Hello everyone. The original speed sensor (mounted on the transfer case) on my '93 4x4 automatic Explorer broken apart (its case had a crack). I had the shop to replace it with new Motorcraft sensor.

Now speedo doesn't work. Actually, at first attempt they forgot to install the plastic gear to the sensor. I returned back saying that speedometer doesn't work.

They said yes, they forgot the gear and feel sorry etc. They installed the gear, speedometer started to work, I left the shop. After 6 miles speedo became dead. I returned to the shop again. Then they inspected all the system and then concluded that there should a problem with the dash board.

Then I left the shop before they broke something else. Now I want to check it myself.

Here are the sympthoms:
1. Speedometer and odometer don't work at all
2. Cruise control works fine, but I can't tell what speed it maintains.
3. Gears (on the sensor and on the transfer case) are in perfect condition.
4. Speed sensor is brand new and has been bought at the dealership -- it can't be defective, I am sure.
5. Before that change, speedometer, odometer, and cruise-control were working perfectly.

As I understand, there are two possible reasons:
1. Square-shaped end of the speedometer cable that corresponds to the sensor became round
2. The shop may pulled the cable out of the dash-board connector while was pulling the gear off the sensor.

Please confirm my suggestions, am I correct?

Also, is that possible to disconnct the cable from thadash board without pulling the dashboard out? I mean is that possible to reach the connector from beneath the steering wheel as in Ford Taurus?

Thanks in advance,
Yuri,
Moscow, Russia

 

Since the speedometer and cruse control measure the speed in two different ways the speedo gear and the gear in the transfer case are ok. The speedometer use the cable that the gear is atached to. The cruse control system uses a sensor (the speed sensor) that is connected to the cable where the cable comes out of the transfer case. That leaves the cable and the the speedometer/odometer assembly. The way the cable is designed, the cable cannot be pulled out from outer tube, under normal conditions. So if the cable had disconnected from the back of the speedometer/odometer assembl, you would notice it if you got under your Explorer and pulled on the cable/tube. I'll look tomorow and see if i can find a way to get to were the spedo cable hooks to the speedometer/odometer assembly without removing the dash.

Chris

 

Thanks, Chris!

The cable seems to sit tightly. At least you cannot pull it out from under the car by pulling it down by outer outer tube. But I heard an opinion that inner cable may move inside the tube if you pull the plastic gear from the sensor without disconnecting the cable and the speed sensor.

Anyway, I will investigate this problem at this weekend. If you could find the way to disconnect the cable from the dashboard without removing the dashboard assembly, it will help alot.

With best regards,
Yuri.

 

The cable is very easy to find. Just look between the gas and brake pedal. I was able to just touch the back of the speedometer/odometer assembly with the very fips of my finger. If you really work at it, and/or have smaller hands than me, you might be able to get a better hold on it. There is a tab where the cable goes into the assembly. That should release the cable.

Chris

Chris

 

Chris, once again I would like to thank you for your help! Today I finally won this battle: speedometer works now and I am sure that the problem is resolved.

Once I found the cable as you described it, I started trying to get through that conglomerate behind the steering column. Well, it is packed very tightly with wires and metal parts. I understood that to reach that way the cable's end where the tab is located is almost impossible. But first i tried to pull and push the cable up and down. The cable was playing for about 2/3 inch. If you push it up, it stops and the speedometer assy will shake a bit. If you pull it down it stops too but the speedo stands still. This made me believe that the cable became disconnected. Though I wasn't sure if it has the lock and the tab undamaged.

So I decided to investigate this further. I removed the plastic cover that sits just below the steering column, and then removed a metal plate that is located after that plastic panel. I got the nice view on the labyrinth that driver normally nevers sees. Well, now I was able to reach the back of the instrument panel though it was pretty difficult task -- there were very little space to maneuvere.

Also I haven't been able to see anything so the only source of information were my fingers. By the way, many say that my fingers should belong to the pianist, but I am not a musician. If my fingers were bit thicker I affraid of that I would be forced to remove more of the parts congesting around the steering column.

After that I found that cables connector and the tab on it seem to be ok. I tryed to play with the cable a little to understand if I could pull it out to see its condition, but at second try I heard a loud "click!" and the cable stoped to allow to play with it.

Then I tried to pull it out and noticed the speedometer shaked. So I understood the tab locked and the cable sat at its place.

Well, now I got my speedometer back to life. And I noticed that its gauge no longer shakes. I cannot tell why, maybe because of the new speed sensor, maybe beacuse of that cable never sat tighly before it, I don't know.

Anyway, I got it fixed and I would like to thank you once more.

With best regards,
Yuri