Mitsubishi Repair: 94 Eclipse speedometer broken, odometer ok, first frost, speedometer

Question
Hello,

I have a 94 Eclipse with 92K that has given me speedometer problems 2 years in a row. The car had been unused for 3 years while I was abroad, then I started using it again 2 years ago. First inspection was ok, then a couple of months before my second one the speedometer gave up. It produced loud noises (sounded like something rotating and hitting around), the needle started to fluctuate about 20-30 mph around a random midpoint, but it still engaged a little (for example, If I was doing probably 55, it would fluctuate from 30 to 60 like the needle of a compass when it first orients itself). Sometimes the noise would cease by itself. After a couple of months the noise ceased, and the needle never moved from 0 any more. At the inspection the mechanics said that they replaced the cable and everything was ok. Now, a  year later, everything started happening exactly the same way and at the same time (I don't know if this is a coincidence, but it seems to start in fall, after the first frost). Again I am facing inspection, and I am not sure of the best way to go about it.

First I would be interested in a diagnosis, but also on what course of action do you advise. Do you think it would be cheaper to replace the whole cluster, or just the speedometer? If there is a good chance that it is the cable, is there anything to check about what is the cause of the repeated failure?

Thank you very much. Sorry for the long note, I wanted to provide all needed details.

Catalina

Answer
Catalina: I would just replace the speedometer, sorry to say but your car is old. It is a 1994 and though not a lot of miles for such a year. Still it sat for 3 years unused. I wonder did you oil things and get the car set up for such a long time to be sitting unused? I would just replace the speedometer unless something else is bothering you with the whole cluster. You know that old saying if it ain't broke don't fix it. But then that is up to you. I would say your problem would be that the car sat so long for being unused and then the year of that car. Though let me say there is nothing wrong with such a car. It is great to be driving these older cars. But they do take a lot of work at times to keep them on the roads. They need to be babied. Could be you could ask the shop that does the work to replace your cable to check to see if there might be some rust or something causing problems there. There is an adapter and maybe that was not replaced when the other cable was put in. Some shops will save a bit of money and for a woman well sorry but what does she know anyway. Here let me explain how the cable is replaced... remove the instrument cluster, lift off the speedometer cable adapter, in the engine compartment, detach the cable grommet from the firewall. Raise the car and support it securely on jackstands. Remove the bolt or unscrew the collar and remove the speedometer from the transaxle. Remove the cable assembly from the engine compartment. Installation is the reverse of the removal. Now let's say the other place that replaced your cable before, just put in a cable. Maybe some of those other things should have been replaced, but like I said a lot of places do not treat women so good. So take your car to a shop you can trust, ask them to replace your cable. But ask them to check everything or else ask them to replace everything. Then ask to see the old parts, to make sure they really did what they are charging you for. I am not saying by the way that you are dumb about repair or anything like that.  I do hope this helps and good luck!