well i searched for about an hour and i got nothing here

basically my speedometer is at 0 when the key is out of the ignition, then when i put the key in and turn it the needle automatically goes up to 30mph.

then if i drive it just acts as if 30 was 0 so if I'm going 30 it says 60, 60 if it says 90, you know what i mean.

im guessing this is a problem with the gauge and not the sensor since it still figures the speed out, but i could be wrong on this. I'm no expert on speedometers lol

my initial idea was to take of the clear plastic over the cluster, turn the ignition so it goes up to 30, take the needle off and put it back on at 0mph

but if anyone knows of a fix to this or any ideas to help me figure this out, i appreciate it. thanks

 

Sounds like the cluster to me...depending on what car you have (you should have listed it...), you can pick a used one up for pretty cheap. Just look around on craigslist or in the juckyard and you can get another one for 30-40 bucks.

 

sorry about that, its a 94 civic hatch cx
i'll try checking out where i can get a new cluster i guess

 

I’m all about bumping threads if it’s in my favor and I understand this is an old thread, so I’m not expecting any feedback, but it’s still available to read and reply. My 97’ Hx civic started doing this about 5 months ago and I’ve looked at all grounds and connectors. all are grounded and connected properly.
Today, I finally got time to diagnose and mess with the gauge cluster. This is what I found/ concluded:
With the key turned to the on position “not running” and both connectors are unplugged. The speedometer reads zero. I then connected the left and it stayed at zero. I then connected the top, it jumped to 30 mph. Then, I disconnected the top connector, but kept the left connector connected to the gauge cluster and it read zero. Vice versa still reads zero.
Turned the ignition “off” and gauge cluster reads zero.
I’ve read somewhere, I think civicforums.com that these gauge clusters have a sequence to self check the gauge cluster. Has anyone accomplished this task or can attest this actually works ? If so, can y’all explain the steps ?
Im about all out of ideas before heading to a junk yard and taking a chance of possibly getting another crapped out cluster. Thanks for your time and input.

 

This thread is tiny so bumping it isn't the end of the world. If it was multiple pages, then it would be expected for you to start a new thread. The larger the thread, the less likely people will go through it to glean information. Adding to a tiny thread doesn't have the same issue.

I have not seen anything about self test. However, I have had 2 clusters that have had the boards on the back of the speedo go bad.

I just replace the board and that usually fixes it.

 

Tom, can you get the boards new? If not, can the be repaired? Mine doesn’t have problems, but I’m just trying to see which way to go if there is a problem.

I know with my wife’s G35, I sent the cluster off and had it repaired for some lighting issues and an erratic fuel gauge.

 

Like the ECU, these boards have electrolytic capacitors that go bad after ~25 years. I think these are typically the issue, and unless the electrolyte has leaked onto the board and corroded the traces, you can replace them. I doubt you can get new boards. I rebuilt the tachometer in my EG earlier this year.

 

I am not sure if it was capacitor related. And you can't get the board new. Doubt you could even get the full speedo new from Honda anymore. I've just pulled a board from my local salvage yard and paid the 5 bucks for it, or 3 bucks, whichever it was.

I think the chip might have gone bad on mine as the caps looked fine. But my issue was the speedo needle bounced around or would not work at all. Your problem might be a little different on the board. I still believe a board swap on the back of the speedo will be the fix and it will allow you to keep your odometer as it was unlike a full speedo swap.

 

I think i remember something about yiu doing that repair.

Tom, are any of these parts on this website useful in our cluster repairs?

https://www.taninautoelectronix.com/...VIC&_year=2000

 

My speedometer is doing the same. Just yesterday I tried a spare one and everything worked properly.

 

Stepper motors and bulbs. Don't see the IC chips, capacitors, resistors, inductors etc that maybe found on the board.

I've been starting to collect the appropriate capacitors so I can replace mine on the ECU's I have. The Z1 and Z6 ecu's are not the easiest to come buy and tend to come at a premium in my area.

It's usually capacitors, but the speedo board, there was something about protective globule put on the pin side of the IC chip. For some reason those ones tend to have issues over time, or it didn't fully cover and corrosion or something. I don't remember off the top of my head the specifics, but I do remember the fix was swapping the board.

Sorry that I don't have time to google search it for the specific thread, but I do remember coming across it in my travels of H-T.

 

So rather than swapping an entire cluster, you think swapping the circuit board would work instead?

 

Has for me at least two times now, maybe even three. I can't recall if I have swapped the circuit board on the speedo of the 5th gen civics two or three times now, but every time it's been my speedo fix.

 

I fixed my speedo gauge. What did I do? I swapped the whole gauge cluster. I think it had something to do with the ECU relaying the correct signal to the speedometer. Anyway thank y’all HT enthusiasts for the feedback, much obliged.