Once cars hit the 200,000-mile mark, owners face a very common but undesirable issue. This issue is the electronic odometer not working. Sometimes new cars also show such an issue but such an issue is mostly seen in older cars that ran for more than 200,000 miles. This article discusses why this situation arises and some possible solutions for the same. So read on!
Why Is My Electronic Odometer Not Working?
There can be various reasons why the electronic odometer in your car fails to work. The most possible answer to “why is my electronic odometer not working” will be that the odometer does not fit well in your car. This happens mostly on newer cars or with a newly fitted odometer.
However, with time, the gears which help in the smooth functioning of the odometer are prone to getting worn. This of course will affect the functioning of the odometer which may even lead to it stopping to work. These gears get weak easily as they are all made of plastic. Their teeth can thus fall off and the odometer will be spinning nothing.
How To Fix An Odometer That’s Not Working?
Driving your vehicle with an odometer that’s not working is both odd and a safety hazard. Even though a faulty odometer may not hamper the performance of your car, it will cause you an uneasy feeling. Most car owners who have driven their car for a while have shared their experience of uneasiness when the odometer stops working.
But did you know that your faulty odometer can be fixed relatively quickly? Usually, the odometer stops working when the gear inside it which is responsible for the working of the odometer wears out. And to fix your odometer, you may not need any special tools or equipment. But you should have a clear idea about what to look for. Otherwise, you might end up permanently destroying the velocity meter which is stored in the same gauge as that of the odometer. Here are the steps for you to carefully follow to get your odometer to work again.
1. Replace Speed Sensor If Needed
Sometimes, your speed sensor may be faulty which may result in your electronic odometer not working. The speed sensor is conveniently mounted on the back of your car’s transmission. You will be able to find the sensor there.
If the odometer is just broken, the gears that set an odometer to work may be broken. To reach these gears, you have to pull the instrument cluster. Fixing it is not that hard as long as you have a clear idea of what you are doing.
2. Remove Dust
Sometimes dust and other debris can jam the gears that enable an odometer to work. This contamination can cause it to stop working which will put you in the situation of, electronic odometer not working. Removing this dust may help you to put your odometer back to work
While following up on the previous step, since you have taken the cluster out, you have to make sure to remove the dust using compressed air and a microfiber cloth. This way you can clean the translucent plastic.
This may also be the perfect time for you to refresh and add in a few LEDs for your cluster lightings.
3. Replace The Gear
After removing the cluster, you may be able to locate the gears. It is a tiny plastic clip which is most probably blue. Now take the flat head screwdriver. Use it to pop out and twist the engine. This will help you get the fuel out. You have to get the flat head screwdriver under the fuel to get the black gear. Pop the black gear out to find out the difference. You will see that the black plastic gear is broken. Its teeth will probably be missing. Thus, you will have to swap with new white gear to get your odometer to work again.
You may have to make sure that you connect the new white gear with all the old bits properly. Otherwise, the new gear may jam up. You will be able to notice how fragile the price of plastic which composes the gear is. It is no wonder that they wear or break easily.
4. Check The Connector In The Back Of The Dashboard
You can double-check the connection in the back of the dashboard to ensure that the visual test and connector are both correctly inserted. You also have to check the first fuse box to see if there is an odometer fuse that may also be a concern for you. Start with the box of fuses. For ECM to accept it can often need to be built or programmed with scanner software.
5. Wrong Sized Fuse
It is not hard to find the wrong sized fuse. However, you need to have a clear idea of the fuse scale. The ideal fuse size scale is 25 and if the fuse size scale you have is 15, that is of course a wrong fuse size scale. Also if you did some car work, you likely find something incorrect to retrace your work and correct it accordingly. Another problem that can cause these issues is weak cluster relays.
6. Defective Wiring Or ECU
A faulty wiring or loose connections can be one of the reasons why your odometer stops working. There can be situations like a short circuit in the wire, which makes the fuse blow out, preventing the odometer from operating. In such a situation, you will have to replace the fuse to get your odometer to work.
The Engine Control Unit may be another factor. It is the centre of engine functions. Functioning as the computer brain of the vehicle. You should restart it if the ECU is the culprit, but it would just be a temporary repair. After the installation of the new machine, note to rotate the ignition key to the ‘Auxiliary’ location.
Conclusion
Having a faulty electronic odometer in your car can cause uneasiness to you. Beyond that, it sometimes may be a risk factor too. So it is very important to fix it as soon as possible. You can use the steps mentioned in this article to fix your odometer back to normal. Hope you found it helpful!