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Speedometer (only) just quit

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5.6K views 11 replies 3 participants last post by  smj999smj  
#1 · (Edited)
Speedometer (only) just quit - updated w/more symptoms

Driving home right now, noticed the speedometer is reading 0 mph. This started right near the end of my trip, when I disengaged the cruise control (pressed the side button to turn it off entirely). The odometer still shows the mileage, though it isn't incrementing. All other gauges are normal and the truck starts, drives, shifts, etc. normally.

I am curious if disengaging the cruise might have blown a fuse. Too much of a coincidence to have the speedometer stop reading at exactly that instant.

I checked the fuse block but don't see anything marked Cruise Control. Is there a fuse for it somewhere?

Any other ideas? I'm not at home now so I don't have a multimeter with me.

Thanks.

Update: drove it a little over a mile back home. About 1/10 of a mile down the road, it started bucking as if I was turning the ignition on and off rapidly. If I let off the gas, it would stop doing this. Also, I noticed that when I first started it, while still in Park, the O/D Off light was flashing. That stopped when I started moving.

When I did get it home, I plugged in my code scanner but there are no codes registered, nor has the CEL come on at all. Frankly, I wish it HAD thrown a code so I'd know where to start.

Now I'm really at a loss as to where to start.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
No CEL. I'll put the code reader on it tomorrow and see.

I still can't get over the fact that this happened exactly when I disengaged the CC. Maybe a voltage spike took out the sensor?

Any idea how accessible the sensor is? I haven't climbed underneath yet.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Ok thanks. I'll check the flashing O/D light to see if there's a pattern and research that. Also I'm going to check every fuse with a meter. I still think it's too much of a coincidence that this started exactly at the same time I turned the CC off.
 
Discussion starter · #6 · (Edited)
Ok. Checked all fuses, no bad ones. Pulled the battery cables and held them together for a bit, then reinstalled. Ran the truck, no codes and no O/D light flashing.

Went out on the road, ran fine (but no speedometer still) for a bit, then after a short while it started the bucking routine again. Turned around and headed back home. After a while, no more bucking. Also, it would engage O/D, and kick down when I stomped on it (yes, hard to tell on a VG33 :-( .

Got it home, and one time I was able to get the O/D lights to flash when turning on the ignition - 16 even, same-duration flashes.

Took a couple of pictures... can anyone confirm that the one marked Passenger Side is the vehicle speed sensor? I did hit it with Blaster to soak overnight (replacement should be at AutoZone tomorrow) and of course the connector is between the transmission housing and the tunnel... but I think I can release the catch to unhook it.
 

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Discussion starter · #9 ·
Update: took it to the local shop. They found that the speed sensor is bad and replaced it. Now, it runs fine but the speedometer and odometer still don't work. They are going to swap in a used cluster.

So two questions: one, what would cause both the speed sensor and cluster to go bad at exactly the same time? Second, will they be able to set the odometer on the new (used) cluster to the correct mileage as was on the original?
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Good idea. I'm going to have them install a used one so I can use the truck, but I'll then send my original out to be repaired.

How hard is it to swap them once I get it back?
 
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