Speedoless in Southend

[James A]

The latest chapter in the c**p Volvo 700 instrument panel saga opened today with The Volvo's speedometer deciding to cease operating, its needle resolutely staying at zero on the way back from shopping in town. The odometer and trip recorder stopped working in August, which I couldn't care less about, as I gave up any notion of keeping an accurate mileage record for the car a long time ago, due to it having had three different instrument panels since I've owned it, but I'm quite peturbed by the lack of speedometer.

I'm thinking that there is most likely some sort internal fault with the thing, as on a couple of occasions I have driven the car recently, I have had to tap the instrument panel 'glass' to wake it up, whereupon it has worked properly. Alternatively, there could be something happening with the wiring to the speed sensor on the back axle, which I had to renew in 2007, due to it corroding away. I'll take a look when the weather's dryer, but I think that the problem most likely is with the speedometer itself...

If the fault is indeed with the speedometer, does anyone know anyone who will be able to mend it (including getting the odometer and trip recorder working) at a reasonable cost? Alternatively, has anyone got a spare one, or even better, a more-or-less functioning VDO-type instrument panel? I have been on the look-out for a replacement for some time (without any success at all), as the panel illumination STILL doesn't work on the car's current one, despite my best efforts to get it to do so over the past two years - why Volvo fitted such hapless instruments to the 700 Series is beyond me

[Oilydad]

If you don't feel that you can repair it, put an ad in the 740 Parts wanted section on here, or failing any result there, your best bet is probably to get in touch with a site like:

www.breakerlink.com

They will source your wanted part from breakers all over the UK, and then get anyone who has one to text you with a price. It's a nationwide scheme.

I think you pay for an initial text of about £1.50 but after that, it's free.

Used it a few times with excellent results.

Don't forget to haggle with the seller though!!

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by James A

The latest chapter in the c**p Volvo 700 instrument panel saga opened today with The Volvo's speedometer deciding to cease operating, its needle resolutely staying at zero on the way back from shopping in town. The odometer and trip recorder stopped working in August, which I couldn't care less about, as I gave up any notion of keeping an accurate mileage record for the car a long time ago, due to it having had three different instrument panels since I've owned it, but I'm quite peturbed by the lack of speedometer.

I'm thinking that there is most likely some sort internal fault with the thing, as on a couple of occasions I have driven the car recently, I have had to tap the instrument panel 'glass' to wake it up, whereupon it has worked properly. Alternatively, there could be something happening with the wiring to the speed sensor on the back axle, which I had to renew in 2007, due to it corroding away. I'll take a look when the weather's dryer, but I think that the problem most likely is with the speedometer itself...

If the fault is indeed with the speedometer, does anyone know anyone who will be able to mend it (including getting the odometer and trip recorder working) at a reasonable cost? Alternatively, has anyone got a spare one, or even better, a more-or-less functioning VDO-type instrument panel? I have been on the look-out for a replacement for some time (without any success at all), as the panel illumination STILL doesn't work on the car's current one, despite my best efforts to get it to do so over the past two years - why Volvo fitted such hapless instruments to the 700 Series is beyond me

Wont promess but I may be able to help , I am on holl at mom but will look when I return .
regards
Mike B

[Richard_TD]

My 940's speedo was troublesome. I took it out to look for dry solder joints but found none. When I put it back together it worked perfectly. I think tightening the copper-tinged screws on the back of the cluster did the trick, that's where the speedo gets its power and signal from.

I could be wrong but it would cost nothing to try.

[les g Swaffer]

My spedo stops working now and again I bang the topof the dash and it works

[arcturus]

You could perhaps get a GPS and get a more accurate reading!