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Q: How do i test the speed sensor for my car?

asked by on July 21, 2017

So the Speedometer in my dash cluster is Working only after cold starts and Stops working after temperature increases and drops to zero and stays there, i have had someone inspect the speed sensor (Which i had already changed) and have been told that it is operating normally, and was told to change the cluster which i did and still have the same problem. So im just wondering if the car was not inspected properly and if so how can i test the wires that run from the speedometer to the cluster with a voltmeter that i have so i can verify that the problem is an electrical issue. Im mostly looking for guidance on this issue because it has been going on for a long time already and i want to get it fixed. Also the car odometer freezes when the speedometer meter drops to zero and i am not having any problems with the transmissions.

My car has 102500 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi there. I wouldn’t doubt that the issues you are having are electrical. However, there isn’t a general "test" for voltage on a dash cluster that is completed. Typically a professional mechanic would download stored error codes to determine if there are any electrical faults first, then check for damaged electrical relays and fuses. Finally, they would physically check the harness connected to the speedometer to see if there was a loose fitting connection or if any wires were frayed or exposed. This is one of the more difficult issues to diagnose without completing an electrical problems inspection. One thing that is often misdiagnosed is the speedometer cable being faulty. It’s probably best to have a professional mechanic complete a speedometer not working inspection to help diagnose this problem.

Kia
2004
L4-2.0L
Spectra
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