Dead Speedometer, Just Replaced VSS...Nothing
Dead Speedometer, Just Replaced VSS...Nothing Car has 77k miles on it, always been pretty reliable until yesterday on the way back home from after taking the GMAT, my speedometer decides to suddenly stop working along with the odometer. After doing a crapload of reading and researching last night, I narrowed it down to either the VSS or the wiring harness for it. Hoping it would just be the sensor, I installed a brand new VSS today (T56 btw) to no avail, so now I'm left to think it's the wiring, which I have NO IDEA how to route it from the PCM to the VSS if I had to rewire it, and I know the voltage has to be checked somehow at the wires but from what I understand they only give a reading if the wheels are moving... how am I supposed to lay under the car while moving the wheels at the same time? Thoughts and advice?
If it doesn't set a code for no VSS then the pcm is still seeing the speed signal. That would indicate that the gauge cluster is the problem or the wiring from the pcm to the cluster. Best option is to get it scanned for codes and see if the pcm has a mph reading.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: ny
go get it scanned by a ob2 scanner to see if its getting signal from the sensors a reg handheld will tell you engine speed. chances of both sensors going at the same time are slim
prob a problem with the cluster
prob a problem with the cluster
Thanks for the reply, I don't have HPtuners or anything but I had it checked with the scanner at autozone and it didn't have any codes. How can you tell if it's a problem with the gauge cluster or problem with the wiring? When I pulled fuse 7 out the gagues swept typical 99' style including the speedometer so does that mean I can rule the gauge cluster out? I don't feel comfortable working with electronics, so how much would it roughly cost to get the wiring replaced at a shop?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: ny
^oh my you dont wanna know. go back to autozone and have them check to see if your actually getting a rpm reading on thier computer i know itll tell them. you car must be running there are basic things you can looks at through the scanners rpms is one of them. if you had a auto and the vss goes you only have first gear 
kinda sucks lucky you got a 6 speed
kinda sucks lucky you got a 6 speed Well, the RPM gauge works, the only things on the cluster that don't are the speedometer and the odometer. Cruise control does not work. Went back under earlier and tried cleaning some crud out of the hole where the sensor goes, funny thing is the magnet on the sensor I replaced seems a lot stronger than the new one. Don't the wheels have to be moving in order to give a voltage signal? I have a multimeter but don't know wtf to do with it so I'm thinking of having a shop look at it...guess it's either the gauge cluster of the wires?
Trending Topics
If your cruise control is operational then you have a speed signal. got money on a dead cluster these cars aren't new anymore now age is catching them and not miles for some of us.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Cruise control does NOT work... so does this point to the wiring? I don't understand how you're supposed to replace the wires without dropping the transmission, the harness seems to go above it into the tunnel? This is so confusing, it has been working just fine for the 4 years I've owned the car and without any warning the speedometer just stops working??? I haven't hit a pothole, puddle, or anything recently that could possibly mess the car up in a long time so wtffff
I have a multimeter but no knowledge of how to test it, tried getting some kind of reading from the sensor wires with the ignition turned on without any success, from what I remember, the wheels have to be moving to be able to get any kind of signal. At this point I'm assuming the pcm isn't getting the speed signal since cruise control doesn't work, and a new VSS didn't help. How much can I expect to pay in labor for the VSS wiring to be replaced?
You missed the point that if there are no codes then the pcm is seeing the signal. The sensor outputs ac voltage when the driveshaft is spinning. The only test you can do without spining it is resistance test on the speed sensor to see if you got a bad one but no spec available in Mitchell.
Well I did replace it with a new VSS sensor as and it didn't do any good as mentioned. Since the gauges including the speedometer swept when I pulled/inserted fuse #7 would you rule out the instrument cluster and guess that the wiring is bad? Unfortunately don't have any tuning software or scanners, and my car didn't throw any codes when scanned at Autozone. I'm hoping it's a bad sensor or cluster instead of the wiring...because in that case I'll most likely have to take it somewhere even though I'd like to fix it myself.
Well I did replace it with a new VSS sensor as and it didn't do any good as mentioned. Since the gauges including the speedometer swept when I pulled/inserted fuse #7 would you rule out the instrument cluster and guess that the wiring is bad? Unfortunately don't have any tuning software or scanners, and my car didn't throw any codes when scanned at Autozone. I'm hoping it's a bad sensor or cluster instead of the wiring...because in that case I'll most likely have to take it somewhere even though I'd like to fix it myself.
Had it looked at, and the PCM does see a speed signal, so I was told it was the servo-motor on the speedometer needs replacing. Tried searching for a "servo motor" for Camaro/LS1 without much success, how can I acquire this part? Would hate to have to replace the whole cluster.
Did you check the connections on the passenger side of the trans? I had a loose connector that caused my speedo to no work.
Edit - never mind on that.
If you need cluster repair, there are companies that help with that. Try SPECMO. I think they helped me out.
Edit - never mind on that.
If you need cluster repair, there are companies that help with that. Try SPECMO. I think they helped me out.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
I had a similar problem last summer, except my entire gauge cluster went dead while I was driving to work on the interstate at 70 mph. It turns out that the gauge cluster fuse had blown. If you haven't done so already, you may consider checking your fuse panel, just in case. Hopefully, it will be a quick and easy fix for you like it was for me! Good luck, man!
Tried installing another gauge cluster, and the speedometer still won't work, the needles all swept right to left on it upon installation so I'm sure the driver/motor is good. I am now convinced it's a wiring problem between the gauge cluster and PCM, because I had a scanner hooked up to it last time and it was showing the speed on there. Seems like the majority of the shops I called are not interested in fixing this or want to charge a huge diagnostic fee... where do I go from here?