Citroen ZX (1992 - 1998) - 1993 1.9TD Avantage 5 drs - Speedo Not Working | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Thu 7 Feb 2008 20:18

1993 1.9TD Avantage 5 drs - Speedo Not Working - El Bandito

I was changing some blown bulbs in the dashboard so I had to contort myself to get my hand in behind the instrument panel - at this time the speedo cable was being put under some pressure as it was still attached to the back of the speedometer (couldn't get my hand in to disconnect it), when the housing behind the plastic part which attached to the speedo pulled away exposing the metal part of the cable in the middle - this then showed some slack- should this middle cable have been tightly secured at the join with the lower cable at the other end?

Anyway, I reconnected the part of the cable that had pulled apart and when all the surround dashboard parts were put back together I took it for a test run - THE SPEEDO DIDN'T WORK !!! I opened it up again to look but the cable end was still connected to the speedo.

Enquiringly, I rang my local Citroen dealer who said I probably needed a new speedo cable - I also read that there is an upper and a lower cable (the part that I have the problem with being the upper I presume). The Citroen man also said that this would be a nasty job !!!

Ok what I really would like to know is - Does my cable need replacing and if it does do I need to replace the lower cable as well, or is there any other surefire method of getting the speedo back to working order ???

If anyone could help me find a solution I would be most grateful.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 07/02/2008 at 23:45

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Thu 7 Feb 2008 23:20

Speedometer not working - any ideas? - ChicksFan

If it was working before you disturbed it, it sounds as if you haven't put it back together properly. Or you have broken something...

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Thu 7 Feb 2008 23:31

Speedometer not working - any ideas? - El Bandito

The speedo cable has been refitted. I have checked that it is firmly in place and it seems fine. My suspicion is that it the inner core of the cable has come away from where it joins the lower cable but I don't know for sure.
If anyone knows of the correct way to connect the speedo cable and any pitfalls to look out for, then I'd be grateful if you could tell me.

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Fri 8 Feb 2008 08:01

Speedometer not working - any ideas? - RichardW

The speedo cable just clicks onto the back of the speedo head - ISTR it's quite tough to actually get it right back on - but once on properly you won't be able to pull it off without pressing the clips in - unless you yanked the old one off and broke the clips....

There is a joint in the cable just after it comes through the bulkhead in the engine bay. You could jack up one side of the car, run the engine with it in gear, and then see if the cable is going round first in the engine bay, and then at the instrument pod end. If not, it's bust. I imagine changing it will be a mare that wil involve at least removing the instruments, centre heater console and glove box, and may well involve removing the entire dashboard.

For reference getting the cable off the speedo is not too bad if you first carefully ease the pod past the metal tab (top or bottom can't remember) that it sits behind - and if you have first removed the centre heater panels which makes loads of room to get your hand in.

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Fri 8 Feb 2008 19:42

Speedometer not working - any ideas? - El Bandito

Thx RichardW.

It would seem that the lower cable works after testing it but the upper cable doesn't.

I rang Citroen to be told that for a right hand drive model ZX (matching my chassis number) that there are in fact 2 types of upper speedo cable available - a normal length one and a longer one.

Is there any harm in getting the longer one or should I stick to the standard length one?

I suppose I was just thinking of trying to avoid the same situations the next time I want to change a dashboard bulb.

In hindsight I wish I'd never bothered replacing the pink fluffy dice bulbs.

If anyone has any helpful tips for fitting a speedo cable then please let me know.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 09/02/2008 at 02:17

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Sat 9 Feb 2008 12:54

Speedometer not working - any ideas? - RichardW

My reading of the parts database is that there are 2 upper cables - one for Reflex cars and one for everything else - part No for Avantage then would be 96 097 386. There are several different lower cables listed depending on the engine fitted.

Haynes says "Remove the Facia" as the first step!! It may well be possible to remove the instruments, centre heater console and glove box and then pull the old cable out towards the instruments, using it pull a string in (Haynes recommends this to pull a string through the bulkhead from the engine bay), then pull the new cable back in. Depends on where it is routed behind the dash. Either way it's not going to be fun or easy.....

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