I have a 1996 Plymouth Neon, 2.0, automatic. when it's cold, the speedo works correctly, but seems like after the engine warms a bit, OR I hit a bump, OR cut the wheel, OR for no apparrant reason, the speedo drops to zero and refuses to function. This has to be an electrical failure, since there is no cable directly into the speedometer, only a wire. Transmissoin was replaced and the gear was almost new. Is there a sensor, or anything electrical I can replace that usually goes out? The car is is good shape, with just over 100k miles. I know very little about auto electrical, especially on anything past 1980 (showing my age here) To me, it sounds like there is a magnetic pick up problem, but I have no idea where that part is.
Thanks

 

Been there, done that ? My 95 was doing the same thing, one time, speedo only, next time, speedo & gauges, but tach would work. Finally I hit the dash above the cluster & it all started working again, temporarily. Here's what i finally did. Pulled the trim off around the cluster, removed the screws holding the cluster in the dash. Removed the connector at the back, and pulled the whole thing right out. My guess is that through expansion & contraction of the plastic connector, I was losing a good contact. On the back of your cluster where the connector attaches, you'll see a bunch of small male, spade contacts. I took a few minutes, and a pair of tweezers, and slightly bent those spades a bit at the top, just to hopefully get a better contact when inside the connector. Don't go too much, as you need your alignment with the female connector in the dash. Then I pushed the connector in the dash, out through the front of its slot in the dash, and reconnected it to the cluster, good & snug. I re-installed the cluster back in the dash, making sure that the connector was back in it's proper place, gave it a good push in, and re-installed the screws to hold it all in place, put trim piece back on and it was done. It lasted for about 2 yrs before it started to do it again occasionally. Repeated procedure, fine again. It will probably only take you 1/2 hr to do it. It worked for me.

 

I appreciate that, and the guages...I've experienced that also. I'll try that, and we'll see what happens...I hope I can be that lucky
Thanks
Don