Speedometer stopped working

minidisc8 · 12-06-2006, 08:17 PM

So i've searched around and didn't find anything exactly like this. My speedometer/odometer stopped working after some loud growling noises. Then a day later the O/D light has started flashing. I thought it was just the speedo cable but now I'm not sure. Any suggestions?

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toyota_mdt_tech · 12-06-2006, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minidisc8

So i've searched around and didn't find anything exactly like this. My speedometer/odometer stopped working after some loud growling noises. Then a day later the O/D light has started flashing. I thought it was just the speedo cable but now I'm not sure. Any suggestions?

Its still just a cable. The reason the OD off light started to flash as the tranny ECU sees a missing speed sensor. You have 2 speed sensors on that rig. One in the ATM, the others at the speedo head. Tranny uses both, speedo head is a back up for ECT, while the cruise will ONLY use the one in the combo meter. Bestcha cruise doenst work!

Get a new cable. Oh, when you go to fish that new cable, cut the metal bracket around the park brake cable in the floor pan and slide it through. You are wondering what I'm talking about, when you go to do it, it will all make sense.

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-06-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minidisc8

So i've searched around and didn't find anything exactly like this. My speedometer/odometer stopped working after some loud growling noises. Then a day later the O/D light has started flashing. I thought it was just the speedo cable but now I'm not sure. Any suggestions?

An update to my last post. I saw your sig file, you have a 95. This might be a complete fly by wire speedo. If so, I suspect its just the speed sensor at the tranny. Will go into the old cable hole. RH side, near the tail shaft. But if thats the case, I dont know what the noise was. A cable usually gets real niosy, especially cold before they snap. Let us know if its fly by wire of old school cable driven.

ChickenLover · 12-06-2006, 08:43 PM

The '95 has a cable. I had this same problem a couple months ago. Same symptoms (noise, O/D blinking, no cruise). I'm pretty sure you'll have to get an OEM replacement. I couldn't find an aftermarket cable.

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-06-2006, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChickenLover

The '95 has a cable. I had this same problem a couple months ago. Same symptoms (noise, O/D blinking, no cruise). I'm pretty sure you'll have to get an OEM replacement. I couldn't find an aftermarket cable.

C/L, I've seen them both ways, ie cable or fly by wire. I read the "noise" part and assume he did have cable and my first response was assuming it was cable. But just to cover my butt, I added the second reply.

minidisc8 · 12-07-2006, 07:31 PM

MDT-
I looked and out of the sensor comes a plug and what looks like a wire.

like in this picture http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=82087

does that mean that i don't have a cable to be replaced, just the sensor needs replacing?

Some more info: there is a whinning noise most of the time I am accelerating, it will go away sometimes. My cruise doesn't work like you said. The OD light comes on and off(flashing) only sometimes.

Any more help is appreciated.

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-07-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minidisc8

MDT-
I looked and out of the sensor comes a plug and what looks like a wire.

like in this picture http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=82087

does that mean that i don't have a cable to be replaced, just the sensor needs replacing?

Some more info: there is a whinning noise most of the time I am accelerating, it will go away sometimes. My cruise doesn't work like you said. The OD light comes on and off(flashing) only sometimes.

Any more help is appreciated.

Dude, thats the one. It runs the fly by wire speedo and will also operate speed sensor #2 in the speedo head which runs the cruise. The OD light is flashing becasue the system has detected a malfunction. Fix it and you should fix all your problems.

spudrunner · 12-07-2006, 08:22 PM

Just a heads up for anyone that starts seeing their speedo start fluctuating up and down a little bit that has the cable. Mine started doing this when the cold weather hit. A few days later the growling noise from the dash. Knew it was the speedo cable, so I pulled the dash, went down to Napa and got some dry graphie spray in the aeresol can, sprayed it down the cable a few times, worked great stopped fluctuation and growling, plus while you're in there you can change out any burnt dash bulbs, change colors if you want. Pretty easy job on an '88, less than 1 hour.

bike4miles · 12-07-2006, 10:08 PM

Mine made a squeal like a fanblet all the time so I replaced the cable with an aftermarket one for $15 and about an hours labor. Problem solved.

**DeathCougar** · 12-08-2006, 11:19 PM

I posted this in another thread....but....The by-wire setup was used in 92-94 only. they switched back to cable in 95, the back to the wire in 98. Your 95 4Runner has a cable drive speedo. either the cable, the speedo drive gear (in the t-case) or both, are bad.

I cant emphasize enough...if you do not know for 100% what you are talking about, PLEASE dont give advice!! You are likely to send the poor guy off the deep end searching for a sensor waht doesn't exist!!

Easist way to figure it out: just look in the back of your T-case. I'm 100% sure you have a cable drive. And the growling and stoppage only proves that. If it was growling, its the cable. You would not be able to hear the drive-gear (in the T-Case) over the rumble of the road and engine.

