Help! Speedometer and Rev Counter failure in our Boxer

[Johnny Guitar]

As above. Speedo and Rev Counter simultaneously failed in our Elddis Boxer, Denise (Van Outing). Nearest MH mechanics won't even entertain fixing her. No local mechanics found so far who can cope or are prepared to even try and fix her. 'Find a mechanic' websites give no response despite claiming to be the solution. I have been advised that is likely to be an ECU failure but how do I obtain the correct replacement and have it installed?

We are in Hertfordshire and she is stored in Welwyn Garden City. She still starts on the button and runs fine.

All advice and suggestions gratefully received


Cheers
John

 

[Landy Andy]

Assume you’ve checked all your fuses?

How handy are you with the tools?
I am sure I’ve read that the needles can stick on the gauges so it can be as simple as a strip down of dash clocks. A physical flick of ten finger on each needle and all is good.

 

[gus-lopez]

She still starts on the button and runs fine.

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[GeoffnDee]

I doubt that the ECU is the problem , Try contacting www.cartronix.co.uk in Waterlooville , Hants. who repair this type of dash problems and may know someone in your area who can remove it for you , or they can remove and repair it at their workshop while you wait (if , as suggested, you have checked all of the fuses)

 

[peterc10]

What year is your Boxer?

I wouldn't worry about it.

Gus, until they need an MOT.

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[Brains]

I wouldn't worry about it.

MoT fail

 

[fishplug]

MoT fail

Unless you plug in an OBD reader speedometer display....

£25ish on eBay, mine was about £15 from China direct.

 

[Brains]

Unless you plug in an OBD reader speedometer display....

£25ish on eBay, mine was about £15 from China direct.

OK that bodge-around may (or may not) get you and MoT, but it's not really a long term solution, no one would buy the van at a sensible price with that fitted.
Other than the MoT issue, no one would know the real mileage.
A proper long term solution is needed

I had a Landrover for many years, the speedo failed at just over 100,000 miles and I managed to find a replacement with just under 100,000 miles on the clock. So between MoT's it looked like I had done about 2,000 miles in a year when the actual figure was more like 8-10k.

The only problem I then found was when I came to sell it.
In some years the MoT people had filled in the commercial vehicle Kilometres field in the computer and in other years they had filled in the private vehicle Miles field.
Which meant the annual milage went up and down like a yoyo, with many years lower than the previous year followed by a massive jump. It only made sense if you converted some, but not all, years to KM or miles

The fact the speedo was not original and the engine had been rebuilt meant the buyer was not prepared to take any figures at all.
The got a professional mechanic to inspect and he estimated the mileage was roughly correct judging by the condition of all the other items.

 

[BaileySteve]

If you don’t want to drive without a speedo you could try a GPS Speedo, OBD type would be fine if this is only powering it and not taking any readings from ECU’s. I have one that runs from USB which I set in kmh for Europe and was £30 from Amazon.

 

[fishplug]

OK that bodge-around may (or may not) get you and MoT, but it's not really a long term solution

It will get through MOT and can be a long term installation - but I agree that the rest of it should also be fixed because something has caused it and whatever that is might also cause other issues.

I have it because I just find it easier to see a number displayed digitally on the dash than to look down at the speedometer and it has the advantage of being configurable to Kilometers or Miles as required.

The failure in the instruments doesn't necessarily mean that the odometer isn't still working correctly on the ECU, it may just be failing to display.

As a quick and cheap 'patch' I think it isn't the worst option, but a proper fix is always the right way forward.

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[peterc10]

Depends whether or not your odometer is working. Have to have one for the MOT.

 

[fishplug]

Unless something has changed then I don't believe that's true peterc10

You need something that will display speed, but not the vehicle mileage in order to pass MOT to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Sue and Rick]

Isn't there one in the classifieds?

Fiat Ducato X250 06- Instrument Cluster (Speedo Head)

Brand new unit

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[gus-lopez]

Gus, until they need an MOT.

MoT fail

no one would know the real mileage.

Have to have one for the MOT.

Why do they need one? have they started driving the vehicles?

 

[pagey]

What year is this van

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[fishplug]

My old IZH-49's instruments had packed up and getting a replacement wasn't a straight forward thing.

That got through a couple of MOTs with a GPS 'permanently' attached to it (which was entertaining enough to achieve given that it was a 6v system).

No functioning odometer, no problem. No functioning speedometer = fail.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

My first port of call would be to check the plugs on the back of the Speedo cluster one may have become loose or possibly dirty connectors.

 

[peterc10]

Why do they need one? have they started driving the vehicles?

Because the mileage of the vehicle is recorded on the MOT.

 

[lindyloot]

I had this happen a couple of years ago. MH , Fiat Ducatto (2004) It was the sensor on the gearbox. Less than £150 all in . MH was drivable but I did not know how fast I was driving but by using the sat nav I had a rough idea. A vehicle electrician will be able to check

 

[gus-lopez]

Because the mileage of the vehicle is recorded on the MOT.

But if you look at car vertical, or any other sites to check vehicles , they still pass whether the mileage has increased decreased or stayed at the same amount?

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[Brains]

Why do they need one? have they started driving the vehicles?

To stop instances of 'clocking'

To make it appear the vehicle has done less miles than it really has.
It used to be a big problem. Now it's fairly rare.

The DVLA has the milage of every vehicle on the MoT.
Anyone can put in a numberplate on the DVLA site and get the year by year miles recorded.
Any vehicle with zero miles or a very low number of miles recorded between MoT's would raise questions.

 

[repairer]

what year is the boxer?

I had a 2002 model many years ago and the drive from the gearbox operated both the tachometer and the Speedo, the Speedo worked with a cable to the Speedo head, the tachometer was an electronic signal, I “believe “ the later model had a similar gearbox drive system but the Speedo was electronic along with tachometer, if you search on E bay you will see the two options, one drive can accommodate a Speedo cable the other is “electronic” both are very easy to fit.

 

[Landy Andy]

Johnny Guitar if really stuck give me a shout. I’m in your neck of the woods, Welwyn isn’t far, and I’m good with the tools.