While driving down highway on set speed or have cruise control set, when all of a sudden your speed odometer drops to zero and later starts back up. What does this mean? Why does this do that? Also, when the odometer is not working and I have stopped, it sounds like it won't shift gears so have to pull off, turn car off then start it back up before drives right. Anybody have any ideas about this? No guessing, I NEED to KNOW so Please help!!
2006-08-31 05:38:57 · 12 answers · asked by GardenGirl 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Thought it was cruise control also but it does this even if cruise control is not on. This doesn't happen ALL the time BUT does it TOO often for my taste!
2006-08-31 05:47:09 · update #1
Sorry dude! It's a 98 Ford Taurus !!
2006-08-31 05:48:32 · update #2
engine light stays on.
2006-08-31 05:49:25 · update #3
Had someone to check fluid, it WAS low!
2006-08-31 05:52:16 · update #4
PEOPLE READ MY " COMPLETE" QUESTION!!! I PUT THE YEAR & WHAT KIND OF CAR IT IS!!! Please stop being so rude with answers.... don't reply if have to be ugly!! I am a single woman with a fixed income, some people "CAN'T" just go to a mecanic shop! I just didn't want to be left stranded somewhere, just needed some ideas so can try to have fixed!
2006-08-31 06:10:00 · update #5
Electronic speedometers use a PM generator located on the transmission. It's purpose is to send pulses through the computer and on to the speedometer in order to register speed. On some makes the speed determines when the trans. should shift. If the PM generator is bad it can cause all kinds of problems. Check to see if it has a lot of oil on it. If it has, replace it. Master tech 40 yrs
2006-08-31 06:12:45 · answer #1 · answered by Cal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to go to a mechanic as soon as possible you are having a problem with either the computer in the car or your electrical system. Either way you need to get this taken care of before you end up broken down on the side of the road. I had a car acting this way a few years ago, and finally ended up getting a recall on it for problems with the electrical system, this was after I had it into several dealerships and had broken down a total of four times in just under three months. The dealership did a ton of diagnostics on the car and could not find anything in particular wrong, meanwhile I was having to drive rental vehicles for weeks on end that ended up costing me about $1,200.00 before it was all over. I did get some of the cost back from the company that made the car. The car was only a few years old and had less than 20,000 miles on it when this started happening. It was especially frightening when I was breaking down at night on a major highway and could barely fight the car over into the breakdown lane without getting hit. A good rule of thumb with any vehicle is that if it starts doing something unusual, take it to a mechanic, this is not a guess, this is thirty five years of driving experience talking. Unless you are a mechanic, or have a mechanic in your immediate circle of family and friends and they can help you...make an appointment and go now. Good luck!
2006-08-31 06:06:50 · answer #2 · answered by Sue F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You did not mention what kind of a car it is, i can only guess that that the speedometer is mechanical, meaning runs off a cable conected to your transmission, that spins to make the needle move. Some cars have plastic gears at the end of that cable, and when the teeth strip out, it will cause the needle to act funny. this is especially evident by the needle bouncing when accellarating. The other problem you mentioned sounds like a problem with the transmission itself... low fluid, trans control module, or any number of other problems. Go to a shop and pay for a diagnostic. Guessing at what the problem is will be more expensive in the long run. Its better to spend 100 bucks on a diagnostic and pinpoint the problem, than spend 500 bucks in random parts and still have the car do the same thing
2006-08-31 05:51:29 · answer #3 · answered by kakalko 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You might try checking the vacuum reservoir, it sometimes looks like a big, round, plastic ball with a small hose coming out of it. When you engage the cruise control, some older model cars still use vacuum assisted modulators, any leak in the vacuum will cause a sudden loss in speed, until vacuum builds up then the cruise control sets. This is not any easy diagnosis, you have to have your vacuum checked by a special meter/gauge.
The vacuum modulator to your transmission sounds likes its on its last legs, so it won't shift right. You might be leaking Trans fluid, check the fluid dipstick, it may be low causing it to slip. Go to a few nearby transmission specialsts and ask for a free inspection. they can tell you what's wrong, like low on fluid, and give you a few estimates. compare and decide what's essentially needed to get you safely on the road again. good luck.
2006-08-31 07:09:12 · answer #4 · answered by Drgeeforce 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your odometer cable or where it goes into transmission sound like it getting to brake or twisted that why it goes to zero and then back up
if your car is not shifting correct it will jerk or slip check your fluid level possible be low a pint make a lot of different in a automatic tramsmission
2006-08-31 05:49:44 · answer #5 · answered by r_yo53 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You don't say how old of a car you have. If it is a newer modle
you should take it to a repair shop or dealer and have them run a test on it to see what is causing the problem. Newer cars are computerize and the dealer or repair shop can analyze it with a computer plug in system that they have.
2006-08-31 05:46:37 · answer #6 · answered by Alien 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no way to KNOW with this information. We don't even know what kind of car it is. The problem is definitely in the electrical system. Your best bet is to take it to a shop where they can hook it up to a computer that will tell what is wrong.
2006-08-31 05:55:54 · answer #7 · answered by smoke 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may very well have an electronic problem with your car. My guess is that there might be something going on with your car's computer. You need to get that checked out before you do anything else.
2006-08-31 05:46:52 · answer #8 · answered by Nestor Q 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
most likely you are loosing your signal from your transmission speed sensor, depending on car, can run from 60-300 bucks, but you should be getting a check engine\ vehicle light, and then there should be codes for that sensor in engine or trans computor or both
2006-08-31 05:45:51 · answer #9 · answered by bestwrencher 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you need to know, bring it to a mechanic. All the answers you receive here would be conjectures.
2006-08-31 05:45:29 · answer #10 · answered by wisechineseguy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