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A dead speedometer is a legal problem as well as an inconvenience, and the cause is usually a sensor rather than the gauge.
Whether the needle sits at zero, jumps about, or reads consistently wrong tells us which part of the chain has broken.
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- 6 monthsor 6,000 km workmanship warranty
- Red SealQualified artisans, some ex-dealership
- 9 regions1,700+ suburbs, we come to you
R952 to R1,104
Any diagnostic inspection, any car. Labour only, no parts.
The price depends on your car, never on which fault it turns out to be.
The cluster is the last thing to suspect, not the first
A dead speedometer points at the gauge, which is exactly why this fault gets over-repaired. These are the real causes in order of cost, and the most expensive one is the least likely:
A loose or corroded connector
At the sensor or along the loom. Nothing has failed, a connection has simply stopped making contact properly.
Wheel or tyre size that no longer matches
Where the reading is wrong rather than absent, this is frequently the whole explanation, and on many cars it is corrected without replacing anything.
The speed sensor itself
The common failure, and a straightforward one once the signal has been traced to it rather than assumed.
The instrument cluster
The most visible candidate, the most expensive, and the least often responsible. This is the one worth proving before anybody buys it.
Finding out which one it actually isR952 to R1,104
What is the needle actually doing?
Dead, erratic or simply wrong are three different faults with three different causes.
Flat at zero, never moves
A lost signal. The speed sensor, its wiring, or on older cars a snapped cable. The cheapest end of this fault.
It jumps around or flickers
A failing sensor or a poor connection rather than a dead one. Intermittent, and typically worse as things warm up. More on this.
It works but reads noticeably wrong
Often a tyre or wheel size change, or a gearbox sensor mismatched to the car after a repair. Nothing has failed, but something no longer matches.
Speedometer dead and the ABS light on too
Many cars take road speed from the wheel speed sensors, so one failure causes both. More on this.
Not sure which one yours is?
Tell us what the car is doing, in your own words. A mechanic reads it and calls you back within the hour. You do not need to know what is wrong, that is what we are for.
Tell us what your car is doing
What people say after we have been out
Real jobs, real faults, at homes and offices.
What we do on site
✓
The speed signal traced end to endFrom the sensor, through the wiring, to the cluster. The break shows itself rather than being guessed at by elimination.
✓
The sensor tested in placeOutput measured while the wheel or shaft turns, which proves whether the sensor is producing a signal at all.
✓
Cluster and module communication readSome clusters receive speed over the car’s network rather than on a wire. If the message is arriving and the needle is not moving, that changes the repair.
✓
Tyre and wheel size checked against specificationWhere the reading is wrong rather than absent, this is frequently the whole explanation.
The kit that comes with the mechanic
A mobile mechanic is only as good as what is in the van.
Autel and Launch scan tools
Live road speed read at the cluster and at the modules that send it, which shows exactly where the signal stops.
Multimeter, on the sensor output
Output measured while the wheel or shaft turns, proving whether the sensor is producing anything at all.
Wiring continuity testing
The run between sensor and cluster checked properly, because a chafed wire and a failed sensor look identical from the driver’s seat.
Road test with live logging
An intermittent needle is captured while the car moves rather than inferred from a stationary reading.
You are still responsible for your speed
A speedometer that does not work is not a defence, and in a roadworthy test it is a fail. It is also one of the cheaper faults to fix once the cause is actually known.
What you get for the money
A named fault, in writing, and a price to fix it
What has failed, why, and what the repair involves. If the repair is ours you get the quote before anything is touched, and the inspection is not charged twice.
Other inspections we do
Every one of these is a mechanic coming to you. See all 22.
Losing powerR952 to R1,104Limp mode, or it will not pull.Car shakingR952 to R1,104Under braking, at speed, or at idle.Plug-in diagnostic scanR952 to R1,104Every module read, not just the engine.Fuel pressure testR1,035 to R1,225Hard starting, cutting out under load.Engine compression testPrice on requestA misfire that new parts did not fix.Engine light onR952 to R1,104Steady, flashing, or on and off again.Dashboard warning lightsR952 to R1,104A light you do not recognise.EPC warning lightR952 to R1,104VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda.
Where we come out to
Nine regions and more than 1,700 suburbs. Check your suburb.
JohannesburgPretoria and TshwaneCape TownDurban and eThekwiniEkurhuleni and the East RandGqeberhaPolokwaneRustenburgEmalahleni
Questions we get asked
Is it illegal to drive with a broken speedometer?
It will fail a roadworthy test, and you remain responsible for your speed regardless of what the dashboard shows. It is worth fixing promptly, and it is usually one of the less expensive electrical faults.
Does a dead speedometer mean a new instrument cluster?
Rarely. The cluster is the visible part and the expensive one, but the cause is much more often the speed sensor or the wiring feeding it. We trace the signal before anyone condemns the cluster.
My speedometer reads a bit fast since I changed wheels.
That is the likely explanation on its own. A different rolling diameter changes how many pulses arrive per kilometre. On many cars this can be corrected without replacing anything.
What does the inspection cost?
R952 to R1,104 depending on the car, labour only, with no parts in that figure. Any repair is quoted separately and you see the price first.
Speedometer Not Working? Mobile Inspection At Your Door
Tell us what it is doing and where you are. Price and a slot, no phone call.