Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Broken Odometer and trip meter
From:developtrust
Date:Sun, 10 Feb 2002 09:41:41 -0800

Someone on this list referred me to a repair place in California either San
Francisco or L.A. but I've lost the address.  There is a place in San Diego
called San Diego Speedotach (619)235-0314 or joe@sdspeedo.com if you want to
inquire

However,

I just repaired my odometer. I hope your repair is as simple as mine was.

You can take the speedometer off by loosening the 4 screws on the instrument
cluster BUT DO NOT take the right bottom screw out. It is difficult to get
in and out and you can loosen it and maneuver the cluster out and in again
then tighten when the time comes.

Take the speedometer off carefully with a small screwdriver or Phillips bit.
Thanks to Mark Drillock who told me to use a dull butter knife to carefully
pry off the blue strip of printed circuitry. It will button back easily.

At the 30 MPH position behind the dial you will see a screw type gear and a
plastic cog wheel. You need to find a way to push that cog wheel back on its
spindle rod toward the screw gear by holding the other end of the rod steady
somehow. This will allow the gears to mesh better. The other end of the
spindle rod does NOT have a bushing as does the other speedo gear rod. If
your little plastic gear is broken or cracked you can buy a replacement for
about $8. Check your yellow pages for a speedo repair place. Or contact the
list for mail order sources.

I pushed my gear in only 1/32 of an inch and it solved my problem. Good luck
and let us know if you succeed with this repair.

William Polowniak
1989 Vanagon GL
1988 Mercedes 300 SE

Hi again:

I checked the archives and some one had sent theirs to Overseas Speedometer
for repair.  Any one know what they charge?  Also, my tach does not go all
the way down to zero when the vehicle is turned off.  Has anyone sent one to
these folks and know what they charge for that repair? Or is there some way
to fix the tach myself?

Thanks,

Walter Evens
Hesperia, CA, USA
2-85GLs