Nissan Repair: 97 Maxima speedometer erratic, vehicle speed sensor, speedometer cable

Question
My 97 Maxima peedometer will not work and then all of a sudden work as normal.  Seems to happen more in colder weather.  Would this be a speed sensor issue or a speedometer cable issue?

Answer
Mike,

There are two causes for your problem.  The first would be the vehicle speed sensor and the second would be the speedometer.  I hate to say to throw parts at a problem but the speed sensor is much cheaper and easier to change with only one bolt holding it on.  Plus, 99 percent of the time it is the vehicle speed sensor.  If this does not correct the problem source a speedometer from a wrecking yard as a new or rebuilt one is around $300 bucks and a wrecking yard unit would be around $100.  The speed sensor is on the transmission and you can see it if you open the hood and look down by the firewall on the driver's side.