Hey folks

I'm new to this forum. I have this quandary that maybe someone knowledgeable can help me with. ABout a year and half ago, I noticed there was an issue with my speedometer. My odometer worked fine (221k) but the speedometer would read 20 when I was going 50. However fast I was going, the speedometer was showing way under that. Eventually, the needle stopped moving altogether. Maybe if I went 70 it would show 5, but for the most part, it was stuck at zero. Since they no longer make the spedometer I got a used instrument cluster off ebay that was listed as being compatible with my trim level (1993 Del Sol S, 5spd). I had it installed and on day 1 it appeared to work. But starting the next day, it was doing some really wonky stuff. For instance, as soon as I started driving it would go up to 40mph, and as I accelerated, it went down to zero. Then as I slowed down to stop, it went back up to 40. This would happen for about 2 minutes. Then, it would do things like go to 80- when I was really doing about 45. And then vacillate between 20 and 80 very quickly several times over the next minute or two. Finally, after about 5 minutes, it starts to play nice and actually do what it's supposed to do - tell the real speed - for the rest of the trip, be it 10 minutes or 80 minutes.

So I contacted the guy who put it in for me who said it could either be this instrument cluster or the speed sensor. If I want the speed sensor replaced it's $270 - and that might not even be the problem. The guy on ebay who sold it to me told me I could send it back for a refund - but it cost $95 to put in and it will probably be similarly costly to remove, all of this only to get $60-80 back (depending upon if he plans to refund my shipping charges). I'm not really sure what to do here. Try another instrument cluster which will probably run me close to $200 installed? Let them replace the speed sensor for $270? Which is the problem more likely to be?

Thanks for your time and help!
Scott

 

It is likely the speedometer and not the VSS. Finding and buying a used one is going to be a crap shoot... none of them are relatively new, so you just have to risk it. There are people who can repair these... even some "how to" videos to fix these yourself.

 

It's pretty common in these civics that the speedometer would stop working. I've known several people who've had to replace or deal with it. If it's only the speedometer acting funny it's probably bad, there's a ton in the junkyard you can just swap out. Doesn't hurt to check the thermostat and the trans ground.

 

Not reading zero with the car stopped pretty much has to be the speedometer head. You can try resoldering the circuit board and replacing the capacitors. The odometer comes from the same seosor, so if the odometer is always right the sensor should be OK.

($270 to replace sensor seems high. Last I checked it was about a $100 part but replacing requires removing only one bolt and one wire plug.)

 

Thank you, everyone. I'm just going to keep the speedometer for now. It's an annoyance but 85% of the time the speedometer is right. Well.. it's *mostly* right. My brother gave me this car 10 years ago I drove it back to my house at the time in NJ from Santa Clara, CA. I picked up a friend in Flagstaff, AZ but I got there about 45 min to an hour behind schedule. This is because the speedometer was always behind the actual speed, so I kept winding up behind at the various mile markers I had set. It appears that when going in the 30-50mph range, the speedometer shows I'm going 3-4 mph faster than i actually am. When I'm going 68,. the speedometer shows 75. This is something that is controlled by the speed sensor, right? if i replace the speed sensor, would the speedometer be more accurate?

Thanks!
Scott

 

No, replacing the VSS will not make the speedometer more accurate. What size tire is on the front of the Del Sol ?

 

Same on all 4 tires: Hankook Optimo H724 P175/70R13 82T

 

Those are stock size tires so speedometer calibration should not be affected.

Again, when you're on a highway with mile marks, check that the odometer is working accurately. If it is but the speed is wrong, it has to be the speedometer. Especially reading other than zero with the car stopped.