Nissan Repair: Dash Cluster, 2006 nissan sentra, nissan sentra

Question
I have a 2006 Nissan Sentra 1.8 with 35,000 miles - I have had no major problems. Two months ago the speedometer stopped working - the needle stays at zero all the time. My mechanic did a diagnosis - he said it is the instrument cluster - it will cost $400.00 (parts and labor) to repair. I also cannot get the car inspected because the check engine light is on.

Is this right? 2006 and 35,000 miles and the speedometer stops working. Does the repair price seem high? Should I have it repaired and contact Nissan to request a refund for the repair? The area Nissan dealership has not helped.

Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hi Harold -

There are a couple things you can check first, although I am hoping that your mechanic already checked it, perhaps you can ask him? The most common cause of speedometers not working is because of the cable or gear. Where the cable enters the transmission there is a round cap that you can unscrew. Inside you will find the cable and a plastic gear that meshes with the transmission gear. A lot of times the plastic teeth breaks or wears down. Also check to see if the cable is OK, but removing the cable entails taking out your instrument panel, unsnapping the housing from the back of the panel, and then pulling out the cable with a long nose plier. I assume the both the speedometer and the odometer/trip odometer all are not working?

I also believe that your check engine light is on because the speedometer is not working (the VSS sensor is dependent on it).

Hope this helps -
aloha
calvin