96 nissan maxima speedometer problems

Question

i have a 96 nissan maxima se 5spd that has a speedometer that works on and off and when it does work it flutters up and down i just wanna know if its a simple vehicle speed sensor or something more

Answer 1

Hi there !

That is a very common problem to Nisaan Cars and Trucks

I have seen what you are describing many , many times.

The speedometer will not work or be erratic.

The speedometer is run electrically.(i do not mean digital!)

To measure the signal you need to hook and auto meter to the wire and check for AC VOLTAGE. It will be small and goes up and down with the speed of the vehicle. A good square wave on a scope.

The main Integrated Chip on the speedometers circuit board has probably gone bad.This causes erratic or no operation of the speedometer/odometer.

There is no way to repair the problem.You must get a new or used speedometer.

My local pick n pull junkyard will sell me a speedometer for $20.00 for that vehicle in San Jose California.(the dealership wants $180.00 brand new.)

I hope that helps. Good Luck!

Answer 2

you can check the speed sensor by taking it out and seeing if it has any metal shavings on it ,if they get obstructed they will do this,its doesn't mean the sensor is always bad when they act like this but sometimes they can be cleaned,that's what causes that most of the time on those,if that doesn't help it replace the sensor that should restore it back to working order,good luck.