Tach and speedo not working. Ideas???

Hey guys,

A couple of weeks ago my tach stopped working. Now today my speedo stopped working too. I pulled the guage cluster to check the connection and everything seems to be connected properly.

Does anyone have any ideas on other possible problems? I think I can rule out sensors. I'm thinking there might be an issue with the cluster itself but this is likely a very expensive part to buy without being pretty sure that it's the problem. Especially since I am wanting to sell it.

The truck is an 05 v6 4x4 if that matters.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

check grounds under hood

 

hopefully someone comes through.. those can be a bitch to nail down. I got nuttin but bumpin for ya.

 

any Check engine light on? Try tapping the speedometer and also check the connections of the VSS, Not 100% sure but I think ours are located at the rear axle.

 

A word from experience get it checked out immediately before it turns into something worse. I had an 89 nissan maxima that had an intermittent spedo/tach for awhile and eventually stopped working. about 2 months later my transmission was blown. they replaced the transmission and sure enough 2 days later the transmission was slipping again. apparently there was a sensor that sent some info to the tranny from the instrument cluster and it destroyed my first tansmission. Id say on the safe side look into a whole new guage cluster. fixed my transmission. I dont know if the auto transmission is set up the same way on the tacos but personally i wouldnt take the chance. 100 bucks for a cluster or 2 grand for a transmission.

 

I'll have more time to investigate today. Due to the way the failure is happening I think the source has to be close to the gauge cluster. I don't think the tach is wired in with the VSS although I don't know for sure. Due to the fact that the tach was on the fritz for a few weeks before the speedo stopped working, I don't think I have a common ground issue either unless some sort of intermittent loose connection is causing the gauges themselves to fail.


Here is an explanation of how the gauges actually failed:

-Tach stopped working
-Tach would occasionally work but only from when the truck was started and would not fail again until the truck was turned off.
-Speedo would start to not respond at startup and would kick on after a few seconds of driving
- Tach and speedo stopped working completely

It might be worth note that the temp gauge and fuel gauge seem to take a few seconds to turn on at startup as well.

I may just roll the dice and order a new cluster. FML!!!

 

Better safe than sorry goodluck sounds like a cut and dry fix to me.

 

If you have a friend with a Tacoma you should just switch clusters and see if it helps before you go and buy a new one.

 

I'm going through the same exact thing... I started my truck pulled out of the driveway on my way to work... the speedometer/odometer stopped working and the check engine light came on simultaneously and now the fuel gage fluctuates when stopping and going.... but it runs/shifts perfectly fine and all other gages/accessories work. I have pulled out the speed sensors on the driver and passenger wheel hub as well as the trany cleaned them up and put them back still the same.... I'm thinking is a relay somewhere or the VSS. This happened on Thursday so I am only a couple days into the investigation... but I will figure it out..... thats one thing us Toyota owners are good at b/c the dealers don't help out at all without a price.

 

I got my hands on a Car MD code reader shortly after my last post and plugged it in and got the code PO500 which is the speed sensor on the side of the transmission on the passenger side. (Auto Zone, Checkers, and Napa will do this for free this unit was about 200 bucks) So the next step is to see if the sensor is just carbed up which I will try to resolve by scuffing the end with some emery cloth. (if you attempt this don't go crazy just a couple light touches with some fine grit emery cloth is enough) I will let you know how I make out tomorrow... If you live near a dealer its prolly just as easy to go have them check it out... I live 50 miles from the closest Toyota dealer so I have learned to do a lot myself.

 

I have a 2010, 17k miles. This morning my speedometer inexplicably stopped working too. What the fuck.

 

Its contagious I guess... I was removing the sensor from the trany last night in -20 degree weather here in upstate NY and the damn aluminum bolt broke off flush with the trany casing... so now I have to work on drilling that out and re-tapping it before I look any further into the speedo problem... if you only have 17k miles... tell the dealer to go good for it.. should be under warranty. I have 98K on mine. Gotta give the old girl credit though this is the first big problem I have had.

 

Just a follow up. I replaced the gauge cluster which fixed the problem. I sold the truck once it was fixed. While this was a decent truck, I have to say that I was really unimpressed with Toyota's service overall. Especially their parts. The gauge cluster was $280 plus it had to be sent to a third party company to have the mileage programmed in for $100.

I guess the joke is on me because I just bought a Lexus lol

 

I don't know about that. I'm been in training all week and there's a guy in there with a newer mustang and his warranty just expired. First thing that happened was his speedo died. He's been on forums and has a friend that works for a dealership. Best price he can find on his cluster is around $600-800 and the dealership has to reprogram the new one. They want $1,200 to diagnose and replace it. Sounds like the Toyota clusters are a lot cheaper!

 

The actual price of the cluster wasn't horrible but the $100 to program the miles was ridiculous. Not to mention the $130 for an ABS harness and $600 for a ball joint because you have to buy the whole control arm.

I'm just saying that I am used to expensive OE parts EG: Porsche, but I found Toyota to be overpriced on many things as well as wildly inefficient.

 

I'm having the exact same problem. Plus my turn signals don't work but hazards do......

 

05 Pre runner.
Im getting P0500, ABS Light is on, E-Brake and Tach and Sped not working. I replaced speed sensor in tranny and nothing. A guy at toyota said its the wheel hub assembly but everything Ive been reading is saying its the cluster. What do you yall think?

 

I don't know if this is any help, I was trying to find the fuse for my sunroof, had the truck running and pulled the ignition fuse out thinking it was used for the sunroof and my tachometer quit working when I put it back and started the truck. It would go up to 2 or 3 k and just stay there. Was working fine before that. I have a 2002 Tacoma. Any ideas how to fix?