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-09-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathCougar

...
I cant emphasize enough...if you do not know for 100% what you are talking about, PLEASE dont give advice!! You are likely to send the poor guy off the deep end searching for a sensor waht doesn't exist!!...

Who the hell are you talking to? I have forgotten more than you will ever know about any Toyota! Everything I've posted has been off the top of my head. I dont dwell on the trivial stuff. I included a reply to both cable and fly by wire just in case. Please, I dont need a lecture from the likes of you

**DeathCougar** · 12-09-2006, 10:37 AM

Im talking to anyone in general. No one in particular, so dont get your panties in a bunch. Lets not start a pissing match about who knows more than who, kk?

/thread hijack

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-09-2006, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathCougar

Im talking to anyone in general. No one in particular, so dont get your panties in a bunch. Lets not start a pissing match about who knows more than who, kk?

/thread hijack

The pissing match was started by you. Another dumb reply was telling "everyone" if you dont know 100% what your talking about, dont reply"???? Then no one should answer any questions, including your self. I would suggest if you want to reply to the problem, please do (I'd really like to hear your diagnosis) otherwise,

**DeathCougar** · 12-09-2006, 11:59 AM

Like I said, i will not get into a pissing match over the internet. I refuse to lower myself the yotatech insult olympics, so I end this little tif here, and refuse to further reply to any off topic comments.

As I stated once before:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathCougar

Easist way to figure it out: just look in the back of your T-case. I'm 100% sure you have a cable drive. And the growling and stoppage only proves that. If it was growling, its the cable. You would not be able to hear the drive-gear (in the T-Case) over the rumble of the road and engine.

toyota_mdt_tech · 12-09-2006, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathCougar

Like I said, i will not get into a pissing match over the internet. I refuse to lower myself the yotatech insult olympics, so I end this little tif here, and refuse to further reply to any off topic comments.

As I stated once before:

"if it was growling, tis the cable"[/quote]

OK, piss match off. But in my very first reply, we already had it covered. Refresher:

Quote:

Its still just a cable. The reason the OD off light started to flash as the tranny ECU sees a missing speed sensor. You have 2 speed sensors on that rig

So the need for you to reply wasnt even necessary

movieman990 · 05-13-2008, 12:04 PM

Thought I would bring this up to date a bit with a link to this thread

http://www.yotatech.com/f2/speed-sen...ng-else-13801/

which mostly relates to a non-mechanical connection from the transmission up to the speedometer head...I think the guys who know call this a fly-by-wire connection.

Anyway, maybe it will be helpful to someone.

12-06-2006, 08:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
ChickenLover Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NV Posts: 2,583	The '95 has a cable. I had this same problem a couple months ago. Same symptoms (noise, O/D blinking, no cruise). I'm pretty sure you'll have to get an OEM replacement. I couldn't find an aftermarket cable. __________________ 95 4Runner, 3VZE , 141k, 4WD, Auto. (Head gaskets replaced at 106k)

12-07-2006, 07:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
minidisc8 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 89	MDT- I looked and out of the sensor comes a plug and what looks like a wire. like in this picture http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=82087 does that mean that i don't have a cable to be replaced, just the sensor needs replacing? Some more info: there is a whinning noise most of the time I am accelerating, it will go away sometimes. My cruise doesn't work like you said. The OD light comes on and off(flashing) only sometimes. Any more help is appreciated. __________________ 2007 FJ Cruiser Black Cherry

12-07-2006, 10:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
bike4miles Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,402	Mine made a squeal like a fanblet all the time so I replaced the cable with an aftermarket one for $15 and about an hours labor. Problem solved. __________________ --Miles Sold '91 4runner, 22re, 5 spd manual, 180,000 miles, cone filter, Downey 1.5"HD coils, SkyJacker Nitrogens, Magnaflow Exhaust, Stull grill, Clears all around. Check out my sound proofing project and other mods: My 4runner page My 2006 Camry page I'm a Myspace Addict!

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12-07-2006, 08:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
spudrunner Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Post Falls, Idaho Posts: 146	Just a heads up for anyone that starts seeing their speedo start fluctuating up and down a little bit that has the cable. Mine started doing this when the cold weather hit. A few days later the growling noise from the dash. Knew it was the speedo cable, so I pulled the dash, went down to Napa and got some dry graphie spray in the aeresol can, sprayed it down the cable a few times, worked great stopped fluctuation and growling, plus while you're in there you can change out any burnt dash bulbs, change colors if you want. Pretty easy job on an '88, less than 1 hour.

05-13-2008, 12:04 PM	#16 (permalink)
movieman990 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 12	Thought I would bring this up to date a bit with a link to this thread http://www.yotatech.com/f2/speed-sen...ng-else-13801/ which mostly relates to a non-mechanical connection from the transmission up to the speedometer head...I think the guys who know call this a fly-by-wire connection. Anyway, maybe it will be helpful to someone.