[Bunta]

Hey everyone,

I need some help, a few weeks ago i got my clutch changed, when i left my speedometer wasnt working. called shop and they said they just need to reconnect the cable, didnt think nothing of it and said id bring it back so they can do it. now the check engine light came on, took to autozone and came up speed sensor. ok no biggie i figure just reconnect the cable, the guy said its up front lets just connect it, popped hood cable is connected. now before someone says well just replace the sensor and call it a day, i did some googleing and found out that on eariler sentras/200sx (same car) the rpm and speedometer is off the same sensor. if this is the case (if anyone can confirm this) then it would be my cluster guage? any help would be great i dont want to waste money on a sensor if its the guage and vice versa.

Thanks in advance
oh my car is 1998 200sx with the 1.6 5spd

 

[IanH]

The FSM clearly states the rpm readout is from the ECU (we know its from the signal from the dist.) and the speedometer is from the Vehicle speed sensor.
Since these two measure different variables how could you get both from the same sensor ?

 

[Bunta]

Thank you, that clears that part up, no i googled and got that information from someone esle that stated the rpm and speedo shared the same sensor, thank you for proving that is not the case. how often does a speed sensor go bad? im trying to determine if its the cluster or the sensor, im trying not to spend any more money than neccessary.

THanks for everyones help

 

[IanH]

Since they didn't touch your cluster check the VSS first.
You can try removing it and spinning it by hand and see if the speedo works.
Check the gears. Look for broken wires since the clutch has just been changed.
I had no problems when my clutch was changed, but then i did my own

 

[Bunta]

Thanks, Im gonna check that tonight.

 

[Bunta]

Hey everyone, update, i took the car back to the shop that did my clutch, first off the sensor is in the rear towards the fire wall, and the plug was not connected, connected, reset, no more check engine light and speedo working and didnt have to buy anything.

Thanks for everyones input.

 

[IanH]

yes, you are meant to remove it to fill and check the Trans Oil level.
Its so awkward to get at I just fill the correct amount of Oil.

 

[philb00]

where is speed sensor on sentra gxe '96 ?

where is the vss speed sensor ? under hood up near firewall behind steering wheel side ?
or is it inside up under feet behind dashboard ?
any pics of it ?
thanks !
---

I have 96 nissan sentra 4cyl - and speedo needle drops to 0 intermittently
and the odometer stops rolling tooo....
And the check engine lite came on tooo ( about 5 months ago had fixed the EGR code w/ cracked vacuum hose and eng lite went off for 5 months now )... but now it's back on.

Is the speedo/odo problem reason for the check engine lite back on (probably)

Will Autozone test computer show the code for this speed/odo problem ?
What is the code for this ?

Best way to fix this ?
I won't be able to pass smog inspection with lite on, right ? (in Mass )

speedo/odo going off seems when bad weather -raining and use wipers
Thanks

 

[IanH]

i would describe it as under the Intake/intake tube, on top of the transmission towards firwall.
I wll see if I can get a picture and post later.

 

[IanH]

See comments is your post below.

where is the vss speed sensor ? under hood up near firewall behind steering wheel side ?
or is it inside up under feet behind dashboard ?
any pics of it ?
thanks !
---

I have 96 nissan sentra 4cyl - and speedo needle drops to 0 intermittently
and the odometer stops rolling tooo....
And the check engine lite came on tooo ( about 5 months ago had fixed the EGR code w/ cracked vacuum hose and eng lite went off for 5 months now )... but now it's back on.
Yes this is very common, its a know problem here. I don't think this is the problem this time.
Is the speedo/odo problem reason for the check engine lite back on (probably)
YES

Will Autozone test computer show the code for this speed/odo problem ?
What is the code for this ?
Yes they will, look up the codes in the FSM or sticky, Autozone will also give you a printout of code number and an explanation

Best way to fix this ?
I won't be able to pass smog inspection with lite on, right ? (in Mass )
No this wont pass inspection even it Texas never mind MA !!!
speedo/odo going off seems when bad weather -raining and use wipers
Dont know if this means anything other than the temp that the sensor and transmission is at. If there is an intermittent contact could be temperature or even moisture Dependant.
Thanks

General location and direction of detail photo.

see VSS cable, see small part red wire showing and part of body.

