Your car's speedometer is often overlooked, but it is one of your vehicle's most important safety and operational features. The speedometer is precisely what it sounds like: it is the part of your car that displays the speed at which your vehicle is traveling. When your speedometer starts to malfunction, you must have it serviced and repaired right away. Not only can an inaccurate speedometer reading put you at risk of being pulled over for a speeding ticket, but it can put you and other drivers in jeopardy.
How Do Speedometers Stop Working?
The most common reason behind a faulty speedometer is electrical issues within the automobile. However, it could also be a wide range of other reasons:
- Defective speed sensor
- Malfunction in the engine control unit (ECU)
- Electrical wiring or blown fuse
To properly diagnose a speedometer, your trusted technicians at Scruggs Automotive will use several methods. Our expert team will begin with checking the sensor and all potential related wiring and fuses. If these are not the problem, they will use a high-tech scanner to read the error code. The scanner is the same tool often utilized to read Check Engine Lights
Is it Hazardous to Drive With a Defective Speedometer?
Driving a vehicle with a broken or faulty speedometer is very dangerous. It can jeopardize the safety of your passengers, other drivers, and even the pedestrians on the road. You can also be ticketed (on top of your speeding ticket) for having a damaged speedometer. You should seek out repairs immediately as soon as you discover the problem.
How are Speedometers Fixed?
Most speedometer repairs are simple. Depending on the condition of the problem, it may simply require an ECU replacement, fuse replacement, or trouble code clearing. Other times, your mechanic may need to install a new speed sensor to fix the issue.
Regardless of how the problem originated, you should have your faulty speedometer fixed pronto. Do not compromise the safety of others, yourself, and your vehicle. We welcome you to bring your car to Scruggs Automotive today for speedometer repairs and recalibration.