When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Mine (2004 with 50K) has never missed a beat but the tac is crazy above 3000 in cold weather like it sticks and jumps at 1000 leaps back and forth.. They are servo motor driven by digital input. I would pop the console off and pug and unplug it. Bet that is all it is. Could be the sensor but I doubt it. They do get metal on the pickup and act up however.
Thanks to all those who have never had a problem but I could have gotten a million of those. Today it was working again so I am guessing it's not the speedometer itself. I will try what you suggested and unplug and replug it if it happens again. From all that I have read if that doesn't work I will try cleaning the sensor. Thanks again.
While I haven't had a speedometer problem per se, I have had electrical problems that made the speedo do similar to what you described. I suggest riding at night to see if things like the headlight dims/brightens and the speedo persists. Mine ended up being a voltage regulator. Additionally, there is a sticky on the Evo section for diagnosing your charging system. I've found that to be really helpful. May not be the charging system at all, but if it is, you'll want to know at home vice finding out on a long ride. 2002 Heritage, by the way.
While I haven't had a speedometer problem per se, I have had electrical problems that made the speedo do similar to what you described. I suggest riding at night to see if things like the headlight dims/brightens and the speedo persists. Mine ended up being a voltage regulator. Additionally, there is a sticky on the Evo section for diagnosing your charging system. I've found that to be really helpful. May not be the charging system at all, but if it is, you'll want to know at home vice finding out on a long ride. 2002 Heritage, by the way.
The speedometer on my '03 FXST (42,000 miles) stopped working this week. No odometer, either. I removed the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) and metal shavings covered about 50% of the surface. I cleaned it, re-installed, but no change. Speedometer still not working.
The plug for the VSS, into the wiring harness, is behind the rear tire's plastic splash guard. I haven't checked it for corrosion, but I might later. after the bike cools down a bit. The other thing I checked was the ignition switch, cleaning the switch's three contacts, but not the switch internals. I also inspected the terminals/pins at the plug to the speedometer (under the dash), and they look clean as a whistle.
Check your voltage at the battery, my speedo started to act crazy today so I decided to
Check my voltage and it was overcharging at 17.8 volts. I guess a new regulator is in order.
97 Heritage Springer, 2000 Deuce, 2005 Deluxe and a 2007 FXSTC with 100K combined miles no speedo problem ever. And a 16 Heritage but only 1,200 miles so it may not count.
Bought a new Vehicle Speed Sensor part # 74430-00D, yesterday ('03 FXST w/ 42,000 miles).
It took about 20 minutes to install, this morning. The only things I removed were the two screws at the bottom of the plastic fender piece. The hunk of plastic then unhooked from its top mounting point so I could rotate it downwards, allowing access to the VSS's connector. Nothing else was removed, and a little finesse was required, but I was able to get the old sensor/wire/connector out, taking note of the wire's routing. The bolt holding the sensor to the tranny took a little patience, going an 1/8 of a turn at a time, but it's do-able. Getting the sensor out of the tranny's bore took a bit of effort and gentle prying with a thin, plastic prying device. Inserting the new sensor into the bore, after coating the o-ring with some oil off the old sensor, was a piece of cake.
Immediate success. Speedometer and odometer, function properly.
This is what my old sensor looked like when I removed it from the tranny and attempted the clean-and-replace fix, which didn't cure the issue. A new sensor, about 60 bucks, was the ticket. Rode down to Sperryville to Cooter's (of Dukes of Hazzard fame) for a car show, about 130 miles, no issues.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
