Firebird 91 Speedometer problem

I have 91 Firebird in which the speedometer does not work till I drive the car for 5-10 miles Then it would work fine till the next day. I cleaned the gauge package contacts but it got worse, I heard this was fairly common Any way to fix ? Analog gauge- W VSS sensor -no codes are ever set..

Thanks, tommy

I had a 91 firebird and the speedometer did the same thing. When it first started the speedo wouldnt work then after a while it would kick in, but it was during winter and i thought the cold might have had something to do with it. I sold it before i got around to fixing it. :-( I should have kept it. I bought a 02 ws6 T/A but i dont drive it all the time and usual drive a 90 240sx b/c i drive to college everyday. I miss my old bird.

If where me I think I would check the cable that runs from the tranny to the speedo I have an 84 and my speedo wouldn't work till after like 45mph and I replaced that cable and it fixed it, of course like you said may be electrical(just a thought)

I have a '91 as well and I had the same problem The problem ended up being the speed sensor (however, a trouble code should appear in the scanner, mine did, but it might not, I dunno). The speed sensor located in the transmission, but very easy to fix.

Jack up your car and get up under the transmission. On the driver's side, right before the driveshaft connects with the transmission, you should see a cylindrical object with wires connected to it. All you have to do is disconnect the sensor (using a screwdriver) and pull out the sensor; of course disconnect the wires first.
After that, make sure you get the little plastic gear that attaches to the end of the metal pin on the speed sensor (this small gear is 'teethed' to another gear that is on your output shaft inside the transmission. These 2 gears spin when the car moves and tells the sensor how fast your car is moving).

Its pretty straightforward from there and common sense. Just get the new sensor, put the small plastic gear back on the metal pin, then put the sensor and gear back in the transmission. The only tricky part is the metal pin coming from the end of the sensor will have a groove that you have to align up with inside the transmission.

It should only take 30 minutes to an hour at the most, but be ready to get a little messy b/c some tranny fluid will come out once you take out the old sensor.

Email me with any questions, [email protected]

Erick J.