My wife's 99 Civic Si has about 122k miles. About 10-20k miles ago we started to noticed that the speedometer was acting crazy. Sometimes it would just jump around and other times it would just stop working.

I bought a used one from this forum, but the issue still persisted. I bought a brand new one from Honda...and the issue is still there. So the sensor is not the issue. Does anyone have an idea on what the issue could be and how to resolve it?

Thanks.

 

Is dash 7.5A fuse 15 blown?

 

Which fuse is this? I would think that if any fuse relating to the speedometer was blown, it wouldn't work at all. Right now it works, but all of a sudden it will jump around and sometimes it won't work at all, but if you give me which fuse to check, I'll double check it.

 

That to me on my ex cluster, i unplugged and replugged it worked fit after i did that.

 

its the vss sensor its very common

 

Use a test light to check whether both metal tabs at the top of installed 7.5A fuse 15 have battery voltage with the key in ON(II). If so, check the VSS wire harness connector for damage or corrosion. It's a common problem -- many just get a VSS plug at a junk yard and splice it in.

 

Same thing happend to me, I replaced my alternater and problem solved

 

Wow, alot of different ideas. It's not the VSS sensor because I just installed a brand new one from Honda.

I'll check the fuse and plug as well as all other connectors. Thanks.

 

dude trust me when i say this...its the clip that goes ONTO the vss. they corrode and they wont work unless you bet a new harness clip. TRY cleaning it out first, but im sure you will have to get a clip at the junk yard. id prolly bet my house this is the problem...gl man...and its the clip that directly goes onto the VSS. cut it off and get one from a junk or anyone wih a B series harness laying around.

 

Ok, I will check the clip. I'll try cleaning it first. Now, if I get a used clip, wouldn't I run into the same problem again? Is there a way to buy a new clip?

 

if everything fails it'll be your engine harness. i had the same thing happen to me

 

aha I changed my tire and it started to work lol I dont think alternator has anything to do with this. we changed the speed sensor(which is mentioned already) and it started to work

 

I checked the speed sensor plug today and it looks fine. Gave it a good cleaning with electrical spray and will see how it does.

 

jumping around crazy like is a ground or low voltage issue. if it works then randomly gets stuck, it is the speedo. or vss.

check your secondary o2 wires and make sure they have no rubbed against the heat shield.

 

Sometimes it works, but then it will jump around all crazy then it will just stop. I've replaced the VSS sensor with a new one. You think it's the entire cluster?

Why would the secondary o2 be causing the issue?

 

wires rub on the heat sheil and short out

alot of civic cluster go bad. do a search. i know of 3 friends plus my self that have cluster issues

 

I agree w/ the person about the faulty ground. I've seen that happen before personally on a friend's Si. It was one on the chassis actually, and we'd fix it, yet if we drove the car moderately hard, the speedometer would jump around again. Finally we just moved the ground to another spot & it worked fine from there out.

 

what does the vss look like? my bro's 98 civic is doing the same thing.

 

I too agree probably a bad connection somewhere.

 

If cluster needle is not moving at all yes it is the gauge cluster but the speed needle does work so the cluster is fine. Like they stated above it's wiring or connecter for sure. My b series did the same to me speed needle jumping high and low and I check my connecter it was wet with antifeeze than I clean it out with towel and q tips and than it ran fine.

 

The needle will work sometimes, but then it will jump around crazy and most of the time it will just not work at all. I've replaced the VSS sensor, disconnected the connected and cleaned it with electronic cleaner spray, but the issue is still there.

I've read in other threads that the issue could be the cluster. Now, would I have to replace the entire cluster and could I use parts from another one to fix it? I was thinking of taking the cluster off, connecting some wires to the VSS sensor wires and check with my voltmeter to see if it's getting a signal.

 

Yeah I had the same problem with my 99 Civic Si. Drove me nuts. But when I went to install the "JDM" carbon fiber bezel, I saw that 1 screw or 2 that hold the speedo to the cluster were a bit loose. So I tightened them down and worked PERFECT from there on out. Because they act as grounds too.

 

Had the same problem as you, and it was this. I had a spare harness to cut the new clip from, problem solved. Follow this advice.

 

could be tons of stuff. my one acted up because of a bad alt.
check battery voltage easy test.
check grounds and the vss voltages.

also might want to check the cluster itself. easy check its 6 screws

 

Checked the battery voltage, it was 12.53 so it's good there. Disconnected, cleaned, and reconnected all the ground points that I could find. I'm going to look in the manual to see where they are all located. I'll test drive it and continue from there. What is the voltage of the VSS sensor suppose to be?

I would think that if I have a bad alternator, the battery would be drained.