Grrrr.... why me

[Alicorn]

K so I just got my baby.

It is the base, base, base model of the 1994 Ford Aspire 2D.

This is the first of may foreseeable issues:

My instrument panel is... well wonky.

The speedometer does not work.
The odometer does not work.
The temperature gauge flutters.
The airbag light flashes, then stops when I hit a bump and starts flashing again after the next bump.

The fuses are good (Checked everyone of em in car)
Have not checked the 80 amp under the hood. But I'm forced to assume that if it was bad then there is much that would not work.

So my question is this.

What needs replaced? Is the whole panel bad and needs replaced or is it something like the VSS?

Any advice or suggestions welcomed, PM or reply.

Thanks much!

[jglutz]

The odometer and speedo work together...they would fail together.
And flashing lights.

I would guess the previous owner disconnected the speedo cable to the behind the panel and never properly reinstalled it...thus the flashing lights.

[econoaddict]

By your description of things happening the first thing I would do is check to make sure the plug-in connector to the guage panel is secure and connections are clean.
Also as already mentioned check the speedo cable, is it seated in fully? is it tight?

[sasquatch]

if your cluster is done, i have a SE cluster for sale.

[ejp2fast]

The odometer and speedo work together...they would fail together.
And flashing lights.

I would guess the previous owner disconnected the speedo cable to the behind the panel and never properly reinstalled it...thus the flashing lights.

when i got my car, i had this same problem. Ended up the speedo cable (tightly wound spring) was broke. New cable from a Junk yard and fixed it. Also, as an FYI If you replace the speedo, check the o-ring where it connects to the tranny. Also what i had to do when i replaced my speedo, is i had to cut the rubber back on the cable so the square male end would go up farther into the instrument panel as the original length was too short. i have an automatic and the speedo cable came off of a manual transmission. good luck.

[Pu241]

The fuses are good (Checked everyone of em in car)
Have not checked the 80 amp under the hood. But I'm forced to assume that if it was bad then there is much that would not work.

I don't think there is an 80 amp fues under the hood.
There are 3 fusable links underhood, and you are correct, if one of these was gone you'd have more major issues than those you report.

[Alicorn]

I don't think there is an 80 amp fues under the hood.
There are 3 fusable links underhood, and you are correct, if one of these was gone you'd have more major issues than those you report.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25973676@N02/2439968724/

promise there are. This is a copy of the page of the user's manual that has the 80 amp fuse.

But yeah, your right.

I'm gonna check on the spedomoter cable first then the instrument cluster. I've got some sources on some junked aspires and gonna check on them to see if they've got what I need.

There will be more questions and pictures later.

[Pu241]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25973676@N02/2439968724/

promise there are. This is a copy of the page of the user's manual that has the 80 amp fuse.

Don't know what that diagram is from, but it isn't a festiva fuse panel.

Anyone got a pic of the three fusable links under the hood.


Thanks, Pack!
I really need to learn to read, 1994 Aspire, got it!
Didn't realize the Aspire had air bags!
Learn something everyday.

[packrat427]

K so I just got my baby.

It is the base, base, base model of the 1994 Ford Aspire 2D.



Thanks much!

It is a Aspire ..LOL

[Alicorn]

Yeah, Aspires were the one of the first subcompact cars to have dual front airbags

[FB71]

ok, like JG said, the speedo cable is most likely unplugged fom the speedo head. The 80A underhood really won't cause the symptoms you're describing, b ut it can't hurt to check it. The SRS (Supplimental Restraint System, or airbags) lamp is flashing because it detects a fault. If you count the flashes, I can tell you what the fault is. The flashes occur in two groups, each group separated by a short pause, and clusters of the two groups separated by a long pause. Each group of flashes is a digit, for example; two flashes, short pause, three flashes, long pause, two flashes, short pause, thee flashes, long pause, ... that would be a code 23. More than likely, you have a bad ground somewhere, and the previous owner puller the instrument cluster chasing the problem of the flashing light. Based on the code, I can most likely lead you to the bad ground.

[FB71]

oh, and Asspires don't have a VSS. Just FYI.

[Alicorn]

Cool, I did not realize, I had read on a forum somewhere that that was the first thing to check. But apparently they were thinking of the wrong car. Meh.