Check Engine light, No speedometer

i have an 89 civic hatchback dx

the car will start fine
the first immediate problem is that the speedometer will not work at all
and about 20 minutes later the check engine light will come on

i havent checked the ecu code yet but i read somewhere about a vehicle speed sensor error that could possibly give you the check engine light. i was wondering exactly what that is and if that would make the speedometer stop funtioning.

if that might be the problem is it an easy fix?

any help is greatly appreciated

thanks :)

edit: i checked and the speedometer cable was loose so i plugged it back in and the speedometer works again. it doesnt seem likely that that would be the reason for the check engine light though.

could that cable being loose cause the check engine light to come on? it only started coming on the exact day the speedometer stopped working.

tomorrow i might take it over to a friends who lives a little ways out and see if the check engine light still comes on. unless someone gives me other advice. i guess if it comes on again the best things to do is check the ecu code.

Speedometer popping out of tranny is Code 17. Just undo the 15a ECU fuse from the under hood fuse box for 30 seconds and put it back and this will reset the ECU causing the CEL light to go away.

FYI, when your speedo doesn't work you can drive away fine. after you exceed 3000rpm (it might be 3500) and then let the rpm's drop.....say when you shift, that is when the light comes on.

do as mentioned above or the code is stored in the ecu. next time you get a check engne light it will flash for the current & old problem :uhoh:

that is true^.

oh thanks for the information.
it was really helpful.

oh thanks for the information.
it was really helpful.

Yep, just reset your ecu and the light should go away. It stays stored in the ecu until like 60 miles after an apparent problem has been fixed.