My Zetec has developed speedo problems. Flips to zero and then flips back or doesn't while I'm moving! Not too much of a problem as I can judge my speed by the revs BUT yesterday an orange light came on and stayed on. I don't have a handbook so I downloaded the manual from the internet and I can't find the warning light on it, hence my call for help.

The light is on the right hand side above the fuel gauge and to the left of the battery light. In the manual it is the seat belt with a figure and the belt, on mine it's a thick black circle with dots in the circle and something on the lower right hand side of it but can't make out what it is. I've checked several times and my description is accurate. So it is a different warning light for the seat belt or something else? I'm a bit loathe to drive the car until I know in case I'm doing some damage and I live in the country so I can't just pop to a garage.

Any help would be gratefully received

Thanks

Leajayse

sounds like the common issue of a faulty instrument panel, or it could be the VSS.

how often does it drop to zero, and for how long? also, can you take a photo of the warning light?

It sounds almost like it might be the old cog light?

Varies. Some days it flips on and off with maybe ten minutes in between once or twice on a journey of roughly eight miles or thirty minutes at other times. Yesterday on a short journey it flipped off and then came back on when I was on my way back. There's no pattern. No distance showing either. Will take photo.

Do you lose any other instruments or is it only the speedo? If it is only speedo it's probably the vss (vehicle speed sensor) in the gearbox. If there is more than this affected it's probably the instrument cluster

Rotten speed sensor, has the trip cpu etc stopped to? the MPG bits? if you give it a reset it most likely won't come back or will freeze.

Easy enough change, there will be a sensor cable attached to the box. cable could be frayed or there is oil on it or something. could take it out and give it a clean with wd40 and get a very small screw driver to scrape the metal contacts to give it a little clean.

Thanks for your replies. Used the car today and everything was back to normal. Bizarre! No orange light which I think was probably

the seat belt despite the picture difference. Made sure I belted up before starting the engine. Perhaps that was it but will get everything checked before doing too many more miles.

Thanks again.

Leajayse

Spoke too soon. Went out today. Journey there fine, on the way back speedo flipped to zero and then when I changed gear to slow down and turn into a lane, the steering felt sluggish (didn't think it was going to turn) and all power lost. Started her up, got to my road, stopped to reverse and it went again. The MPG was still moving but don't know what a trip cpu is. Roughly how much for a garage to put it right? (Sigh)

Power loss alongside speedo failure is a sure sign of VSS failure.

A new sensor and locking pin is about £20 off ebay and 30-60 minutes labour time.

It can be done on a driveway but they can be a pig to get out.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=221253658933&alt=web

Many thanks. I am however in the twilight of my years and this morning struggled to put a lawn mower together (although the instructions were rubbish) let alone change a speed sensor! lol

Leajayse

I would find a local garage willing to do the work and ask if it's ok to supply your own parts.

The removal of the old vss does involve a fair bit of bending and pulling so best left to more flexible people.