1999 Camry Speedometer/Odometer not working, transmission slipping
First off, I would like to say that I am very much a novice when it comes to automotive things, so bear with me. My 1999 Camry LE (4 cylinder automatic) recently started acting up. The speedometer stops registering anything (needle remains at 0mph when car is moving), and the LCD odometer goes blank. The tachometer seems ok. Check engine light comes on. Shifting will be rough and the trans will slip slightly and the shifting points will be "off.". This will last a while and then go back to normal. Sometimes the check engine light will come on by itself without the speedometer and odometer issues and the transmission will act more normal. I took it to Advance Auto Parts for a diagnosis and got a P0500 code (vehicle speed sensor). We replaced the vehicle speed sensor, and my first trip to work with the new sensor was fine. After 3-4 hours in the sun in the parking lot, I started the car, and there was the check engine light again and the odometer and speedometer non-functioning. I took it to a mechanic who disregarded the code generated by the Advance Auto folks, did his own diagnostics, and said the speedometer cluster was the issue. He re-calibrated the speedometer and reset the check engine light and said it would probably solve the problem for a while. I drove the car home with no problem and left it in the driveway in the heat. Two hours later I went to start the car, and the problem was there again. I'm at wit's end. Would a gauge cluster problem cause a trans to slip? I'm not convinced the gauge cluster is the problem. Instead I'm beginning to think it's some issue with the communication between the VSS and the speedometer/odometer (wiring??), and not the vehicle speed sensor itself. I think heat may be exacerbating an electrical problem. Does that make any sense? I don't have a whole lot of money to start throwing around at expensive possible solutions that do not turn out to solve the problem, so I would like to see if someone has a suggestion for a solution that makes the most sense. If you have a suggestion or a good idea of what the problem may be and how to fix it, please explain to me in simple terms why you think that way. Thanks in advance! 2 hours ago



