coincidence or related

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:21 pm

Hi Guys
My wife used my car this morning and came back and said theres a warning light on the dash and the speedo's not working

So I've just taken my car for a spin.

After starting the power light flashes about 16 times.
Check engine stays on constantly.
Speedo no longer works.
Electric radiator fans constantly on.

Is this coincidence that they all happened at once or do you reckon they're related?

The engine sounds fine, car runs really well (goes like a shower of sh!t), water, oil and auto fluid all OK. Runs at normal temperature. Just don't know how fast I'm going now.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:47 pm

Speed sensor will cause all those issues, the speedo obviously, the power light flashing is telling you there is an issue with the speed sensor, the ECU also needs input and without the speed sensor, the ECU runs the fans because it doesnt know if you are driving or stopped.

hydrowill · Post by **hydrowill** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:49 pm

This happened to me not so long ago in my gen 3 lib.

Ended up that the speedo sender had come loose from the gearbox.
All I had to do was screw it back in and the speedo and odo worked again.
Check engine light also went away.

That will be the cause (or one of) of the check engine light.

Not sure about the radiator fans tho.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:02 pm

I've seen this many a times with the Gen1 Liberty and a lot more common on the autos than the manuals (don't understand why) but I'd be checking the speedo cable. Like Gannon has mentioned, you ECU requires speed sense from the speedo and without it, your ECU will go into 'Limp' mode. This allows you to drive the car home or place of repair wthout damaging the engine.

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:05 pm

Ah ha, Brilliant! Thanks guys, yep that makes sense. They're all related to the one issue.
I googled how to read the flashing codes, went through the procedure and mine came up with 33 which I found out is ... 33: Vehicle speed sensor 2
I'll undo the sensor tomorrow, have a look at it and put it back in. Anything I need to look out for?
I guess if It doesn't work when I put it back in, it's probably died and I will need a new one.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:44 pm

Hey Mike, your speed sensor is inside the dash cluster. I wouldn't be pulling that apart yet. I would reach your hand/arm up and under the dash and feel/look for the speedo cable, then give it a slight yank-out, if it comes off really easy, try pushing it in more and take for a drive. If it still doesn't work, then pull out the cable. I'd then see if you can pull the inner section out, if you can then it's broken, if you cannot, then I'd drive the car down the road and watch the inner drive piece to see if it turns, if this doesn't then you'll need to check the connection at the gearbox. If this turns then you have a cluster issue.

Hope this makes sense?

Fun, fun, fun

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:37 pm

Thanks Paul. I'd assumed the sensor was inside the top of the gearbox and was going to undo that

Yep makes sense, it may have disconnected from the sensor inside the dash or the line inside has broken or if the line inside turns then I may have something wrong inside the gearbox.
Bugger I hate grovelling upside down on the floor, sticking my hand and arm into tight sharp hard places and doing it by braille.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:59 pm

Me too

it's a PITA and I guess this is why Subaru went electronic in the Gen2 onwards

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:30 am

Same happened to me on my old Legacy wagon, obviously a common problem.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:09 am

the fans on is an ECU distress call in Commodores, not a bad idea to keep things cool just in case, sounds same in the Sube. Still cable speedo ? Praise for Ford with their 1979 XD going electronic speedo !

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:37 am

I disconnected the cable at both ends replugged it in. No Luck.
Undid cable again it definitely rotates.
I took out the plug in the auto and it looks to me like it has sheered off, not sure if its supposed to look like this( see pic), I also can't rotate the little silver bit inside the plug.

Post by **TOONGA** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:00 pm

That looks broken, when you take the speed sensor out there should be a slot for the sensor to go back into. RSR would confirm but he is MIA today.

If you have a set of needle nose pliers you should be able to get that bit out.

TOONGA

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:43 pm

Hi Toonga how are you? I wasn't sure what the inside was supposed to look like, I spoke to RSR555 today(thanks for your advice Paul, It was good to talk to you again). He suggested I dig around with some long nose pliers, which I did and yep pulled out a bit of metal that turns out to be the broken off tab also dug out the rubber that is in there to stop the moisture.

Any ideas where I can get a new one from ?
Or find out it's part number?

Post by **TOONGA** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm

Im good LIFTED

I would ring around the wreckers (might be gold plated prices)

or get in touch with FROG aka Andy

or Ebay motors in the US

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Standard-Mot ... =RTM839189

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wells-SU5492 ... =RTM839190

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Standard-Mot ... =RTM839191

TOONGA

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:12 pm

No probs Mike, I'm always happy to help

even if I just got off the plane.. hehe

I'm glad to hear that it wasn't the cluster/speed sensor. Now I'm 99% sure I'll have one of these drive adaptors in the workshop. Let me check tomorrow and I'll let you know. Can you please text me tomorrow just to remind me? You can have it for free, as you've given me plenty of things off that Gen2 Outback.

I highly recommend you grease the crap out of it, as like most of them due to their age, is the grease is drying out and causing them to sieze up.

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:22 pm

Sent you a pm Toonga
Thanks RSR555 I'll be texting you for sure, yes your prompt service was amazingly fast.

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:24 pm

All sorted, thanks for your help everyone. Phoned Subaru in Wangara the guy said he could get it in from the warehouse in a couple of hours $35, done deal. Now in the car and greased the cable, should go for another 21 years.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:06 am

arrr, while on the subject ....if my L Series box was out in the weather and this speedo cable hole became exposed - can I expect my box is now water logged inside and now scrap ?

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:59 am

LIFTED wrote:All sorted, thanks for your help everyone. Phoned Subaru in Wangara the guy said he could get it in from the warehouse in a couple of hours $35, done deal. Now in the car and greased the cable, should go for another 21 years.

Well done and I see the rare case of where the original part is cheaper than the aftermarket part.

TOONGA