2002 Dakota has wacky speedo at times...

biegs · 01-11-2007, 03:31 PM

My Dodge Dakota has a speedo that acts wierd at times. The speedo quits working and all the idiot lights come on, the heater control switch stays in the last position I had it set to, my back-up lights won't work and then when the speedo starts working again everything is fine. I have replaced the vehicle spped sensor on the tranny, as well as an ABS sensor on the rear diff. Any ideas as to what might still be wrong???

01-11-2007, 07:35 PM

it sounds like you have a flaky computer. If you take it out (usually behing glove compartment) and take it to an auto parts store they can probably test it

Biegz · 01-12-2007, 02:41 PM

The computer is not behind the glove box it is behind the left kick panel

01-12-2007, 03:00 PM

Oh you found it? most of my cars (including my truck) had them behind the glove compartment or under the passenger panels, I never had a dakota though.

Volt-Schwibe · 01-24-2007, 05:08 PM

to me this sounds like a bad connector on the harness that runs the dashboard.

it's an electronic dashboard, so without proper signal, it actually sorta has a mind of it's own, that's where the "all the idiot lights lit up" comes from.

older dashboards would have just stopped working altogether.

anyhow, this might be really hard to reach, if it's the one on the actual backside of the dashboard itself.

when it happens, try slapping the dashboard a little. (NOT hard enough to deploy your airbag though, seriously.)

01-11-2007, 03:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
biegs Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 37 OS: XP PRO	2002 Dakota has wacky speedo at times... My Dodge Dakota has a speedo that acts wierd at times. The speedo quits working and all the idiot lights come on, the heater control switch stays in the last position I had it set to, my back-up lights won't work and then when the speedo starts working again everything is fine. I have replaced the vehicle spped sensor on the tranny, as well as an ABS sensor on the rear diff. Any ideas as to what might still be wrong???

01-12-2007, 02:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Biegz Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 19 OS: xp	2002 Dakota has wacky speedo at times... The computer is not behind the glove box it is behind the left kick panel

01-12-2007, 03:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
ibmman456987 Guest Posts: n/a OS:	Oh you found it? most of my cars (including my truck) had them behind the glove compartment or under the passenger panels, I never had a dakota though. Last edited by ibmman456987; 01-12-2007 at 03:14 PM.

01-24-2007, 05:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Volt-Schwibe Asst. Manager, Automotive Forums; HJT Trainee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Behind you, watching you as you type. Posts: 7,372 OS: Click "My System" to view details My System	to me this sounds like a bad connector on the harness that runs the dashboard. it's an electronic dashboard, so without proper signal, it actually sorta has a mind of it's own, that's where the "all the idiot lights lit up" comes from. older dashboards would have just stopped working altogether. anyhow, this might be really hard to reach, if it's the one on the actual backside of the dashboard itself. when it happens, try slapping the dashboard a little. (NOT hard enough to deploy your airbag though, seriously.) __________________ <signature> TSF is funded by our Admin's pocket, care to help? Power Tip: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. New Members: Creating a single new thread in the correct section is the best way to assure your thread will receive a reply. </signature>

01-11-2007, 07:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
ibmman456987 Guest Posts: n/a OS:	it sounds like you have a flaky computer. If you take it out (usually behing glove compartment) and take it to an auto parts store they can probably test it