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speedometer needle spinning.

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Old 11-14-2013, 02:07 PM
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Default speedometer needle spinning.

I feel like I'm going warp speed now. On my 1989 Laredo the speedometer is spinning 360 degrees (in a circle) and the faster I drive the faster it spins.
What needs to be replaced?
1989, 4.0L, Cherokee, Laredo.

Seriously!~jretzky
Old 11-14-2013, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by jretzky
I feel like I'm going warp speed now. On my 1989 Laredo the speedometer is spinning 360 degrees (in a circle) and the faster I drive the faster it spins.
What needs to be replaced?
1989, 4.0L, Cherokee, Laredo.

Seriously!~jretzky
The instrument cluster.
Old 11-14-2013, 02:57 PM
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I'd like to see a video of that!

X2 on the cluster
Old 03-07-2015, 11:50 AM
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Default Speedometer spinning on 1989 Laredo

Hello! I finally got time to change the speedometer on my 1989 Laredo because the needle was just spinning.

I just replaced the speedometer in the instrument panel.

Now the speedometer doesn't work at all.

It's not turning the mileage either.

Sometimes it takes me a while to get things done.

Is it the cable or something else?

Thanks!-John
Old 03-07-2015, 06:37 PM
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If you have a speedometer cable, there's a good chance it needed to be lubricated. What often happens is the cable sticks in one area, and then winds up behind that area. Eventually, it becomes unstuck and spins very fast which causes the speedometer to peg. Imagine this happening again and again very quickly and you'll get the idea about what's going on.

Now that you've replaced your speedometer and it's not working, it's possible you didn't get the cable properly inserted at the back of the cluster. It's also possible the speedometer cable broke, which would be a bummer.

If you find the cable was not properly inserted, lubricate it before you reinstall it. Spraying a lot of lithium lube from the can into the cable housing usually works well. Don't use WD-40. It will help at first, then quickly break down.
Old 03-08-2015, 06:40 PM
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Default Speedometer 1989 Laredo

Thank!~ for the post.

I took the dash a part and found that the cable did come off the back of the speedometer.

This time I took the little cable off and secured it to the back of the instrument panel .

My original one had a metal clip to keep it there, but the parts jeep just had some type of plastic clip on the short cable.

Since I used my old instrument panel it had nothing to clip to.

I used glue and let it dry with the short cable attached to the instrument panel.
I can still take it apart if I have to.


Then I installed the instrument panel back into the dash and screwed on the short cable to that black plastic piece with the 2 wires coming out of it.

Funny how simple things like speedometer make an ride a little more enjoyable.
We live in a little town and the sherif and state troupers love to visit this town.
Haven't fix this until now and I drove my Cherokee Laredo for a little over 3 years with out it. Was thinking about skipping fixing it and using my GPS which tells you your speed.

One day the sherif stopped me and asked why every time he drove by me the front end of the car dipped down. I reply, "it is't me, the car is aerodynamic".
He laughed and drove off.

Thanks!~ again! John
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