 

[philb00]

Hi
Sorry still not sure where/what red wire yur talking about in pic - Thanks for pic
Looks alotalot like my engine underhood.
Where is this vss cable or speedometer connection thing ?
Thanks

 

[IanH]

Hi
Sorry still not sure where/what red wire yur talking about in pic - Thanks for pic
Looks alotalot like my engine underhood.
Where is this vss cable or speedometer connection thing ?
Thanks

Ok try this, please remember this pic was shot on way to work, so it is from memory, but I am 70% sure this is it. If not its close !!!

 

[philb00]

Thanks alot for pics !!
THnk I know where to look now.. will check.
Could this just be loose maybe ?
Or crack in wire ?
Or do have to repalce the whole thing ?
What can I do basically with this wire/plug thingy ?
Thanks!

 

[philb00]

Still having hard time finding this thing circled in the red circle.

Is this down low near firewall under steering column area / driver side area ?

If do find it - what can I do with it ?
Can it be detached or unplugged or what ?

Thanks for help

 

[IanH]

ok, lift hood and stand by drivers side wheel, near the master cylinder, look near firewall, below the Air intake tube, compare to the first picture
Then look down where its dark and you should see it.
Its on top of the transaxle above and between where the drive shafts exit.
Yes its difficut to see and to get at.
you can undo the one bpolt, and wiggle it out.
Others have reported its difficult to get out.
When its out you can spin it and see if the speedo moves up.
If it does check the gear on the VSS and the gear in the transaxle.
If it doesnt then check with a meter. I will look in the FSM and see what it says.
If its dead replace
If not then wiring and cluster, ECU ?

 

[jphillips3200]

where is the vss speed sensor ? under hood up near firewall behind steering wheel side ?
or is it inside up under feet behind dashboard ?
any pics of it ?
thanks !
---

I have 96 nissan sentra 4cyl - and speedo needle drops to 0 intermittently
and the odometer stops rolling tooo....
And the check engine lite came on tooo ( about 5 months ago had fixed the EGR code w/ cracked vacuum hose and eng lite went off for 5 months now )... but now it's back on.

Is the speedo/odo problem reason for the check engine lite back on (probably)

Will Autozone test computer show the code for this speed/odo problem ?
What is the code for this ?

Best way to fix this ?
I won't be able to pass smog inspection with lite on, right ? (in Mass )

speedo/odo going off seems when bad weather -raining and use wipers
Thanks

now when i bought my sentra six monthes ago, the speedo did not work at all, so i did what any certified auto mechanic would do.... i drove with no speedo.

after about 3 monthes i finally decided to fix it, so i removed and tested my vss. obviously it was bad so i replaced it(autozone $30)

well almost immidiatly after i cleared the code (vss), it would come back on. and i had the problem of it dropping to 0 occasionally. well i work on chevys all day, so i decided maybe the trick that fixes all problems on domestics might work for my darling nissan... so i punched the dashboard. and sure enough the speedo came right back on.

i probably deleted the code with a scanner 100 times onlly to have it return. every time that the computer senses a problem with the vss curcuit, it will set the code, and will delete the code itself after sometime if the problem does not return. if it happens again the computer will reset the light.

if the vss is bad, then it is bad. period. it would never work. if the connections are poor it would most likely not work often. there are only two mechanical devices in the vss curcuit. the vss, and the odometer number things.

try flicking the odometer (seriously) whenever it stops working. my guess, it get stuck and since the motor that turns it has no torque it stops, and since it is connected inside the cluster to the speedo than blammo! no speed for you.

