Ask the Editors: Speedo Stopped Working
Here’s what to do.
I have a 2003 Bombardier 650 4×4 Quest and recently my speedo just decided to stop working. The odometer doesn’t tick up either but that makes sense considering it thinks I’m going 0mph all the time. I found some links online that mentioned there was a speed sensor to the right of the oil dip but after taking it apart I didn’t see anything that looked like what Google images says a speed sensor would be.
The speedo itself moves to 0mph from the off position when turning it on, the backlight for the speedo turns on, and I can switch between trip mileage and hours. The machine itself rides fine as far as I can tell with no bad effects from it. I tried to find a service manual online but it linked me to a bunch of shady sites and I wasn’t trying to get scammed out of $15 each until I find one that is actually legit.
Has anyone had a similar issue and knows what the fix would be, or where I should actually be looking for the speed sensor? Or at least point me towards a reputable site for a service manual that might better explain where/what to look for?
Let’s start with manuals, we often use Manuals Lib which allows you to download the manual for free or, if you prefer, you can browse every single page free right through your web browser. Here is the link for your machine.
Indeed, it appears the instrument cluster should have a wire bundle that leads to a harness and then a connector and wire from the harness should lead directly to the speed sensor itself.
You say you looked where it should be an cannot locate it – that may in fact be your problem. They do occasionally get ripped from the chassis while traversing thick foliage.
The way to be certain is to remove the front plastic from your machine and follow the wire where it leaves the cluster cowl all the way to its termination point. If it ends without reaching the speed sensor, you know what needs to be replaced.
On the other hand, if everything there checks out, it’s time to grab an electrical multimeter while you have the plastic off. Set it to resistance (ohms) and begin checking each run of wire from where it begins at the back of the instrument center to the respective hole in the harness. A fray or short on any one of these circuits will cause the symptoms you’re describing (you’ll experience a jump in ohms if there is a problem).
Lastly the unit itself could be faulty but we would save that hypothesis for only after all of the tests above fail. If that does prove to be the case, we located several used “in working condition” units available from reputable merchants on sites like eBay for around $135.
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