bcvickers

1999 A4 2.8 auto 214,xxx miles, SE Minnesota.

Alright, this just started happening the night before last. I drive ~150 miles a day so this poor car gets USED. All of a sudden I looked down at my speedo and it dropped down to zero. Sometimes it will pick up and act normal other times it will float up and down randomly. The odometer isn't working during these periods unless the speedo is reading correctly (not really a bug except I use the trip miles all the time.) The cruise control stopped working as well, to be expected without a decent speed input I guess. And, I suspect this is related to it killing and trying to kill on me when coming to a stop light. I think since it doesn't know how fast it's going the TC must stay locked up and kill the engine, that's how it sounds/acts at least.

Probably not related but the other night my outside temp indicator went wacko as well reading -58 for a while. In addition my water temp gauge doesn't operate correctly as well. Needless to say this beauty has served me well and I want to keep it on the road but I really need a speedo to do that, driving by the tach sucks and the cops don't buy that your speedo "just went out".

So I'm thinking VSS just because why would a IC malfunction cause the cruise to quite? That said will any old aftermarket VSS do? How hard is it to replace with the car up on ramps?

Thanks in advance.

Lyman_T

Check your connectors under the dash. Sounds like one or two are loose.