98 cavalier speedometer and odometer intermittent

[Dprice]

Hello everyone,
Here is my frustration, I mean problem.... I own a 98 cavalier that has about 98,000 miles on it. We parked the car for about 8 months and when we started driving it again the speedometer starter jumping all over the place and stopped working completely eventually. It sometimes shows a small glimmer of life but not very often. The odometer only works when the speedometer is working. I have replaced the vss speed sensor and it did not change anything. I have visually inspected the wires and connectors and all of this looks very good. I don't see any sign of dry rotting on the wires or connections and all the connections are good. What would be my next step... I guess it could be possible that the new vss sensor that I installed was bad but I doubt it.
Please help... I will make sure that I post the solution if we find it.
Derrick

 

[zora]

You appear to have covered the usual suspects, the VSS or the wire harness. Beyond that without a scan tool, such as a Tech II, cant point to anything else. Here is a link with some suggestions to test the VSS
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/troubleshooting-a-vehicle-speed-sensor

 

[Dprice]

Thanks, I will look in to that this weekend

 

[Suburbanized]

This will be the VSS for sure.

 

[Dprice]

Here is the issue w/ the vss being the problem.. My first thought was that the sensor was going out so i replaced it w/ a brand new sensor and nothing changed. I was so hoping that my issue would be solved w/ a 16 dollar part and 5 minutes worth of maintenance... No such luck

 

[Suburbanized]

Double check the wiring harness to the sensor, look for lacerations. Maybe the cluster stepper motors in the cluster are calling it quits?

 

[Dprice]

If the cluster motor is giving up would it affect the odometer? I thought about looking into that but couldn't seem to find any information on the cluster motors for the 98 cavalier. Also w/ the odometer not working I wasn't sure if it would cause it to not work as well.
Derrick

 

[jkw017]

when my gas gauge on my 94 cav with 63k stopped operation accurately I tried this and that finally just went to the junk yard and got another instrument cluster now all is well 3 years later(the junk yard one had 100k more miles than mine and cost about 50 bucks)

 

[Suburbanized]

If the cluster motor is giving up would it affect the odometer? I thought about looking into that but couldn't seem to find any information on the cluster motors for the 98 cavalier. Also w/ the odometer not working I wasn't sure if it would cause it to not work as well.
Derrick

True, insure that the VSS harness is free of any sort of damage.