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95 Legacy Speedometer Weirdness


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I have two separate 95 Legacys, both have some odd things going on with the speedometer. I'm wondering if there was a common issue with these that I haven't yet heard of.

 

GFs 95 LSI has been strange for a while. When slowing to a stop from say 30mph or above, speedometer needle will come down smoothly til about 20mph, then it will drop from 20 to 0 and jump back up to 20 a few times. I've tried to make a video of it, but it never happens when I'm trying to record it.

 

My 95 L I noticed just a few days ago, while driving on cruise at steady speed at 70 mph the needle would drop randomly back to about 65 or 60 just for a second or so, then to back to 70. Again, tried to record it, then it wouldn't do it anymore.

2 days later I'm slowing to a stop at an intersection, and I notice the needle hangs at about 25mph until the car comes to a complete stop. Once I start going again, the needle didnt move again until I got up to about 20 mph, then it jumped up to 20. Next 2 stops it did the same thing again. Haven't noticed it since then.

 

I'm thinking poor connection somewhere or loose ground, but wanted to see if there was anybody who knew of a common issue with these.

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speed sensors, front,

on the trans above the passenger side axle.

 

95 legos do not have speedo cables,

so issues are either sensor based or speedo based.

sensor based is much more common.

they are 19 years old after all.

 

try replacing the sensor on one and see if that helps. (save the sensor untill you are sure.)

if yes, do the other car.

if no, ask again.

 

sensor issues happen, but are not common.

so used is a good possibility ,

especially for the price .

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Wow, while I was posting the question below, there was a response posted that may answer my issue.  However, there may be other suggestions that could help with speedo troubleshooting -- so please add any helpful suggestions....

 

Philip

======================

 

Sorry I don't have an answer for this -- but have a similar speedo issue that might be related, so I thought I would post the question here instead of starting a new thread.

 

My '99 30th anniversary legacy wagon speedo also has a problem -- when it's cold it doesn't work -- needle stays at zero and odometer doesn't move.  When it's warmer it "usually" works.

 

Even when it's warm out, it is somewhat intermittent.

 

I thought these were strictly mechanical speedos -- are they electronic instead? 

Already answered by previous post -- these are electronic speedos.

 

Where is the most likely loose connection that would cause this?

 

I'm looking forward to getting some troubleshooting ideas.

 

Philip

Edited by phreich
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My '99 30th anniversary legacy wagon speedo also has a problem --

 

 

there is a known problem with the 99 speedo,

usually outback but but maybe lego L as well.

 

do a search for "99speedofix"

read the oldest first.

 

or maybe you could try and just tighten the screws on the back side of the speedo.

if they work loose it will mess up.

but given that yours is a 99 i would do the ''fix'' while you have it out.

 

good luck.

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there is a known problem with the 99 speedo,

usually outback but but maybe lego L as well.

 

do a search for "99speedofix"

read the oldest first.

 

or maybe you could try and just tighten the screws on the back side of the speedo.

if they work loose it will mess up.

but given that yours is a 99 i would do the ''fix'' while you have it out.

 

good luck.

 

Thanks John!

 

I was not aware of the generic issue that effected the 99 speedo.  I would think that a failed sensor in the tranny would not be intermittent -- but would simply stop working, so I think that the known ground issue in the speedo head is the likely issue.  I'll try the fix and will post the results.

 

BTW, here's a direct link to the forum page John refers to: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/112272-99-speedo-fix/?do=findComment&comment=942823

 

This forum is a GREAT resource!  Thanks again!

 

Philip

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Yes, there's a well known issue with the 99 speedometer.

 

I won't really have time to mess with them for a little while. Was hoping someone might know of something specific off-hand.

 

I've never had a speed sensor fail intermittently show any signs of odd signal while on its way out. They've always just gone from working to not. Ill try to hunt up a sensor in the junkyard in a few weeks and give it a try.

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  • 4 months later...

ok Fairtax, did you ever get your speedo issues resolved?

 

reason I ask is my 95 is now exihibiting the exact same symptoms as your GF's - from 0-20 mph it just sits at zero, get over 20 and it will jump up and then "appear" to work normally, same issue in reverse when slowing down... works till about 20 mph, then drops dead to zero...

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I surely have not. I haven't had time to mess with it. Too busy with school.

 

GFs car has been parked mostly since she got the 06 Foz and I've been driving my 96 lately. Last time I drove my 95 it was still doing the jumpy thing. Actually I was driving home from school and tried to record it. Picked up my phone and by the time I got the camera pulled up and switched to video... It stopped. Never did it again after that the rest of the way home.

Before that I rode around for a week with my scanner hooked up to see if I could see the speed reading from the ECU change at the same time as the speedometer and had no luck. It never acted up. Couple days later it did it again, but didn't have the scanner with me that time.! It knows I'm trying to figure out what it is and it's toying with me! :P

 

If you figure it out before I do, please let me know!

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haha, yup, sounds like it has technician syndrome. :P must be nice to have multiple Subies to choose from! LOL

 

too flippin cold/windy here to try much in the way of diagnostics right now, and the bottom is gonna drop out of the thermometer again over the weekend...back to single digits again...ugh!

 

other than the speedo acting weird, the car seems to be running fine - no new codes and the ones that popped up a couple weeks ago havent come back...

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  • 8 years later...

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