How to Install a Speedometer Three Parts:Preparing Prior to
InstallationDisconnecting the Current SpeedometerInstalling the New Speedometer
A speedometer is one of the more important parts of your car—a safety feature
that protects you both from unsafe driving and from the financial repercussions
of getting a speeding ticket. You can spend several hundred dollars for a
mechanic to install a new device,or you can take a weekend to do the work
yourself. This is a relatively complex car repair,and you should not attempt it
as your first automotive project. Part 1 of 3: Preparing Prior to Installation
1. Read your vehicle's owner's manual. Before you touch so much as a screw
around the vehicle's instrument cluster,thoroughly read the owner's manual. You
will find helpful information in the manual concerning the wiring around the
dash cluster,as well as a schematic for the instrument panel that will help
locating the correct hardware,wiring,components,etc. Many cars,especially those
purchased used from private owners may no longer have the owner's manual. You
might be able to find a downloadable version of the manual online from the
manufacturer's website,but if not,you should be able to order one directly from
the manufacturer via a certified dealership. 2. Find an appropriate speedometer.
The dimensions of a speedometer vary from vehicle to vehicle and after-market
products are most certainly not universal. You can consult the parts department
at a certified dealer to ensure that you order a speedometer that will fit
properly into your instrument panel. The gauge won't just need to meet dimension
specifications,but you also have to consider what all connects to your specific
vehicle's speedometer. Some have one wire for a dash light while some have two.
Vehicles with an automatic transmission may also have a gear selection wire
connected to the speedometer. Ordering a component with everything you need is
essential. If you would rather not go through a dealership but you have a
trusted mechanic,he or she will likely have access to the same parts information
and can also ensure that you order an appropriate speedometer. 3. ather the
necessary tools. While removing and installing a speedometer doesn't require any
specialized equipment,you do need to make sure that you have both phillips and
flathead screwdrivers on hand,as well as a pair of pliers,a good wrench set,and
possibly a good socket wrench set. Part 2 of 3: Disconnecting the Current
Speedometer 1. Disconnect your vehicle's battery. The wiring to your current
speedometer feeds from the vehicle's battery,and you risk shocking yourself
while dealing with these wires if you do not disconnect the battery first thing.
2. Loosen the screws around your vehicle's instrument cluster. One of the
schematic pages in your owner's manual should point out the location of each
screw you will need to remove. Pay close attention to which screws instead of
removing every screw around the cluster since some of them may not need to be
removed. Make sure you store the screws in a safe spot where you will not lose
them while working on the installation. After removing the screws,the face plate
around the instrument panel will still be held in place by pressure clips autel. Use a flathead screwdriver to pry
an edge of the plate forward gently and pull lightly on the plate until all of
the pressure clips release. Be very careful during this because it is possible
to break the clips. There will be large electrical plugs connected to buttons
such as your hazard lights as well. You can hold the release to easily remove
these plugs. In most model vehicles,these plugs only fit into their proper
housing,so incorrectly connecting them later is impossible. When in doubt,label
each with a piece of tape as you disconnect it. 3. Pull the instrument cluster
out of the dash. Though all of the wiring will still be connected,you will have
some room to ease the instrument cluster forward from the dash. [5] Part 3 of 3: Installing the New Speedometer 1. Set the new
speedometer in place on the instrument panel. Reattach it by screwing it to the
mounting points that held the old speedometer in position. 2. Reconnect lighting
connections for the speedometer. Reconnect the wiring as your owner's manual
schematic and your reference pictures indicate. You may have to tighten down
some connections as well. If the model is compatible with your car,they should
connect as the old one did autel
maxidiag elite md802. If your model vehicle has a joint-wiring plug and you
ordered a suitable speedometer,then the plug should snap easily into place. 3.
Slide the instrument cluster back into position. You will have to replace any
screws that you initially removed from the cluster as well. 4. Replace the panel
face plate in front of your instrument panel. You will have to reconnect any
electrical plugs that you disconnected when removing the plate as well as snap
the pressure clips back in place before tightening the screws in place. Don't
tighten the screws down too hard since this piece is plastic in most vehicles
and can break. 5. Reconnect your car's battery. After you reconnect it,confirm
that the electrics turn on. Since you likely had to unplug a few items connected
to the panel plate,check everything in the dash from your hazard lights to your
turn signals and headlights. Make sure everything is in working order. 6. Check
the speedometer's calibration. By using a stopwatch and your odometer,you can
test drive your car and confirm that the new speedometer is accurate. Pick a
large empty parking lot or another area where you can maintain a slow consistent
speed. If you go one mile (odometer) in three minutes (stopwatch) at a
consistent speed,then you know you were traveling at 20mph. If your new
speedometer is off,follow the manufacturer's directions that came with your
specific speedometer to calibrate it.
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