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MG MGF Technical - Help pl. Speedometer kaput, Powersteering light on

Traveling home tonight and my speedometer went dead (needle at zero). Shortly after, the red dashboard power steering light came on.

Likely cause? Any advise appreciated

GJ

Digital speedo after MY2000?

Then the sensor at the gearbox is 'kaputt' <-- notice spelling ! ;)
Or the wiring to the sensor may have any problem.

Mechanical speedo before MY2000 ?
Broken speedo cable, almost at the entry to the gearbox or connection to the instrument panel has slipped off.

HTH
Dieter
Dieter K.

Sorry, should have said its a 1997 vvc with mechanical speedo. Also the power steering no longer works (its not just the light !)

It happened whilst cruising at 60mph along a dual carriageway.
GJ

The PAS 'computer' needs a speedo reading to help it to decide how much assistance to give you - if it fails to get its required 'readings' it goes into default mode by switching off - the thinking being that no assistance is better than too much.

Repair the speddo cable and tyhe PAS will automatically reset itself.

Ted
Ted Newman

GJ-- this happened to me also, exactly the way it did to you. Speedo went off and so did the PAS as i was driving. But about an hour later it came back on. I later discovered that there is a connector under the bonnet that was loose. Open the bonnet and take off the black plastic cover that covers the suspension valves and brake gizmos. There you will see the speedo cable, which is broken in the middle and joined by a connector, this is where the problem was in my case, just make sure it is joined properly.
GC.
G.C

In my case, it was the cable itself at fault - the internal drive had snapped before the connection between the main cable, and the shorter intermediate cable that then runs to the instrument :o(
Rob Bell

Thanks. I havn't examined the cable yet as its a VERY cold night. There are three sections to the cable. IF there was no problem with the connections how would I be able to test which section of cable had internally failed? Do I have to buy each in turn to find out? Rear gearbox section most likely to fail?,

Also if I have to take the instrument panel off to check the cable conection is it a fiddly job to get it back on in one piece?

PS I have a workshop manual. Looks straight forward but you never know !!!!!!!

Advice appreciated as I want to fix this myself (I just spent nearly £200 on a rear wheel bearing and flange - at 47,000 miles !)
GJ

under current ambient conditions I would look under the bonnet and remove the black cover.
Locate the interconnection of section #1 to section #2.
Dismantle (I think it's a bajonett) <- spelling?.

The try turning the inner wire.
- Direction to the gearbox should be tight.
- Direction to the speedo should be easy to turn. Spot on the distance meter before you do and check later whether you got additional miles :)

HTH
Dieter

Dieter K.

This happened on my car about a year ago - but it eventually sorted itself out: if I disconnected and then re-connected the cable under the bonnet it would work for a few days, and then go again. After about the third time, I just left it for a while and then it started working again - and has been OK since.

I have no explanation for it, but it's been OK for about ten months now.

E
Ed Clarke

Much obliged
Still too cold to venture into the garage (Dieter, we currently have a cold snap -probably mild by continental standards!)

With no PAS it drives like a tank. I've read that some people disconnect the PAS fuse out of choice ! The MGF is the first car I,ve owned with PAS. Couldn't do without it now (whimp, heh heh)
GJ

I had the pleasure of having to drive around with the EPAS disconnected before MGR sorted out the problem. I must say that I really preferred it disconnected whilst driving on the motorway. Around town, it was like you said-a tank. Shame there isn't a device that allows you to switch it on or off as you please!

kind regards

bryan
B4 LGW
bryan

Bryan

I believe there is such a device - it is called a Will Munns switch (or similar)

Ted :-)
Ted Newman

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2002 and 16/12/2002

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