96 neon speedo

I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the speedo
needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next day it
will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop working. When
it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance. My mechanic is
not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear connection in the
transmission since every time I bring it in, it works. Has anyone else had
this problem? Any ideas?

More then likely its the printed circuit board of the instument cluster, you
may have a loose resistor on the board, some times you can hit the top of
the dash pad and it will kick back on
"Mike Anzel" > wrote in message
...
> I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the speedo
> needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next day it
> will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop working. When
> it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance. My mechanic is
> not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear connection in the
> transmission since every time I bring it in, it works. Has anyone else
had
> this problem? Any ideas?
>
>

More then likely its the printed circuit board of the instument cluster, you
may have a loose resistor on the board, some times you can hit the top of
the dash pad and it will kick back on
"Mike Anzel" > wrote in message
...
> I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the speedo
> needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next day it
> will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop working. When
> it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance. My mechanic is
> not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear connection in the
> transmission since every time I bring it in, it works. Has anyone else
had
> this problem? Any ideas?
>
>

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Mike Anzel wrote:

> I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the
> speedo needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next
> day it will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop
> working. When it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance.
> My mechanic is not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear
> connection in the transmission since every time I bring it in, it works.
> Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas?

Probably your Vehicle Speed and Distance Sensor. They can go intermittent
like this.

DS

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Mike Anzel wrote:

> I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the
> speedo needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next
> day it will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop
> working. When it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance.
> My mechanic is not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear
> connection in the transmission since every time I bring it in, it works.
> Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas?

Probably your Vehicle Speed and Distance Sensor. They can go intermittent
like this.

DS

I agree with Dan and have seen this before on two other Chrysler vehicles.
The OP does not indicate if this is a manual transmission or automatic. If
automatic, if the speed sensor goes out, then the transmission should go to
2nd gear/limp mode. Since this is not mentioned, then I presume the vehicle
is a manual trans or possibly the bad connection is in the instrument
cluster as another poster suggested.

Bob

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Mike Anzel wrote:
>
> > I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the
> > speedo needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next
> > day it will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop
> > working. When it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance.
> > My mechanic is not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear
> > connection in the transmission since every time I bring it in, it works.
> > Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas?
>
> Probably your Vehicle Speed and Distance Sensor. They can go intermittent
> like this.
>
> DS

I agree with Dan and have seen this before on two other Chrysler vehicles.
The OP does not indicate if this is a manual transmission or automatic. If
automatic, if the speed sensor goes out, then the transmission should go to
2nd gear/limp mode. Since this is not mentioned, then I presume the vehicle
is a manual trans or possibly the bad connection is in the instrument
cluster as another poster suggested.

Bob

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Mike Anzel wrote:
>
> > I have a 1996 neon highline and have noticed that while driving the
> > speedo needle will drop down to "0" and stay there for awhile. The next
> > day it will work fine again. Then a day or so latter it will stop
> > working. When it has stopped working the odometer also doesn't advance.
> > My mechanic is not sure weather it is the speed sensor or some gear
> > connection in the transmission since every time I bring it in, it works.
> > Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas?
>
> Probably your Vehicle Speed and Distance Sensor. They can go intermittent
> like this.
>
> DS

"Bob Shuman" > wrote in message
...
> I agree with Dan and have seen this before on two other Chrysler vehicles.
> The OP does not indicate if this is a manual transmission or automatic.
If
> automatic, if the speed sensor goes out, then the transmission should go
to
> 2nd gear/limp mode. Since this is not mentioned, then I presume the
vehicle
> is a manual trans or possibly the bad connection is in the instrument
> cluster as another poster suggested.

The 96 Neon has a three speed hydraulic automatic transmission. Doesn't need
the speed sensor.

"Bob Shuman" > wrote in message
...
> I agree with Dan and have seen this before on two other Chrysler vehicles.
> The OP does not indicate if this is a manual transmission or automatic.
If
> automatic, if the speed sensor goes out, then the transmission should go
to
> 2nd gear/limp mode. Since this is not mentioned, then I presume the
vehicle
> is a manual trans or possibly the bad connection is in the instrument
> cluster as another poster suggested.

The 96 Neon has a three speed hydraulic automatic transmission. Doesn't need
the speed sensor.

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Bob Shuman wrote:

> I agree with Dan and have seen this before on two other Chrysler vehicles.
> The OP does not indicate if this is a manual transmission or automatic. If
> automatic, if the speed sensor goes out, then the transmission should go to
> 2nd gear/limp mode.

Nope, the '96 Neon has a 3-speed hydromechanical transmission that has no
"limp mode" and will continue to operate normally even if the
speed/distance sensor is flaky.

DS