Speedometer: '95 Taurus

The speedometer on my wife's '95 Taurus (automatic, 3.0 L v-6) went crazy on the trip to Boston this Thanksgiving. I noticed that I was going above the speed limit and was being passed by everyone. I plugged in the GPS and found that the speedometer was reading about 10 mph fast at highway speeds. Also, above 65, it would occasionally drift up 10 mph then back, accompanied by a grinding noise.

It sounded to me like the speedometer cable had broken and was occasionally catching the loose ends. This happened to a car of mine about 30 years ago.

The question is, does a '95 Taurus have a speedometer cable or is it all electronic? If it's a cable, I can replace it, but if it's an electronic problem, I'll probably have to take it into the shop.

Thanks for any help you can give,

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314
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It's electronic. If I were to guess, I'd say that you have a Vehicle speed sensor problem. However, it's possible that you have an intermittent ground in your instrument panel.

CJ

occasionally

Reply to
Christopher Brown

The speedometer on a '95 Taurus is all electronic. You would have to take the vehicle to a dealer or a garage and have them repair it.

Reply to
CyberWolf

On the older Taurus, the digital electronics dashes used the VSS for the speed sensor and the mechanical dashes with a needle used the old mechanical spedo cable. In any case, changing the VSS is not a bad idea. Usually, the trannie with shift strange or the cruise control will pop off unexpectedly if the VSS is going bad (or VSS wiring).

The VSS is between the motor and firewall on the top of the transmission. The spedo cable plugs into it. The ones with a electronic dash will have a short stub spedo cable that does not go into the dash. The mechanical spedo units will have a long spedo cable that penetrates the firewall.

I know on my 93, it still has a mechanical spedo with a cable.

BOB

Reply to
BOB URZ

The analog gauges on the 1995 Taurus are mechanical, and actuated by a speedometer. Only the Digital cluster was electronically controlled by the VSS in 1995. In 1996, analog gauges were all electronic.

A bad cable tends to cause a lower than actual reading, rather than an higher than actual reading. If the noise is coming from behind the dashboard, there's a fair chance that your speedometer itself may be on it's way out.

occasionally

Reply to
Racer X

Meant to say actuated by a speedometer cable. My bad.

Reply to
Racer X

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