The speedometer works properly? If so you either have a bad gauge cluster (which contains the speed sensor) or the ECU is bad. Or maybe a wiring issue but I doubt it unless someone has monkeyed with electricals.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...-1st-2nd-gen-1983-1986-1987-1991/413370-all-codes-camry-celica-listed-here.html

 

Yeah, the speedometer works.

 

The speedometer has an ADC circuit that massages analogue VSS signal into a digital square-wave signal for ECU and transmission control. ECU is complaining that it's not getting digital signal from speedo.

What I'm not sure about is if the speedo uses the pre-massage analogue signal or post-massage digital signal to do speed readling?

 

Does the transmission shift into overdrive and lock the torque converter? I'm assuming it is a 4 cylinder?

The gen2 Camry speedometer has a mechanical drive from the transmission. It has always been my assumption that the speedometer and odometer is mechanically driven, and the VSS signal is driven from the same point. That signal drives the ECU and cruise control.

If you reset the ECU (pull the EFI fuse in the engine bay for a minute or so), the check engine light should go out. The VSS failure detection takes a while to trip. See if the OD light still flashes at that point.

My guess is there is an issue with the gauge cluster, but I haven't seen that fail before.

-Charlie

 

It is the six cylinder. It seems to drive normally I believe, what happens when the torque converter is locked? There is no check engine light on, only the flashing O/D off light. I will pull that fuse, and let you know, but I have already disconnected battery to clear codes, and it came back still flashing with a 42.

So you think I should remove the speedometer module and look for bad solder joints, or a burnt component on a board? (After I try removing the fuse of course)

 

I suggested pulling the EFI fuse to avoid resetting radio presets, clock, etc. If you have already pulled the negative terminal on the battery, you have done the same thing - testing to make sure the problem is still there. Did the check engine light come on immediately?

Torque converter lockup happens (on this transmission) in the top gear (either overdrive/4th or 3rd if overdrive is disabled), road speed is high enough and throttle position is low enough. It will feel like an extra gear (rpms drop like it is going into '5th' gear), and it is the torque converter locking so that the engine is directly coupled to the transmission, removing the slip and inefficiency that is inherent in a torque converter. You can tell it has locked by changing throttle position some and seeing if the engine RPM changes (unlocked) or doesn't change (locked). If you put your foot down fairly far, it will unlock and the RPMs will jump up some, but not as much as if the transmission downshifted. This generally all happens above 50mph.

Since you have a V6, the transmission control is integrated in to the engine ECU (the 4 cylinder has separate engine and transmission computers). That would explain why the O/D light is blinking also, since this problem can/does affect transmission operation too. Code 42 hints that the speed sensor located in the gauge cluster is not working or the signal isn't getting to the ECU. You do know that the mechanical portion of the speedometer works, so now you have to track down the electrical problem.

The gauge cluster surround has 5 screws holding it in place, then it can be pulled towards you to removed. If you have the tilt steering column, you can wiggle it out from there. If you have a fixed column, you have to remove the steering wheel too. The cluster itself is held in with 4 screws and should be 'simple' to remove too. You can remove the speedo assembly from the cluster and see if you can find any telltale signs of problems...

If you do buy a replacement cluster on eBay, make sure it is from a V6. You can tell it is a V6 if the tach redlines at 6700rpm and the speedo reads to 150mph (4 cylinder is 6000rpm and 130mph). If the speedo driver board is bad, you can probably just swap out that part of it (it has been a while since i have had one apart, so no promises that it is actually possible!).

-Charlie

 

The speed sensor is easy relatively easy to replace. Here's how to test: