Bouncy Speedometer! - Speedo Needle very erratic on cold day

[13022]

The Speedo needle bounces up and down for the first half hour or so of driving, then settles down and behaves perfectly normally. This only happens in the winter months. Naturally!

The car is due the NCT test (like MOT) in February (i.e. during bouncy-speedo-season). Last time round I had to drive up and down for an hour in advance to warm up the speedo!

Does any one know what causes this rather special condition? I took the Speedo out a few years ago to investigate but there was no apparent problem...

 

[Neil Eglintine]

Bouncy Speedometer!

More likely to be the cable than the instrument. You could try lubing the cable, but you have to beware letting the oil or grease creep into the instrument itself.

The effect of cold weather is to thicken whatever lubrication there is, and to make both the inner and outer of the cable less flexible.

Of course this assumes your car has a cable driven speedo...

 

[Andy]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Hi Mark,

I am assuming that your vehicle is a 190e, judging from your last post. Neil I think is on the right lines. Try this. If you look under the car whether manual or auto. You will see where the spedo cable enters the gearbox. The cable is held in with a 10mm bolt. Remove and tug cable out. You will then see a sort of rubber grommet. Remove this. Then the cable will be exposed. You will then see that the cable is held in with a thin washer. You will need a fine screw driver to prise it out. Once out remove the cable and wipe clean. Don't lube. Only lube if my why dosn't work! Refit in reverse procedure. This should sort it. On vehicle ie 201/124 that have a juddering speedo cable this little trick should cure it. If not and you buy a new cable. If you do not want to go to the trouble of fitting the complete thing. Fit just the inner cable. This has worked 10 out of 10 for me.

Good luck

Andy @www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[Matt Crooke]

Bouncy Speedometer!

My 190E started doing this today!, and low and behold it was below freezing last night as well....and heres me thinking it was something major!

 

[David S]

Bouncy Speedometer!

It is funny what you find when you search through the past-postings.

I have a similar problem on my W124 E280. When very cold the speedo bounces up and down. Over Christmas the speedo started making a whirring noise which got progessively worse the faster I drove. (The noise stopped when the car warmed up.)

Q. Will the rememdies suggested previously fix this problem?

Also, I noticed that on some surfaces there seems to be a dull whirring noise. At first I thought it was a wheel bearing, however a local specialist informed me the wheel bearings were fine. I wonder if the noise if from the cable. It may be time to investigate.

David

 

[fuzzer]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Just goes to show , nothing likes the cold

 

[Matt Crooke]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Ill second that.

 

[Andy]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Hi Dave,

I don't think the remedies mentioned will work on your vehicle. I THINK, they are electronic. (I will have to have a look tomorrow)

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[David S]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Andy,

Did you find any info on the problem I have with my speedo.

Many thanks for your time.

David

 

[Andy]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Sorry Dave forgot all about it!!!

I look tomorrow.

Regards

Andy

 

[Andy]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Hi Dave,

Yep I remembered and I have to eat my words. The speedo is a cable drive. So try a new cable or lube the inner cable as I have mentioned before.

Regards

Andy  @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[David S]

Bouncy Speedometer!

Thanks Andy for the help and your time. I will see about fixing this myself or wait until the next service is due and then get it sorted.

Regards.

David