Diagnosing dashboard issue...

[luckycat007]

I just purchased a 98 Ford Contour GL that has a few issues with the dashboard. I am not a car expert..but learn to fix things on my own when possible. I just purchased the Ford Contour shop manuals, hoping to learn a bit from them.

The issue is that the speedometer is stuck on 0, the odometer does not turn, and the temp gauge is stuck at low. The gas gauge seems to be working..but the previous owners says that when it rains a bit, speedo, odometer, temp gauge all work. He says the gas gauge works but seems to change slowly (e.g., fill it up, and it takes about 1-2 hours for the gas gauge to show that it's full).

It sounds to me like some sort of electrical / wiring issue, rain = doing something which "fixes" the entire cluster- which would mean it's likely not a problem with the dashboard itself, right? :crazy:

Has anyone seen anything like this, or have any ideas?

 

[TheKidWithTheSE]

Same problem. try your Vss.

 

[luckycat007]

Same problem. try your Vss.

Thank you -- I guess I wasn't sure how issues with the temp gauge would be related to the VSS.. but if the vss could fix all of that, then great...maybe it's just a bad connection.

 

[luckycat007]

Another comment on this---was reading this other thread, similar issues... others responded and said that if the VSS is not working cruise won't work, and automatic shifting will be screwed up. I confirmed that cruise is still working, and shifting doesn't seem to be bad with the automatic...

 

[blu_fuz]

Another comment on this---was reading this other thread, similar issues... others responded and said that if the VSS is not working cruise won't work, and automatic shifting will be screwed up. I confirmed that cruise is still working, and shifting doesn't seem to be bad with the automatic...

When my VSS acts up and my cruise still works .

 

[luckycat007]

When my VSS acts up and my cruise still works .

Hi - OK so then VSS is unrelated to cruise, I guess, so even if cruise is working the VSS might be faulty that is causing problems with my dashboard, even things seemingly unrelated to vehicle speed, like temperature gauge.

 

[luckycat007]

One more bump on this with new info - I purchased a vehicle scan tool, and in Live Data mode I can see the vehicle speed correctly if I'm driving. If this is the case my assumption is then the VSS is OK, and the issue is perhaps with the instrument cluster itself, or some other wiring leading up to the cluster.

 

[luckycat007]

Speedometer testing, wiring diagram for harness

Speedometer testing, wiring diagram for harness

In an earlier post I described my issue with my instrument cluster - speedometer, odometer, temp gauge not working at all, fuel gauge seems to move between 1/2 = "empty" and 3/4 = "full", or thereabouts. All dash lights seem to work fine.

I have tested vehicle speed with a live scanner, computer is accurately reading speed.

Took the speedometer out... I'm looking at used clusters on eBay w/ tach (I currently do not have a tach), but would like to know if I can test the existing cluster stand-alone. I think I can do this if I can get a wiring diagram for the harness, and then, in theory, apply voltages to certain pins to modify the speedo or other gauges.

I have searched this forum and internet with no luck..

 

[luckycat007]

Bumping this in the hope of getting . I purchased a used instrument cluster, a 1999 Ford Contour, might have been from a Mystique..it has "v6" written on it, with a tach. Plugged it into the harness of the 99 Ford Contour (V4), and lo and behold both the speedometer & tach seem to work! However, when I plug in both rear harnesses, the ABS and Check Engine lights stay on (I did not see if I can clear the CE code).

Anyway I am looking for a wiring diagram for both the 1998 and 1999 Ford Contour instrument panel harnesses... I found one on-line for '97 but it is barely legible. There are 2-3 additional wires on the harness that came with the new instrument cluster.