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speedometer troubleshooting 92 Legacy SS 4EAT


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I searched first and found some good information. But I'm looking for a little more.

 

My speedometer doesn't work on my 92 legacy ss and I believe that's where my intermittent CEL is coming from (as with the power icon).

 

What should I do to find why it isn't working? Start and end where? Is this also why my odometers aren't working?

 

I read a lot about stripping a gear inside the transmission that I would really like to avoid (if it isn't already)

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are you sure the vehicle speed sensor doesn't just need replacing? that would throw a check engine light. plug the diagnostic plugs together under the dash and see if you dont get 3 long and 3 short blinks of the light on the dash. code 33 would be what you're looking for.

 

i've had them go out on my 98 legacy and my 93 and both times the odometer stopped working along with a check engine light.

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oh, and also, the VSS is driven by a cable on your car. you can take the end of the cable and put in a power drill and use it to rotate the cable. if the speedometer magically starts working, there's your problem. i don't remember if it has to be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise so try the other way if the speedometer doesn't register with your first try.

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The VVS that you need to look for, the #2 one, is on the passenger side of the transmission. If you look back behind your axle, on the side of the transmission you will see the sensor. I remember on my 98 there was no place to put a wrench on and it was seized pretty good so i just use some vice-grips to get it out. I am pretty sure you can get a wrench on yours.

 

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nothing will happen if you rotate the cable the wrong way. at least in my case nothing happened on my 93 and i haven't read anywhere that says otherwise. if the cable is broken, you will have more than just a sensor to replace. I would just try to find a few sensors at junk yards to replace yours... that's what i always did.

 

I really hope this ends up being your problem, all the symptoms lead me to believe that the sensor or you cable is the issue.

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92 was still a cable driven speedo, the VSS mounted in the transmission didn't come out until 95.

 

Pre-95 the vss was a reed switch in the speedometer head that was opened and closed by a spinning magnet in the speedometer. The sensor is part of the instrument cluster.

 

If the speedo doesn't work, but the odometer still does, the cable is still good and the problem is in the speedo head. If neither work, you need to check the cable. It can break, the square ends can round off, and it can be pulled loose from the back of the instrument cluster. That's the first thing to check, especially if you've been digging under the dash recently.

 

If you unthread the the speedo cable from the transmission (front diff housing actually on an auto) you can check that the spade end is still on the cable. Then use a small flathead screwdriver and gently try turning the shaft down in the well the cable threads into. If it turns freely, the plastic gear is stripped. It requires extensive dissasembly to replace. But chances are it's fine and your cable is either unhooked or broken.

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check the tranny side make sure the clip is holding the cable in place and make sure it didnt pop off the back of the instrument cluster.

 

The square drive cable tends to snap on the gen 1 legacies, my buddy just had it happen on his 91 SS 4EAT over this last weekend.

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