scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 97 outback 2.5 4eat replaced the cluster, and replaced the speed sensor but the speedo jumps seems to only work while my foot is on the accelarater any ideas???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 replaced the cluster with what? Replaced which speed sensor? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 replaced the cluster with what?with one i got on here, the old one...the fuel and temp didnt work, speedo was unchecked at time of replacement(didnt drive yet) Replaced which speed sensor? the one on the top of the transmission, near filler tube nipper thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manarius Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Grease the speedo cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow65 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Grease the speedo cable? no cable, should be all electric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 97 is electric. If its an auto, it will have two sensors. One may be bad. Also it can be the VSS drive gear which is bad. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAezb Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Does the needle bounce at the lower speeds and then act normally when cruising at 30mph or above? If so, more likely the problem is at the VSS on the transmission than the VSS circuit in the instrutmentaion cluster. Did you replace either one with new or used parts? The VSS electro/mechanical on the tranmission has a common failure rate of between 90K and 140K miles - usually surcombs to the heat from the tranny and first symtoms show bouncing of the needle when first starting out and at low speeds. Symtoms may vary from a cold to a warmed up transmission. On my 96 OBW, the originally started failing at around 96K, replaced new, and now again at 235K -planning to replace soon. Dealer techs I've spoken to confirm it's common component to fail. From what I know about the VSS circuit in the head unit (gauges) when it fails, it fails completely - no speedo needle movement at all. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Does the needle bounce at the lower speeds and then act normally when cruising at 30mph or above? If so, more likely the problem is at the VSS on the transmission than the VSS circuit in the instrutmentaion cluster. Did you replace either one with new or used parts? The VSS electro/mechanical on the tranmission has a common failure rate of between 90K and 140K miles - usually surcombs to the heat from the tranny and first symtoms show bouncing of the needle when first starting out and at low speeds. Symtoms may vary from a cold to a warmed up transmission. On my 96 OBW, the originally started failing at around 96K, replaced new, and now again at 235K -planning to replace soon. Dealer techs I've spoken to confirm it's common component to fail. From what I know about the VSS circuit in the head unit (gauges) when it fails, it fails completely - no speedo needle movement at all. Hope that helps. well is the part i replaced that vsss part, its the elctro/mechanical piece, didnt change anything, does stabalize above 30???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 97 is electric. If its an auto, it will have two sensors. One may be bad. Also it can be the VSS drive gear which is bad. nipper nipper i replaced the front one, where is the other one???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Grease the speedo cable? my only response to this is SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK squeky squeky yup no cable that would have been nice that was the fix on my 67 buick though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAezb Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 well is the part i replaced that vsss part, its the elctro/mechanical piece, didnt change anything, does stabalize above 30???????? So you replaced the unit on the transmission with a *new* part - right? Not a used one pulled from another vehicle in a junkyard or otherwise? It may be defective anyway. Might want to try another unit to see if the symptom changes. If you search the archives, I think I remember reading someone suggesting a way to test the signal voltage output of the device by mounting it in a varible speed drill and watching if the output signal changes linearly on volt/ohm meter with the speed of the drill. But I never tried this. To make sure we are all talking about the same sensor - here is simple description of the 2 VSS components: http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl833h.htm. There is also previous message threads with pictures if you do a search: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65752&page=3&highlight=vehicle+speed+sensor There is actually a 3rd VSS component which is the VSS buffer circuit located in the head unit (or gauge cluster) which takes the signal given to it from the sensor on the transmission to the ECU. As the article decribes, problems with the speedometer are either with the VSS-2 sensor (most likely) or with the circuit in the guages (most unlikely). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 So you replaced the unit on the transmission with a *new* part - right? Not a used one pulled from another vehicle in a junkyard or otherwise? It may be defective anyway. Might want to try another unit to see if the symptom changes. If you search the archives, I think I remember reading someone suggesting a way to test the signal voltage output of the device by mounting it in a varible speed drill and watching if the output signal changes linearly on volt/ohm meter with the speed of the drill. But I never tried this. To make sure we are all talking about the same sensor - here is simple description of the 2 VSS components: http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl833h.htm. There is also previous message threads with pictures if you do a search: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65752&page=3&highlight=vehicle+speed+sensor There is actually a 3rd VSS component which is the VSS buffer circuit located in the head unit (or gauge cluster) which takes the signal given to it from the sensor on the transmission to the ECU. As the article decribes, problems with the speedometer are either with the VSS-2 sensor (most likely) or with the circuit in the guages (most unlikely). ok so i got the wrong speed sensor it sounds like i did the one in the front, but it sounds like its the one in the back that is the issue im trying to find one now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86subaru Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 is it possible to clean the 2nd sensor, the vss sensor, looks like it is a square shaped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 is it possible to clean the 2nd sensor, the vss sensor, looks like it is a square shaped i dont think soo...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manarius Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Eh, the 90-94 have cables - figured the 97 would as well. My mistake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapdaddytatum Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 both sensors new and 3 clusters i still have a bouncy speedo???????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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