[Juan]

Greetings All,
Well the timing belt issue is all sorted but now I am also told the speedo is not working most of the time, even the odometer display is blank.. Anybody got any ideas where I should start looking? Apparently when the car is cold (hard to do in Nth Queensland) it works for about 10 minutes then stops.


1998 RAV4 RHD.
Cheers
Juan

 

[FixIt]

I would suspect a fault in the instrument cluster. I am only familiar with US vehicles. I doubt this vehicle is OBDII compliant since that is US EPA mandated. Does your RAV have a check engine light? If so, does it come on with the key on? Does it go off when the engine is running?


If the answers to all these questions is yes, then the computer is seeing a vehicle speed signal so it's not a speed sensor issue. What happens if you start it cold and just let it run for 10 minutes without moving? Does the display go blank then?


The closest thing I found that is similar to your problem is for an erratic speedometer. The tech said "The vehicle speed sensor sends a pulse voltage to the speedometer assembly and then the speedometer triggers a signal to the engine control module. If the speed sensor signal is good, the speedometer has to be at fault" This RAV was going faster than the speedometer registered, and the scanner read the same as the speedometer.

 

[Ahya728]

@FixIt That is happening on my rav, the car's speed is faster than the speedo needle. My odo works normally. So the first to check is the speed sensor and if that is working well, then the problem would be the speedo assembly, right?

 

[FixIt]

@FixIt That is happening on my rav, the car's speed is faster than the speedo needle. My odo works normally. So the first to check is the speed sensor and if that is working well, then the problem would be the speedo assembly, right?

If you are in an area where the highways have mile markers, those are pretty accurate. It is best to have a co-pilot along so all you need to do is think about keeping the rubber side down.


When you come to a mile marker, look at the odometer and remember the last digit and the tenth. The next marker will be a mile down the road and your odometer should be reading a mile more distance. So if it was 45617.6 when you got to the first mile marker, the next mile marker you come to should agree with 45618.6 not .8 or .2 it needs to be exactly one mile from the last marker.


Are the tires the same size as the decal on the driver's door jamb?

 

[Ahya728]

@FixIt Where I'm from it's km on the highways, I'll figure that out, thanks. Tires, same size 60 series, but the less threaded pairs are on the back. Even when all 4 were new, speedo's not doing well.

 

[ravingtones]

Have your instrument cluster checked.

 

[Juan]

Have your instrument cluster checked.

Hi All,
I have replaced the speedo sensor at the trans with one I know works and still no luck, wires to the plug look ok.. I did read somewhere that there could be a corrosion problem behind the kick panel RHS-RHD car) where these are some connectors and relays. So I checked all of these and found some green gunk on one plug and immediately thought I have solved the problem but alas no.
Everything else on the gauge cluster is working fine and there is no check engine lite illuminated but now the speedo does not work at all.
One suggestion is that the cluster needs to be checked, does anyone have and instructions on how to do that? I am reluctant to just go and buy a replacement cluster and find it has not solved the problem.


Juan

 

[ajkl]

I have had two speedometers stop working on my 130 mile '97.

 

[Juan]

To All,
Just a quick note, problem solved, I bought a second hand cluster assy from a local auto wrecker for AUS $75 and fitted it this afternoon, everything is now working.
Cheers
Juan

 

[leon r]

Very interesting… My speedometer is doing the same thing! At 55mph on the speedometer, it is actually doing 69mph (checked with GPS)!


“Really officer, I was doing 55mph…” - not going to fly

I am yet to compare it to what my odometer is doing, but I can easily check it today.

My problem with getting a new instrument cluster, is that it my miles will no longer be real, not a problem for me, now. But this will be a problem if I ever go to sell it. Has anyone been able to repair their original cluster?

I assumed that the previous owner had oversized tires and had speedometer re-calibrated to account for the larger diameter. But seeing others having this problem and a potential solution definitely helps!

 

[leon r]

Quick update, my odometer is correct, so this problem must be in the gauge cluster...