Get the latest advice about your car

Get Started
Advice » Q&A » 2005 Chrysler Sebring

Q&A

Ask Your Question

2005 Chrysler Sebring

Question: Why does my speedometer jump when I'm idling?

Question

jroemen, 2.7L V6, Sioux Falls, SD, November 03, 2011, 19:17
Profile_thumbnail
 Rookie

While idling, either in park or with my foot on the break my speedometer jumps like i'm going between 10-20MPH. I noticed it tends to do it more often when the heat is on. I was told it would be the speed sensors so I had those replaced and its still doing it. The first time it happened I brought it to the shop, the tranny fluid was 2 qts low and it came back with 2 codes, one for the speed sensors, the other for a gear shift sensor or something like that. Now that I've replaced the speed sensors its coming back with no codes. Please help I have no clue what is going on.

1 Answer
Answer It
Flag This

  • Answer #1

    patrick mannion from Greg Solow's Engine Room, November 03, 2011, 20:09
    Profile_thumbnail
     Master

    Was the first code a Vehicle Speed Sensor VSS) that was initially wrong. It is only a pulse generator that puts out an alternating a/c voltage that increases with road speed. They do fail. It could be an instrument cluster problem, but it sounds like a bad ground, another circuit (brake light, heater circuit) is feeding back into the speedometer and making it pulse. You would have to look at a wiring diagram and see where the circuits cross on the power or ground side.

    Flag This

  • Reply

    jroemen, November 03, 2011, 20:34
    Profile_thumbnail
     Rookie

    I guess I should have added that the engine does rev a slight amount when it does it, it's not terribly noticeable due to the fact that it only goes up to like 20mph. It does it when the heats off also, maybe its just a fluke but it tends to happen more often with it on. The other night I was going through a drive thru so my car was idling for quite a while and the check engine light came on as well as when I was driving home the RPMs were at like 3(3000 or whatever it is) and I was only going 30mph, I brought it to the shop the yesterday to have the speed sensors replaced. The check engine light hasn't come back on it but still has the problem while idling. I went back to the shop he checked for codes, it came back with nothing but said he really had no clue as to what was going on and that he would "look into it."

    Reply
    Flag This
Answer Ranks

This week's top 10

1 globalhelper 6 obdcar
2 milesauto 7 TimGoodreau
3 csubak30 8 raiderron
4 jose8889 9 Merrimack Auto
5 Autohaus Lake Norman 10 Camster