Speedometer questions?

[WVBBQueen]

We have a 2000 Dodge 2500 V-10 which is really giving us fits.
We had no speedometer, we changed the speed sensors on the rear differential, the transmission and both front wheels, still no speedometer, then it would work then it quit working then it would work.
We bought a second rear differential sensor, thinking the first one was not a good one, still no speedometer.
We watched a few videos on YouTube to reset the gauges on the dash and still no speedometer.
Hubby was then really frustrated and knocked on the dash by the speedometer and low and behold, it started working.
Then we reset the gauges again and it is now working.
But now, with all that info I was wondering how to find out if it is a loose wire and if changing the speedometer is a hard job?
We really like our truck, and don't want to get another one, just breaking this one in at 127000 miles +/-. lol
So how hard is it to replace, or check the wiring on the speedometer?
Thanks in advance for any information you can share with me and others, who may be having the same problems.

 

[dapepper9]

The cluster would need removed which isnt a very difficult job at all. From there it'd be circuit board and wire tracing which is something i personally don't bother messing with myself.

 

[WVBBQueen]

Thanks. Hubby got a bit angry the other day, after all the work he has done, and the speedometer still working off and on, and pounded on the dash, and low and behold, the speedometer started working.
So we tend to believe it is a wiring issue now.
He likes to fix stuff that way when all else fails. lol
So now, we will wait and see what happens with it, and then he will remove the cluster and go from there.
At least we know all the sensors that we replaced are working like they should.
I do believe that sometimes things that won't work the first time, need to have a bigger hammer to see is that helps. LOL
Thanks again for your input.

 

[buddy guy]

it could be as simple as a loose ground wire.

 

[WVBBQueen]

Yes and I am relaying all this information to him, so he will also know what to check for, when he gets to work on it again, and we all know, it will stop working again, and he will have to start working on it. lol
Thanks!!

 

[buddy guy]

generally I hate intermittent problems, but when it comes to something like this if it works, then stops definitely wiring or a connector issue I say. I had a 2003 tacoma. In 2016 electrical gremlins started to pop up. burnt out dash lights, loose wires. Just showing the years of bumping around starting to catch up to it. PS- if you end up taking the instrument cluster out do yourself a favour and change out the bulbs if they haven't ever been done.

 

[WVBBQueen]

Good suggestion, changing out the bulbs. On the downside of that is, that is how we ended up doing so much work to our Dodge and Jeep too. lol Thought that since we have owned them both for about 5 yrs, needed to check out the brakes, make sure they are doing good, good for another year, or whatever, so we removed them wheels, then had issues getting them to work right again, after putting on new brake shoes/pads, and ended up replacing all the calipers and rotors before the brakes stopped getting hot. lol
So if he does infact remove the cluster, I may not be able to convince him to take out the bulbs, if they are still burning. lol You know the old adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?" lol
Had no issues with our brakes before checking them out, and after deciding to replace the shoes/pads, had major issues, until we also replaced the rotors and calipers too. lol
But thanks for the advice, we will keep it all in mind if he decides to remove that cluster.
I told him that when we travel in that truck, I just hook up the Nuvi to help keep him within the speed limit, if he doesn't want to remove the cluster. Just a suggestion to keep him from getting a speeding ticket. lol