Q: Speedometer and Odometer stopped working.

asked by on July 29, 2016

The Speedometer and Odometer stopped working on my 1994 mustang. I removed the instrument panel to check the odometer gears were still in proper condition, and they were. To my surprise i found a burnt wire on the back of the instrument panel. When i attempted to jump this broken wire and plugged it back into the car, smoke seeped from the dash. i disconnected this wire and I have been living without a speedometer for some time now. What could be the source of this short circuit or how can i look?

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The speedometer on your Mustang is electronically controlled. The speedometer is powered on the light green with yellow stripe wire from the #8 fuse in the dash panel fuse box. The grey/black and the green/orange wires go to the vehicle speed sensor on the transmission. If the speedometer itself is shorted internally, it may be the cause of the shorted wiring once you identify the wire that is shorting out. You could have a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, inspect the speedometer system in person to pinpoint and correct the fault.

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