by the way... the other day i was kindof mad and i slammed the dash pretty hard and i have had no more problems concerning my speedo, it even fixed my cruise control which had only worked once the whole time i owned my car. the code shut itself off, and i am no longer annoyed by that little yellow light

 

[philb00]

hey thanks - my ck eng lite cleared all sudden - after about 3 weeks of it on an checked at autozone - got the 0500 vss code showing.
Went back to autozone after lite been off for week and now there is no code or problem showing up at all...
speedo and odo seem to be working ok for now ...
Pretty weird - hope it does not come back for a while - got to go state inspection sticker in month... gottta pass
Thanks

 

[philb00]

Great !....
I tried to undo the bolt on this - and I busted the head off the bolt (was so rusted and mostly rotted)... am i screwed now ?
The whole little apparatus tho is still stuck on there real tight.. does not budge even with the bolt head broken off...
So does that bolt really matter?
Can I detach or get that wire to unclip/ detach somehow so I can get at the actual
VSS sensor thingy ?

Will spraying with WD40 or Penetrating oil help get the thing off ?

Any help appreciated!
Thx

 

[IanH]

here is a link to pictures of this beast....

http://www.nissanforums.com/ga16de-1-6l-engine/144974-speed-sensor-differences-pic-inside.html

 

[philb00]

Reality of speedo/odometer problems - Mechanics will NOT touch it!

'96 Nissan Sentra GXE automatic - 127,000 miles : VSS problem :

Speedo/odometer just suddenly stops/drops to zero
and then by jiggling/pushing in/out/holding in the mileage trip reset button - usually speedo will come back to life. But dreaded CEL Light is ON - cant pass Mass state inspection with that on. (as you know)
---

My stupid story:
Last couple months CEL on then off then back on.
Went to Autozone - confirmed code 0500 then when CEL off - code cleared. BUt then now CEL back on.
The speedo acting wacky/dropping off to 0 intermittently.
--
I took my car today to official Mass. Emission repair place - garage mechanic guy who specializes in the CEL OBD thing. (He fixed another prior CEL code 0400 EGR thing for me before -only charged me $50)
All he would attempt to do/did was verify code 0500 on computer. Then just looked/checked under hood the VSS on transaxle - said it is prob ok.
(I had already removed trim panel around the cluster guage to help speed things up - save $$).
BUt he would not even touch/dive into pulling out the speedo/cluster guage or check wiring etc...

He said - anything involving speedo/odometer has to be sent out to place in NJ (one place he has used) and Dealerships must do same thing too.
And this "place" either replaces/repairs the speedo/cluster THEN resets the odometer mileage to whatever miles I got on my car. And then paperwork certifies it all and ships it back. All because Federal law or something due to truth with mileage/odometer law.

IS THIS CORRECT ? Is this what happens or your experience in your state ?

Massachusetts has a pretty stiff/tough emissions inspection test - must pass emissions test every other year and Safety check every year.
---

He did at least reset cleared the CEL back to OFF and cleared the code.
BUt he said - still will need to drive car about weeek or 30-40miles city/highway to rebuild data in the ECM computer (ie: like cat converter info, engine rpm, etc etc) BEFORE can think about going for the state inspection test .

IS THIS CORRECT about having to drive around
even after clearing the CEL light and ECM code ???
How much time or miles have to be put on to fill up the ECM database so can take the inspection test ?

At least this guy is nice - did not want any $$ or charge me for slapping computer on or researching on his pc/internet sites or clearing out code and shutting CEL lite off.
(Gave him $20 bucks - least could do for his 45 minutes time)

Real life is: No good mechanic wants to deal with electronic/electrical messy problems like this - not worth their time (his words) and he is so busy with other customers - he/they won't screw around/waste their time (no matter how much $$ you might throw at them - not worth the hassles)
These good mechanics got so much other business/customers they don't need to deal with crappy/messy things like this. They can make easier more money fixing simpler stuff.

Your experience too ?