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'97 Eclipse Speedometer Won't Register Speed?
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Agent21
New User
Apr 10, 2010, 2:27 PM
Post #1 of 4
(16709 views)
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'97 Eclipse Speedometer Won't Register Speed?
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Hello,
I am trying to buy a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T. The problem is the speedometer is acting up and nobody seems to know what is wrong. The speed sensor was the original suspect, but the dealer (a small, family run used car lot, with a good reputation, not a big used car lot just looking for sales) replaced that with a new one and the problem still persisted so he figured it was a bad guage cluster. I test drove the car after the new sensor was installed but before the guage cluster was replaced. What I noticed was that it displayed the correct speed when "on" the gas, but when I let off the gas the needle would drop to zero, only to go back up to the correct speed when I got back on the gas.
I recieved a call saying he replaced the guage cluster but the problem still persisted so now he doesn't know what it is. He said "when it is up on the lift the speedometer is fine, it works perfect, but when it is down on the ground it doesn't work". He offered to sell me the car like it is and come down on the price but before I accept (or refuse) the offer I want to find out what the problem is so I know how much a repair would cost me (part- and labor-wise) so I can decide if it is a good decision or not.
Has anyone heard of a speedometer acting this way before? Google searches has pretty much come up empty besides "replace the speed sensor and/or guage", both of which have been done and not solved the issue.
Thanks in advance for any and all help,
Jason
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 10, 2010, 3:13 PM
Post #2 of 4
(16702 views)
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Re: '97 Eclipse Speedometer Won't Register Speed?
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Tough one. Guess only but would suspect that because it can work under acceleration that a ground strap/wire intended just for this perhaps makes better contact while under torque. Hoisting the car would also put some different torque on the body. I'd be adding known engine grounds to assorted firewall bare studs or even to dash board metal to see if that corrects that. It's a guess,
T
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Agent21
New User
Apr 10, 2010, 3:38 PM
Post #3 of 4
(16698 views)
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Re: '97 Eclipse Speedometer Won't Register Speed?
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Thanks man. I have actually been calling Mitsubishi dealers and running it by their service departments. A few had no ideas, one "guessed" by saying I either needed to replace the computer (because "97 eclipses don't use speedometer cables, it's all computer controlled") or I need to pull apart the entire transmission. Then I spoke to one that seemed to genuinely know what he was talking about, he didn't even have to let me finish describing the problem, he could finish describing it for me and knew immediately. He said it was "more than likely" the speedometer drive gear, which is externally mounted to the tranny and is usually the first to break down (before the actual speed sensor or gauges) since it just has little plastic teeth and they can wear or break and cause the "signal" to the gauges to cut in and out. He transferred me to the parts department and it costs $17 and change, and I just found it online for $11, the official OEM replacement.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 10, 2010, 4:11 PM
Post #4 of 4
(16693 views)
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Re: '97 Eclipse Speedometer Won't Register Speed?
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Thanks for your findings on that and please post if that in fact fixes it. Car would be worth more without a mystery problem like that. Good for you for doing the homework on it,
T
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