1996 accord something with the cluster im guessing

Repair your vehicle right away. Just click on the link I attached 1996 Honda Accord Workshop Repair Service Manual PDF Download

most old cars have a speedo cable.
is the odometer dead too. (we need that answer now)

there are 3 class evolutionary systems.
cable
electric sender to cluster
and sender to PCM and PCM drives cluster.
but honda does this on diffr, dates than most cars. (i learned)

so lets do that. we login to alldata.com and look , so can you at any time,
once a month i do random cars.
what engine, sometimes this varies by engine, and trans.
neither stated so Ill toss coin each time.
a/t trans.
1996
has electronic (hall) speed sensor VSS and runs
engine, cruise. odometer and cluster.

the 96 has no speedo cable, and works in modern mode, very advance for this time
also any scan tool on earth fits the PCM scan port
and if VSS is dead, it tells you that with a DTC , vss dead.
saving all that work wondering why it dont work.
see/?
PCM must see it work
and cluster
and cruise
if only cluster fails, and both speedo and odometer then its bad.
if only speedo fails but not odometer , then speedo meter is bad.
its that easy.

I am no Honda expert, but a similar problem happened to my ex sister in-laws Ford Taurus. The speed odometer would jump around and it had trouble shifting (automatic transmission). After driving it I changed out the speed odometer sensor on the transmission and it's been fine ever since. I changed out the sensor because if the cars computer cannot tell how fast the car is traveling then fail safes in place go into effect and the computer will do it's best to keep the cars rpm's down based on the speed indicator and not let it shift or shift properly either. If it's getting false speeds then it will shut down the motor when the speed gets to high and allow it to run as the speeds fall (jumping speed odometer needle). It effects the transmission shift points also. It will either shift erratically or not shift out of say 2nd gear, so that the cars engine can't get damaged based on what signal the speed sensor is sending the computer.

I guess you mean the speedometer isnt working? It could be a couple of things. 1. the actual speedometer cable is broke. If electronic it is probly your VSS. typically located on the trans towards the output shaft. You will need to ohm it out and check against spec.

bad speed sensor..

The "needle at 20MPH" is a sure-fire indicator -- it's the speedometer head. This is a common problem in this year.

I haven't found a fix other than replacing the speedometer head, sorry.

My 96 did the same thing. The speed sensor is and was fine -- the problem is an open circuit in the wires inside the gauge itself.

The Chilton's manual has pretty good instructions on how to replace the instrument cluster. You can buy just the speedometer gauge, or an entire instrument cluster for $100 or so on eBay. Just be sure you get a cluster that matches your model and trim line -- the LX and DX have different clusters, and of course the automatic and the 5-speed are different as well.


Do be sure to disconnect the battery before you begin the project, as there's a (slim) chance you can discharge the airbags if you don't

Remove the cluster and send to a cluster specialist. if he finds nothing wrong, you should not be charged for this(ask first). If the cluster is fine, check the cables and/or the sensors that run into the tranny.

If it is the ckluster, the specialist can fix and reinstall.

You, of coarse, have to remove the Instrument panel. There are I bellieve 3 or 4 screws to remove it. All the meters in the Intrument panel are connected electrically by the screws to the PC board. Do you have a replacement one or do you still have to purchase one? I can tell you step by step how to get the dash apart if you want. I had to do this many time with my car. I have a 96 Honda Accord EX. When you have a car like I do with about 200,000 miles on it, I get a lot of practice replacing just about everything inside the vehicle.