Kia Sephia Sporty

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

 
So tonight, I tested her "KiaStein" and immediately I noticed the abnormal climbing of the Speedometer's needle, on the instrument cluster; as the vehicle gained speed, the needle shown around 60 Mph, when the Car was really doing around 20 Mph. 
 
She was Right, something pretty weird is Happening to the Speedometer. And even weirder is the fact that there was no Check Engine light, lit on the instrument cluster.
 
I attached to the Car my OBDII Scanner: No codes were found. Furthermore, the Actual vehicle's speed was shown completely accurate on the Scanner: I drove the "KiaStein" with the Scanner attached, and the Speedometer's needle at the instrument cluster, showed triple the Speed than what was shown by the Scanner. 
 
Also, I noticed that the Odometer and the Trip meter were working accurately: I did a usual four miles long round trip to the gas Station. I checked the VSS state and connectror / wiring, everything is alright. Even I tested the Alternator, Battery and charging system; everything is in good working order.
 
I've never experienced a situation when the mere Speedometer suddenly starts to read faster than the actual vehicle's speed.
 
What could be going on? 
 
This instrument cluster is completely electronic, doesn't has Cables attached, only wirings's terminals.
 
Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Update: 

 

Today's early morning, we noticed that the Speedometer's needle climbs slowly by itself, to almost 40 MPH right after starting the engine and letting it at idle, to reach its normal operating temperatures, prior to start using the car... So, you can see the Needle pointing 40 MPH while the Automatic Shifter and its indicator light, are on "P" position.

 

The Speedometer's needle goes back to Zero, right after moving (Driving) and stopping the car, completely; but still continues to have that weird 3X faster reading behaviour.

 

The Trip Meter and the Odometer are working good; also the VSS is alright.

 

Time to remove and inspect the instrument cluster, perhaps?

 

Any idea regarding this issue, will be Welcome. Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I did an instrument cluster Swap, years ago, in order to have Tachometer on the "KiaStein" but, two years ago, I gave the original instrument cluster to an old man, who is a grandfather of a classmate of my daughter at the school; he also has a Sephia but LADM (Latin American Domestic Market) specs (1.6L engine + Manual Trans), its instrument cluster was dead...

 

Now I wish I would have kept that original instrument cluster, but the old man asked for it, and I can't live being egoist...

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

 

I switched cars with my Wife, so I delivered my Little Daughter this early morning to her School, on the "KiaStein" and I made this short video with my small cellphone (my little daughter is whistling in the Background), you can see that the First gear almost reached 70 MPH (according to the Speedometer), then shifted to Second gear; we were just leaving home (That's why the engine was still cool).

Edited June 10, 2016 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

So, I removed the instrument cluster from the Dashboard...

 

 

 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

 ...Cleansed and Verified all the Wiring and Plugs...

 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

...checked everything on the instrument cluster...

 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

...After carefully check it, also check its wirings and plugs;

thinking that maybe there's something loose or dirty among the connections...

 

 

 ...and despite that Everything is allright, the Thing still shows 3X faster speed readings.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

But what is even weirder, is that the odometer is counting accurate distance miles.

 

I am going to search for another instrument cluster among the Local Junk Yards, and ask them to let me Try it, before purchasing it. My idea is to confirm if the abnormal speed reading issue, is happening in the mere speedometer gauge's system, as I believe...

 

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

By the way, here you can see an Old video, taken years ago, when I did the instrument cluster swap, from no-odometer, to the one that has odometer, which is the one that has the 3X speed issue now:

 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

The instrument Cluster that is on the "KiaStein" has the following part number: 0K2DK-5543X

It is for the Automatic, second gen Kia Sephia from 1998 to 2001, and certain models of the first gen Kia Spectra from 2000 up to march 2004; so it display individual letters and signs for the Automatic Transmission, also it features Tachometer, Speedometer, Trip meter, and all the Basics, you know.

Searching on internet, I found that Kia offers as brand new Spare, each separated Part from the instrument Cluster, each having its own part number as well, let me share here with you, a Screen Shot with each part number, for this instrument cluster:

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I tried to obtain the mere Speedometer brand new, Part # 0K2AA-55471 at the Local Kia Dealer, but they don't sell it, they can only bring here, the whole instrument cluster at a sky high price; so I had to make another search among local Junk Yards, once again...

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

As I wrote above, not all the first generation of Kia Spectra (2000 ~ 2004) used this same instrument cluster, only certain models, such as the old styled body in Hatchback shape; the other Spectras, used another, newer styled instrument Cluster, whose main difference lies in the Odometer and Trip Meter, which has a Digital LCD display, instead of the analog rotating numbers.

Besides that, it is pretty similar to the instrument Cluster on the "KiaStein" but, the numbers are written with styled thinner lines, and each warning light has its own opening, instead of a single, big opening for all the set of warning lights per side.

At first I doubted that the Newer style, first gen Spectra's instrument Cluster, would work on the second gen Sephia, but seeing both instrument Clusters from behind, they looked almost identical, having the same three receptacles for the same three wiring Plugs; even in the same places and positions.

Here you can see the Newer style Kia Spectra instrument Cluster, and the older style Kia Spectra / Sephia instrument cluster, together; I took this photo on the Ground at the Junk Yard, with the "KiaStein" having its driver door, opened:

 

Of course, I dared to Test such newer styled instrument Cluster, on the "KiaStein"

 

And it was a Perfect Fit, however, only the Temperature Gauge and the Warning Lights from the Right side set, were operative, the Rest, such as Odometer & Trip meter LCD display, the Speedmeter, the Tachometer, and the left side set of warning lights, were completely Dead.   

