Speedo/odometer not working

thayguy

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Location
ohio
TDI
none yet
Iv been looking at a few cars and they say the speedo or the odometer has stopped working. Is this a easy fix or better off to tuck behind a truck and pray they aren’t speeding and guess the miles?


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2000alhVW

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2018
Location
Silver Spring, MD
TDI
2000 Golf
Not very common on newer cars as it's all electronically measured.
Most current vehicles have 4 wheel speed sensors. For ABS, traction control, or other purposes. Most German stuff going back 20 years has used multiple wheel speed sensors.

Speedometers have not been cable driven in a long time.

I would be at least mildly suspicious if I went to look at a newer car where the speedometer was funky... Usually more than one thing has to have gone wrong to get to that point.

Either way, it should be fixed immediately. I'm not sure you could pass any inspection without a functional speedometer
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Iv been looking at a few cars and they say the speedo or the odometer has stopped working. Is this a easy fix or better off to tuck behind a truck and pray they aren’t speeding and guess the miles?
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I'm assuming that you were looking at some no name used car lots and not at a reputable dealer. Sounds to me as if they were trying to fiddle wth the odometer trying to roll it back and screwed it up!:rolleyes:
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Many years ago, I had the speedo cable break in my subie. Ordered a new cable but was told it would take 5-6 weeks. I knew that running at 2500 in 5th gear put me at about 62 mph. That was confirmed by one of the friendly Iowa State Troopers. He just flashed his lights and didn't come after me on I-80. Speed limit was still 55 at the time.

I agree with the above comments about there being something fishy going on. Best advice is to stay away from those cars.
 

thayguy

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Location
ohio
TDI
none yet
Just old cheap work beater with heaters they where both offered as private sells.


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Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Just old cheap work beater with heaters they where both offered as private sells.
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I do not know how it is in Ohio, but where I live there are tons of "private" sales and many are what are called curb siders. These are used car dealers pretending they are a private seller.

One easy way to tell, in whose name is the vehicle ownership? Is it in this private sellers name? Probably not.
 
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