I am absolutely stumped. I've spent this weekend trying to diagnose and fix a combination of problems with my odometer and speedometer, with no luck.

First, the truck: 1997 Ranger, 2.3L 4-cyl, 5-speed. All stock, no modifications whatsoever.

On Friday morning, I noticed my odometer and trip odometer stopped working. I Google-searched it and found that it was likely the motor that turns the gear behind the odometer. I stopped at a wrecking yard and bought another cluster to get that part out of. Friday night I got the part out.

Saturday, I took apart my cluster, and replaced the part. I put my truck all back together, and test drove it. My odometer worked, but the speedometer stopped registering altogether.

I once again disassembled, messed with the speedo needle. Then I'd turn the key on, and it'd immediately bounce up to 40 mph. I messed with it again, and it seemed to work finally.

As I driving today, I noticed that it was about 7 mph too high. Starts at zero, but after comparing to those electronic "your speed" signs, it's 7 mph too high.

Then later today, as I'm just down the road from my house, the odometer quits again.

So, my question now is, what's wrong? And where should I go from here?

 

From another site relating to this subject:

Troubleshooting:

Problem - "The speedometer on my '96 Ranger quits working sometimes."

Answer - From 1995-1997, check the VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) on the transmission/transfercase. Could be bad.

1) Turn off vehicle and disconnect the VSS cable.

2) Using a Digital Volt-Ohmmeter (DVOM), measure the resistance (DVOM ohmmeter function) between the sensor terminals on the VSS (not the cable).

3) If the resistance is 190-250 ohms, the sensor is okay.

 

I am also having a similar issue with my 01 4x4 ranger, the speedometer will maintain accuracy and then within seconds be 7-10 mph too high? It has been intermittent since I bought the truck 3 weeks ago and I'm stumped, all wires and cluster looks good, HELPPPPP!!