuffing around, all wires in the 2nd connector have been re - soldered and heatshrinked. So far so good. Speedo works, overspeed works, DTE works and fuel INST works.
Also took the dash apart again and found that the voltage regulator PCB was loose. Now fixed.

So hopefully this has fixed the issue and I will tackle the 3rd connector tomorrow just to be sure. Does anyone know where the chime wire goes too??? is it not connected to anything? cos it's not at the moment its not connected and the chime is working...

The green wire is only used in cars with a BCM (VQ & VP) so no you dont connect it to anything

Also I would only recoment soldering the dash wires in! Save lots possible problems with poor connections.

[stockies]

The green wire is only used in cars with a BCM (VQ & VP) so no you dont connect it to anything

Also I would only recoment soldering the dash wires in! Save lots possible problems with poor connections.

Thats what I thought with the chime wire. Cheers.
And yes everything was soldered, I had just used electrical tape, not heatshrink when it was installed.

[stockies]

Ok, so after triple checking everything today, the speed senor finally gave off a fault code. It's stuffed since the engine light came on, the thing hasn't worked. Checked codes, and yeah its the sensor.

Thanks for all your help 88GreenVN, have some rep.

[88GreenVN]

Ok, so after triple checking everything today, the speed senor finally gave off a fault code. It's stuffed since the engine light came on, the thing hasn't worked. Checked codes, and yeah its the sensor.

Thanks for all your help 88GreenVN, have some rep.

Easy fix in the end - a speed sensor hey

[delcowizzid]

may be or it may be the dash still it goes to the ecu via the speedo in the cluster just in case you get a sensor and it doesnt help

[stockies]

Car is all good now, had sensor replaced and now works like a charm. Sensor was stuffed had pretty much fallen apart.

[Afurotsu]

Where did you get your sensor from? I've been having similar troubles and I'll have to find one somewhere.

[stockies]

My Mechanic sourced one for me. I'm too busy at the moment to do it myself