QuestionI was driving when all the boxes around the gears popped up and the transmission light is on and my speedometer quit working. I am afraid of going to the dealer without a little more knowledge. Can you help at all?
AnswerHi Robert,
It may be the case that a device called the output speed sensor on the transmission has failed. That tells the speedometer how fast your are going and more importantly tells the transmission computer so it can make the proper shifts. Two approaches:
get a fault code readout of the entire system using the underdash socket and a code reader. Autozone parts will often do that for free. Or an independent shop will do it for $40 or so. If you get a code 0720 that would be confirmative. Otherwise find out what the code is, what it means, what is recommended and for how much. Then send me a follow up question and we'll compare notes with the manuals.
Or, you can buy the sensor for around $75 and put it in yourself. It is located on the side of the trans facing the front of the car, at the very rear end, about mid-level. There is another one like it near the front of the trans *the input speed sensor" so that would give you a clue that you have ID'd it. Unscrew the old one, screw in the new one to about the same torque as a spark plug, after first lifting the tab on the wire connector to lift that off and out of the way. It is a bit more chancy but its your chioce.
The other thing that happens often is the instrument cluster's socket has some pins that solder it to the circuit board and those joints often 'open' but can be repaired with a soldering pencil. If the rest of the cluster gauges are ok, then that is probably not the source of the problem.
Roland
