Speedometer not working
10-07-2012
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Speedometer not working
I got a 98 civic DX 5 speed last week and the speedo doesn't work and the check engine light is on. I haven't gotten a chance to find out what is causing the CEL, but the speedo reads about 10 mph slow and sometimes it will jump 5 mph back and forth when cruising at highway speeds. Also the odometer isn't measuring distance right, one mile to the car is about two miles or so to the gps. I want to know if I need to start looking at a new vss or a replacemet.
10-08-2012
#2
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Speedometer not working
First step: See what code(s) are in the computer first.
10-08-2012
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Got it coded today. It showed 4. Three were for misfires and the other one was for a catalytic overload or something like that. I was planning on changing the plugs, wires, rotor cap and button this weekend anyway, but now I'm back to square one with the speedo 
10-08-2012
#4
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Speedometer not working
P0420 code was "catalyst efficiency failure".
This is what I do, because I have to deal with this stuff all the time:
I write down all the info about the codes and freeze frame data, then erase the codes. See what codes come back right away.
If it has misfire troubles, that would be very high priority. Especially if it currently has misfire problems that you can feel. Fix those before worrying about the cat code. Misfire can ruin even a brand new cat in a very short time.
Then drive it for a while, see if the cat code resets.
If it resets the cat code later on, it probably needs one.
Misfires can easily ruin a cat in a matter of only a few minutes, if bad enough.
Cheap aftermarket cats are cheap for a reason. They don't seem to last.
On the speedo:
If there was no P0500 code in the computer, then it should be seeing the signal from the VSS. It should code if it didn't get the speed signal.
A scantool connected to the cars computer should show actual Vehicle Speed in the live datalist. Drive the car while watching it and it should show accurate vehicle speed on the scanner display.
If all this is true and accurate, then this mean the speedometer itself should be the problem. The speedo IS the usual problem.
HTH
This is what I do, because I have to deal with this stuff all the time:
I write down all the info about the codes and freeze frame data, then erase the codes. See what codes come back right away.
If it has misfire troubles, that would be very high priority. Especially if it currently has misfire problems that you can feel. Fix those before worrying about the cat code. Misfire can ruin even a brand new cat in a very short time.
Then drive it for a while, see if the cat code resets.
If it resets the cat code later on, it probably needs one.
Misfires can easily ruin a cat in a matter of only a few minutes, if bad enough.
Cheap aftermarket cats are cheap for a reason. They don't seem to last.
On the speedo:
If there was no P0500 code in the computer, then it should be seeing the signal from the VSS. It should code if it didn't get the speed signal.
A scantool connected to the cars computer should show actual Vehicle Speed in the live datalist. Drive the car while watching it and it should show accurate vehicle speed on the scanner display.
If all this is true and accurate, then this mean the speedometer itself should be the problem. The speedo IS the usual problem.
HTH
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