I bet that this kind of instrument Cluster, takes the signal / saves the Mileage on the ECU, not directly, as the older style instrument cluster does. So, these different instrument Clusters, are Not interchangeable at all; in fact, the "KiaStein" displayed a "Check Engine" plus a Blinking "O/D OFF" warning lights once I put back its old instrument cluster, after I tried the Newer styled instrument Cluster ... I had to disconnect the Battery and wait for ~ five minutes to Reset the ECU. Everything went back to Normal after that.

My searchin' for another instrument Cluster, continued, but this time focused on the proper one, whose part # is: 0K2DK-5543X

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

After going to search among various Junk Yards, Finally, I found the same instrument Cluster that I have on the "KiaStein" but much newer, it was taken off from a 2004 Spectra; I tested it on the Junk Yard and I drove around the Junk Yard to test the Speedometer, and it worked absolutely Flawlessly; not super high speed readings anymore.

 

 

It had a little less than 71,900 Miles on the odometer, and I rounded that amount after testing it; the only thing that did not functioned on it, was certain background illumination Bulbs, also the left side Blinker, but the Junk Yard's salesman gave a good low Price for it, that I can't refuse; so I purchased this instrument Cluster, which had exactly the same part number than the one that the "Kiastein" had.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

In Honduras, car Mileage isn't Relevant.

 

Some years ago, when I did the First instrument Cluster Swap on the "KiaStein" in order to have Tachometer (the original instrument Cluster didn't had it), the car lost 20,000 miles on the count; so, despite that the instrument Cluster that I removed from the "KiaStein" (on the left side of the Photo below) says 189K + Miles, the Body and the Transmission on this Car, really have 209K + Miles; but the Engine has exactly the Half, 104K + Miles, as it is from a much newer Spectra; also the Differential and Brakes only has a couple of Years... so the Mileage count on this car, isn't equal for everything on it.

 

 

So, the Total mileage lost should be more than 138K + Miles ... now I need to do the math, and recalculate the Mileage & Dates on which the Timing Belt and the Oil + Filter, will need to be Changed, to keep the good maintenance Records that I've done on this Car.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

So, I started to do a deep Cleanup of this newer instrument Cluster

 

Because this instrument Cluster was stored at the Junk Yard, with the lens facing down on a shelf, with many other instrument clusters from other random junk yard's cars over it, it had a pretty dusty and dirty back, also you can see that the soft circuit board is less green on this one, than on the old one; however, the interior and the overall shape is in much Better condition, than the old one that I removed.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I cleaned everything from inside out...




...and polished the Lens to a shiny new look.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

After that, I was ready to install all the LED lights I had installed on the older instrument Cluster, anyhow, people are using Leds everywhere, even on the "tail Lights"

 

 

When I went to test it with the LED lights, back on the Car, everything worked, except the Left side arrow, for the Blinker... I had to remove the instrument Cluster and carefully inspect it; then I found a cut on the green soft board, probably made by another instrument cluster that was lying above it, on the shelf at the Junk Yard.

I have more than three decades soldering electronics, because I learned with my Dad since I was Child (Besides many other things he taught me, like Mechanics), But I've Never soldered a "Soft" circuit board before, and I was afraid to Melt the thin Plastic. However, I dared to do the Repair, mainly because I needed the instrument Cluster back on the car, as soon as possible; but also, I knew that if I damaged it, I could swap the green soft boards between instrument Clusters, as the old one was in perfect shape.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

This is What I Did:

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

That was an Ugly welding, but it works flawlessly
 


Another Problem = Solved!

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

The instrument Cluster on the "KiaStein" is working Flawlessly.

 

However, the Dashboard is Warped, pretty similar to almost every other second gen Kia Sephia that I've seen; the problem is the weak material of fabrication, it warps with the Sun, but mainly from the air vents to the Windshield, because the Hot air flow used in countries where Snows, when is used the Heat in winter times.

 

Our "KiaStein" has such warps, it came from USA; the LADM specs kias are less warped; but is impossible to find a Dashboard for these models in good conditions, in a Junk Yard.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

During my last junk yards' Tour, searching for the instrument Cluster, by coincidence, I saw another Kia Sephia like ours parked outside, it was in good working order and when I stepped outside, I noticed that the Dashboard looked pretty Different; so I walked towards it, and asked to the Driver about that.

"It is a 2005 Kia Rio Dashboard, retrofitted on this Sephia" said him, I asked permission to take a Photo of it with my Cellphone, but he denied it; so I thanked him anyway, and walked away...
 
Later that night, I mentioned that episode to my Wife, and she asked me, very surprised: 
 
Is our sephia's dashboard, warped? ...   ... I never noticed it!
 
Well, in fact, she thought that it was designed like that, from Kia; however despite that it is Warped, I will not retrofit another car's Dashboard on our Sephia, because I bet it will never fit completely well, which might give permanent issues, such like not matching the Curve on the Door's Cards to receive the Curved Dashboard, rattle sounds, loose fitting, etc... I rather stay with our Warped dashboard, as it is.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

What I was thinking to do, in the Future, was to Remove the Dashboard, Fix the warps and reinstall it; I've seen other people have done that, I even saved some photos as inspiration, which I share here, below. (Photos found online)

 

Dashboard Removed:

 

Dashboard Straightened:



Dashboard completely Repaired and Painted:


 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

As far as I know, a heat gun was used to straighten the warps, then it was painted black; I know I could do this repair, but somehow I don't feel like it is something Necessary, so I don't think I'll do it soon... but maybe somehow, someway, someday.

Kind Regards.