blackcivic11

alright so i bought a EK4 SIR cluster a little while ago and ever since i swapped it in, the speedometer, from time to time (not all the time) when i accelerate quickly the speedometer is erratic.

No check engine light.

I also noticed now when it happens the speedometer stops working until i come to a complete stop then if i accelerate normally it works again...

any ideas?

it didn't do this before with the stock cluster

Former User

Check whether the connectors at the back of the cluster are tightly seated. Also inspect the connector and cluster terminals.

blackcivic11

so the VSS is most likely ruled out from being a cause because there is no CEL right?

Former User

This is usually correct. Do the odometer and tripmeter also stop working when the speedo does?

blackcivic11

i wouldn't be able to tell for the odometer, it doesn't stay off for long periods at a time. as for the tripmeter i've never really thought of checking it.. if they both stop what does that imply?

Former User

If they all stop working, then you might also want to troubleshoot the VSS circuit.

blackcivic11

when this happened to my other car it was a wire that was shorting on the intake mani bracket nothing worked at all... is it possible that maybe the speedo wire going to the VSS is shorting when theres more vibration (a.k.a. when accelerating quickly)?

Former User

It's possible. But I'd first check the cluster connector with the VSS signal wire.

blackcivic11

Thread revival with new update:

Now the speedo never works and neither does the odomoter or tripometer. Sometimes the needle on the speedo will jump to 20 and fall back down.

The other day i was driving got into vtec and received a CEL in my face. I turned the car off and back on and no CEL to date.

I switched back to the old cluster that was working before and it doesn't work either.

There are no blown fuses so im guesssing its the VSS? (Vehicle Speed Sensor).

Could the fcat that i put a JDM cluster in my civic have to do with the death of my VSS?

EG_HEAD_H4L

yo mine was doing that exact thing, it was the speed sensor plug had mad corrosion built up in it, check that, clean it up a lil...get back to me.

blackcivic11

alright i checked the plug and its fine no corrosion. Now it is intermittant again. I got a check engine this morning as well and i was able to get the code. It was 17 so i guess the VSS is slowly on its way out? here and there? or faulty?

sanegb16

iTrader: (2)

vss's just got bad from time to time you could use a d or b series vss either work and its a simple fix.
whenever the plug starts to back off the vss this will happen too

EG_HEAD_H4L

Yep, try replacing it. sounds like a bad sensor

blackcivic11

alright well im going to pick up a vss tonight so i'll post an update once its installed

blackcivic11

alright i replaced it yesterday and everything seems to work! one of the pins in the sensor had broken off and was stuck in he plug so 15 minutes and 50$ later my speedo is 100%

Thanks for the help HT!

danny_ha

I don't know how old this thread is but i've been reading it and my car seems to be having the same issue. Can anyone help me out. Where is this vss and how do i replace it?

Vindicator9000

It's a plastic tube looking thing sticking straight up out of the transmission almost directly below the intake arm, and sorta next to the starter on the passenger side of the engine bay. It will have a 3 wire plug going into it and 1 10mm (I think) bolt holding it into the transmission.

EDIT: Here's a picture of it on my old d16:


I'm starting to see that it's VERY common for corrosion on the pins in that plug. I see countless stories on H-T about it, and the exact same thing happened to mine. You'll get an erratic speedometer with no VSS CEL for awhile, then everything will quit.

When you're pulling the VSS, check very carefully for corrosion on the female ends of the plug. I missed it the first time, and couldn't figure out why it still wasn't working after I replaced the VSS... that was why.

If you have corrosion in the plug, the best way I've found to fix it is to cut off an identical 3 pronged plug from *any* honda in the junkyard that uses the same plug... I think mine came from an old Accord or something. Doesn't have to be a speed sensor plug; Honda uses that exact same plug in countless applications in all their cars. Then snip off your corroded speed sensor plug, solder the new one on (making sure you have the wires going to the right prongs), cover with heatshink, and you're gravy.

danny_ha

Thanks, man. That was definitely alot of help. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works out.